The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-07-05
e. G. Rust, Walter Chandler of FiOus-
ton, j. N, Davis of Galveston.
in BATHING AND CAUGHT BY CURRENT
WHILE TRYING TO AID AYOUNG MAN.
Body of Mr.. Rust Recovered but the Remains of the
Other Two Have Not Yet Been Found--A
Drowning in the Bay.

Galveston, Texas. July "A triple drown
ing occurred in the gulf near the bathing
pavilion about $50 o'clock this afternoon.
Two OF the unfortunates, Captain e. G.
Rust and his son.in.law, Mr.. Walter Chand-
Ter. were residents Of Houston, and the
third was James N. Davis, night editor OF
the Galveston News.
The body OF Captain Rust was recovered,
but those of Mr.. Davis and MIR. Chandler
had not been found at late hour tonight.
Mrs. Chandler formerly Miss Maud Rust,
of Houston was here and at the bath house
when the drowning of her father and hus-
band occurred. and sir. Davis had a son
in the water with him when ne lost his
life A treacherous current and desire TO
save young man in distress was the
cause of the sad affair. Only three were
drowned Had it not been that one of
Herman Berneau, trained athlete and an
expert swimmer, 1t would have been six
instead, as three OF those who went to aid
the drowning man were unable to make
their own way back to shore without as
sistance. Two chung to the corpse Of Cap.
tain Rust and another held to the neck
rescuers.
From the best accounts that could be OBJ.
tained by The Post correspondent, who was
among those who were early to arrive oil
the scene. Mr.. Chandler was being carried
out to sea by the current and Mr.. Davis
and Captain Rust went to. save him. Both
persisted In the attempt The water where
they were drowned, according to Prof.
! Berneau, was about ten or tweiye feet
deep 1t is the opinion Of Prof. Berneau
that Captain Rust died Of heart disease, as
! he insists that he was not in the water
long enough to drown after his cry for
help was heard. There were several bath
Immediately TO the aid of the men, and Of
this number only two were able to make
their way back to shore without assistance.
While the body Of Captain Rust vas being
carried TO shore the other two bodies dis
appeared from view.
Every effort was made to resuscitate Cap
thin Rust. medical attention being secured
at once, and work was continued for nearly
an hour. Finally 1t became evident that
further efforts were useless and the order
to remove his body to Levy's undertaking
parlors was given. 1t will be shipped TO
Ross & Wright at Houston, and that of
Mr.. Chandler If recovered. will also be
sent to Houston.
Officers are patrolng the bench and OK
pect to lnd the bodies of the two missing
men. Usually the bodies Of drowned peo-
pie come ashore after a time on the east
end of the island There is of course, no
certainty regarding this, however,
The three men went bathing from the
roller bath houses. accompanied by the
little son of Mr. Davis. They had been
bathing some time when the drowning &C.
Cured but there were many conflicting
statements made about exactly how long
they had been In the water. According TO
the man who conducts the bath house, MI
Davis had been frequent bather before
the storm. but this was the first time that
he had been In at the beach since G. +.
Roark. the man who rented them the suits,
said that he believed Mr.. Chandler was
being pulled out by the undertow and that
Mr. Davis and Captain Rust both went to
help. He did not witness the drowning,
however, as he was very busy at the time.
TESTIMONY AT INQUEST.
Prof Henry Berneau testified at the in
quest Of the coroner over the remains OF
CAPTAIN E. G. Rust as follows: II was
In the water outside OF the ropes. The
first thing that attracted my attention was
cry for help, and ] looked and saw the
deceased with his arms held out pulled
of my bathing shirt so that no one could
catch hold OF me and started to him
waded UP to my neck and then swan
was about sixty or seventy yards away
from him and when reached him young
shannon had hold of his arm. immedi
ately raised his head out of the water
and started TO swim to the shore Three
II other men arrived at this time. One OF
them caught shannon around the neck ana
came near pulling him under. The other
two caught hold of the body OF the de
ceased. Shannon and had TO swim to the
shore carrying the body and the three men
none of whom were able to reach shore
alone. / saw no one near the deceased
when he called for help. reached hin
in about half minute after heard his
cry and he was out Of the water within
three minutes ! do not believe the de
! ceased was drowned I think he died Of
heart disease. The water was between tel
and twelve feet deep at the place found
the deceased. When we got the body neal
the shore | was told that there were tive
others out there. / had NOT seen them.
| went back imraediatsly but could not nne