The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1900-07-06
Is bottom Of Chesapeake Bay
Heroic but Futile Struggles OF
Marston Boughner to Escape
An Awful Shock
To The Community
Was the sad Message of his un'
timely Dealt, and a Gloom OF
Sorrow and Sadness Over
hangs Hundreds OF
Warm Friends.

aMarston Boughner drowned at
Annapolis today! was the sad excla-
,aat,on on every tongue last Saturday
NIGHT and the hundreds Of people VINO
nes,y him and especially host OF
sr,snds, who almost adored him be-
ca,,se az his manly bearing, genial ois-
nosition. rare amiabillty, intellectu
ality and the promise of a oriiliah1
~ rseful career, were saddened by
the following message his father, oliver
. ponghner, received at 8 o'clock thai
evenins from Annapolis, and sent him
nv prof R. l., Wentz Instructor al
the United states Naval Academy:
30. p. Boughner, Clarksburg-Whiie
hathine this evening your son became
exhausted and drowned before ASSIST
ance arrived. Am making every effort
tn recover body. Will keep boats work
inc all night. Will wire when found.
-N' - r. l.. VENT"
Marston had received an appoint
ment to a cadetship in the naval acao-
emy at that place and left here on b.
sd express No. A Thursday evening
IN enter upon his duties and studies as
a candidate for the place. He arrived
70 Annapolis Friday evening al DIV
O'Clock and the Annapolis Evening
S,anitol says he was in perfect health
~ sna sn,rits. little suspecting the
awful fate SO soon to oyertake MN.
Marston accompanied his instructor 70
school Saturday morning and was as
signed work for the afternoon. he
asked for and was given an hour 10 De
around with the boys, agreeing 10 90
good work at his studies that nleh1.
In the AFTERNOON party Of seven can
didates, including young Boughner'
vent, out In a boat on the Chesapeake
Raw for swim and anchored on
Greenberry Point two or three miles.
The boat was quite large and heavy.
Three Of the party could not swim ano
knew nothing whatever about boats OF
deep water. The other four, including
Marston, jumped overheard to SWIM
after having thrown out an anchor'
hut which did not catch the bottom
nroperly because the anchor rope was
too short. AS soon as the four jumped
overheard the wind caused the boat TO
drift ayay from them, and the boys re-
naming in the boat being ignorant OF
the manner Of stopping the drift be-
came stampeded and did not know
what TO do. In this condition they
eould len but little assistance TO tnelr
Browning companion.
AS Marston went overheard ana
struck out with such vigorous move
nent, one Of the boys in the boat re-
marked, "Well, Boughner, you have
been guying us. / bet you are the
best swimmer in the crowd" Shortly,
however, he called that he was giving
but and then is when the boys In the
boad stampeded. The others cried
for them to bring the boat, but they
were unable to manage 1t. Two OF
the boys in the water went to Mars
toms assistance, and held him, while
another swan to the boat for an oar.
AS soon as the oar was COTTON to him
he took hold Of 1t and the boys being
exhausted let go OF him. The oar did
hot keep him up to his satisfaction
ind he let go, saying that 1t was OF no
use. The two young men then look
him again but he bore so heavily upon
Them that they had to letgo OF him.
Then he sank. One Owed for him and
brought him up. The other took hold
pf him again and the boat began 70
Approach. The two rescuers were
almost exhausted and Boughner bore
own SO heavily that both he and the
Eoung man holding him this time
vent down together, letting go 10 feet
nder water. After catching ms
reath, the fellow Owed after him
gain, bringing him up for the last
49, One Of the fellows was dragged
Nh ;yae boat almost dead. The
SSning boy grabbed the other fell
IN and again took him down, but let
10 under the water, Marston sinking
D 20 feet of water to the bottom, the
bther fellow rising and being dragged
nto the boat.
The accident happened about 5
'clock Saturday evening and the body
vas not recovered until 1880 Sunday
tternoon. Immediately after the
browning the boats were started to
drag. Commander Wainwright, super
ntendent of the naval academy sent
lutte number of boats and govern
nanf or,nlnyoao ~ tho SCann IN search