The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-07-24

ings at the Casino. at Thunderbolt She
had lowed the sloop from the scene of
the horror. On board the Columbia
were Mayor L. w. Nelson of Thunder
bolt, Marshal Crawford. Captain Joe
Webster, the pilot, and the Mccoy
brothers, who own the launch.
The Search for Olga.
Mr.. Nelson, who had volunteered to
go out with the searching party, for
the body of the baby Olga Calder, on
Tuesday night. went to his home. to
seek much needed rest, as soon as the
Columbia arrived. He had not slept
since his departure from Thunderbolt,
and all day yesterday he assisted in
the work of dragging the river for the
child's body. Mr.. Nelson was wet to
the skin and in a very weakened con-
dition. He was too much worn out to
give any of the details of the trip. The
others of the party also Immediately
sought their homes.
It was learned. however, that the
party arrived at the scene of the trag-
dy early in the morning. The Lowell
Dell was nowhere in sight, and as it
was thought the body of the child was
still submerged in the cabin, search
for the sloop was made. She was found
in the river. ten miles from where the
accident occurred. bottom up.
The sloop was righted, and a thor
ough search of the cabin showed that
every movable object had drifted
away. The long. weary search of the
rivers bottom then began. Graphing
irons We're used, and all day the party
worked, without ceasing.
Dragged the River.
The bottom of the river, in the vi
.F - Z, w
grappled for many hours, but without
avail. The searching party then Crap
pied the river for long distance, TAX
ing for their guide the probable course
in which the sleep had drifted. No
trace of the child's body was found
however. and it is believed that it has
drifted to sea.
In the afternoon Capt. Calder re-
ceiVed the message summoning him to
his wifes bedside and he left immedi-
ately for Thunderbolt. The others in
the party continued the search until
nightfall, and finally abandoned it as
they had exhausted every means to
recover the child's body. The party
then towed the sloop to Montgomery
and later to Thunderbolt where it was
moored.
The Lowell Dell is as neat and trim
a craft as has ever been seen in the
waters in this vicinity. She is brand
new and is apparently entirely sea-
worthy. When the sloop left Thun-
derbolt, for Sunbury, a week ago, she
was without ballast as the use of sails
was not contemplated the motive
power being furnished by small gas
oline engine. 1t is believed by many
that had the boat carried ballast, the
tragedy would never have occurred,
nc har- hull oox Of =,
water in any weather.
4 Heroine of the Tragedy.
Mrs. Sandiford, the heroine of the
tragedy spent the day at her home in
Thunderbolt. She appeared to be in
good health. and had evidently not suf-
fered to any extent from the effects of
the accident. She told the story of
the accident, describing all the details.
to her friends and refused to take any
credit for the part she had taken in
the rescue work; saying that she had
only done her duty. She was much af-
fected when told of the death of Capt.
Calder's wife and father.
Capt. Calder is made a widower and
orphan by the tragedy, besides losing
his only daughter, Olga, of whom he
was very fond. The captain is himself
in very serious condition and may
lOl iN0oNCI ,liOiil TIE ScN6IG mental
and physical strain he has undergone
since the accident. He remained under
water several minutes while rescuing
those who were shut in the submerg-
ed cabin of the sloop, and 1T is not I'M
likely that he will also develop conges-
ton of the lungs.
The news of the death of Capt
Calder's father and wife put a damper
on the merry crowd at the casino
When the awful sequel to the tragedy
became known the dancing and music
stopped and the large crowds silently
left the building and went to their
homes.
Both the family of Capt. Calder and
that of his wife seem fated by death
from drowning. In the storm OF four
years ago two of Mrs. Calder's broth
ers, the Messrs. Hill, were drowned
near Venus Point and Mrs. Calder
father was also drowned.
If Policeman Clarence Sandiford, son
of Mrs. Sandiford, who was one of the
survivors of the tragedy, had been al
lowed to send a telephone message to
Thunderbolt before the Lowell Del
sailed last week, it is possible that the
disaster would have been averted.
Mrs. A. p. Goodwin, who was go.
ing to accompany the party, was pre-.
vented from doing so by the serious
illness of her baby. The night before
the sloop set sail the infant died anC
Policeman Sandiford wanted to tele
phone Capt. Calder of the fact. ]
Robert Cleamer. a brother of Mrs
Goodwin, persuaded him not to do so
and if the telephone message had beer
sent the trip might have been post
poned on account of the child's death
The child died very suddenly, anC
shortly before it's death Capt, Calder
telephoned to Savannah an inquiry a,
to its condition. He was informed tina
the child was doing nicely.