Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-05-07

sire to make a speech under the cir
cumstances and adroitly lodged by
moving an adjournment. The motion
was put and carried, and the conven-
tion accordingly adjourned sine die.
* THREE CADETS DROWNED.
Harry G. Stevens, Eddie Meek Mich
OILS, and J. Frank Lindsay were drown
ed in Blacks pond, two miles west Of
Yorkville, last Saturday afternoon.
The first named was son of Mr.. ]. w.
H. Stevens, Of Rock Hill; the second
son of Mr.. T. ]. Nichols, Of Bethel
township, York county, and the third
son of Captain j. r. Lindsay, Of
Yorkville. All three were cadets Of
the Kings Mountain Military academy
The unfortunate young men went to
the pond with a party Of sixteen, in
charge of Captain R. T. Stephenson, OF
the K. M. M. A. faculty, for the pur-
pose Of enjoying a half hour or so in
the water. This was about 5 o'clock.
It was only a very short time after
their arrival until they met their tragic
fate, and not only the town Of York
Vile; but the whole country surround
ing, was shocked by the terrible news
of the occurrence. A representative Of
THE ENQUIRER reached the spot after
the bodies had been recovered, and
gathered some Of the details Of the
story on the ground. The balance of
the information he obtained from par
ticipants in and eye-witnesses Of the
tragedy. Because Of the deep interest
in the young men who lost their lives,
and the noble efforts that were made
in their behalf, he has been careful to
make the narrative satisfactorily full
and as accurate as possible.
BY way of preliminary explanation,
1t is proper to say that this pond,
though formerly quite shallow. was
materially deepened by the freshets of
last summer The dam was broken
by an unusual flood, and one freshet
coming after another, the channel was
washed out to a depth Of ten or twelve
feet. The pond had been there since
previous to the Revolutionary war, and
up to a few years ago was the most
popular place for swimming in this i'm
mediate vicinity. So far as there is
lany record, no one was ever drowned
there previous to last Saturday.
Within q short time after their ar
rival, the cadets were in the water.
They had been duly cautioned as to
the character OF the bottom by Mr..
Fred Black, who Is one Of the owners
of the mill property and who had gone
to the place to see the boys enjoy
themselves. Captain Stephenson in
structed them as to the dangers.
Those of tine boys who could swim we'll,
struck out at will, wherever they liked.
Others tried to keep on the side Of
safety. Presently Cadet Nichols, who
was walking along the dam, slipped
into the water and disappeared from
sight. He knew but little about SWIM
ming and was HELPLESS. Cadet Morrow,
who Is a good swimmer, happened to
be near, and seizing hold Of his strug-
Cling companion, pulled him from the
water. The incident occupied but
minute: but Cadet Nichols was pretty
severely strangled, and 1t was some
| little time before he could get rid of
all the water he had swallowed. Near
lly all the boys saw the accident and
most of them were much impressed
with it; but as they had been in the
water only short time, they were not
yet ready to give up. Cadet Nichols
took a seat on the bank to rest, and
by direction Of Captain Stephenson, at
the suggestion Of Mr.. Black, those of
the boys who were not good swimmers,
sought a safer portion Of the pond.
| The spot indicated was some 60 feet
above the dam. Here the pond Is
shallow sheet Of water with a deep
channel in the centre. On either side
of the channel the water Is from two
to four feet deep; but the channel it.
self drops down to a depth of ten or
twelve feet. 1t Is not more than ten or
twelve feet wide. The boys were told
of the situation and non-swimmers
were warned to keep away.
| Shortly after the change of the ma
jority Of the bathers to the new loca-
tion two boys swan across the chan
mel to the shallow water on the oppo-
site side, and Cadet Stevens undertook
to follow. Some Of the boys were
watching and others were not. Stew
ems was a strong, active young man.
who though able to swim only few
strokes, had in some way created the
impression that he was at home in the
water, and nobody was dreaming of
an accident. He struck out boldly
across the channel; but presently he
went under, and a moment later every
body began to realize the seriousness
Of the situation and there followed a
period of wild excitement.
Nichols, who since his own narrow
escape a short time before, had been
resting on the bank, went plunging
headlong to the rescue, and Lindsay,
with the exclamation Boys, Stevens
is drowning!" on his lips, did the same |
A moment later-it was all within the |
same half minute-the three helpless |
boys were struggling for their lives in |
twelve feet Of water Then came Mr..
Black, six feet tall and a powerful !