The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-07-23

The sloop Lowell Dell" owned and
sailed by Capt. Allen N. Calder of
Thunderbolt, and having on board a
pleasure party. was capsized at Little
Buzzard in the Ogeechee river, near
Hell Gate. during a squat yesterday
afternoon, and Capt. Calders aged
mother and infant daughter were
drowned. Capt. Calder's father and
wife were seriously injured and his
father may die.
On the sloop were Mr.. and Mrs.
Stephen A. Calder of Sunbury, Capt.
and Mrs. Allen N. Calder of Thun-
derbolt, their five children, Vernon, II
years old; Frank, 8 years old; Law
renee, years old: DeLacey, 5 years
old, and Olga, Is months old, who was
mother of Policeman Clarence Sandi-
ford of this city. who is 60 years old.
Caught in SquaII.
The sloop arrived at Little Buzzard
without mishap. The weather APP
peared to be safe. but a squall sud-
denly sprung up. When the storm
broke, all the members of the party.
except Capt. Calder and his son, YER
non, and Mrs. Sandiford were in the
cabin eating dinner. Vernon Calder
was holding the jib sheet. When the
storm struck the craft Capt. Calder
ordered his son to slacken the sheet.
The boy was frightened, and became
excited. Instead of doing as ordered
by his father he pulled tight on the
jib halyards, and the sloop refused to
answer her helm.
Without warning the craft was cap
sized and those in the cabin were in
stantly submerged in water. They
were penned in like rats in trap, as
the entrance to the cabin was under
water.
Capt. Calder, his son Vernon and
Mrs. Sandiford, who were on the deck,
were thrown to their feet and Mrs.
Sandiford saved herself from going
overheard by clinging to a rope. The
centerboard was level with the water
and formed shelf on which Mrs.
Sandiford stood. Capt. Calder and
Vernon saved themselves by clnging
TO the rail.
Imprisoned in the Cabin.
The whole affair occurred in very
few seconds and as soon as Capt. CAL
der recovered himself his first thought
was of those who were imprisoned I'M
der water in the cabin. He saw at a
glance that there was no way of res
cuing them from the deck and with all
his clothing on the captain dived UNI
der water and CROPPED his way to the
cabin entrance. He searched about
and finally came to his mother. He
brought the aged woman to the deck,
but she died in a few minutes.
With desperate courage the
captain again plunged in the
water and got into the cabin.
He worked his way to the side
of the cabin, which was facing up
wards and broke the glass. He had
been under water for over minute
without breath and was almost ex-
hausted, but with the lives of his dear
ores at stake he worked with almost
superhuman energy He thrust the I'M
conscious forms of his wife and father
ard three of his boys, Frank, Law
renee and DeLacey, through the win
dow, and Mrs. Sandiford, the aged
woman on the outside with Wonderful
courage, aided him in his task Had
1t not been for Mrs. Sandiford's assist
ance it is probable that several of the
Others in the cabin would have been
drowned.
Owed for His Child.
BY this time Capt. Calder was thor
Oughly exhausted. He had been under
water until his lungs were almost
bursting. and with last despairing
search for his baby daughter Olga
whom he had been unable to find in
the cahin, he was forced to dive and
come to the surface for breath.
Although so weak that he could
scarcely stand, he insisted on diving
into the cabin again to find the tot,
but his efforts were unsuccessful and
as those who had been rescued were
in need of immediate attention the
heartbroken father was forced to give
up the search.
Meanwhile the predicament of those
on the capsiZed boat was very serious
Capt. Calder's wife and his aged faith
er were unconscious. and in imminent
danger of being washed overheard, and
the only refuge for the party of eight
and the body of Capt. Callers mother
was u little dory, dashed to the stern
of the sloop. To attempt to go ashore
in the frail craft with so heavy a bur-
den would have been counting DEATH
as the waters were churned into fury by
the storm.
A party Of negroes in a big row boat
had seen the accident from a distance
and were rowing for the overturned
vessel as fast as they could. The ship
wrecked party heard their shouts, and
when they came up all were placed in
the two boats.
The survivors of the wreck were
placed ashore at Montgomery, and the
body of Mrs. Calder was placed in a
conveyance and sent to Thunderbolt.
brought TO City Unconscious.
Young Mrs. Caldwell and Captain
Callers father still unconscious. were
wrapped in blankets and put aboard a
trolley car bound for Thunderbolt
with Mrs. Sandiford and the children.
They arrived there before s O'Clock
IN the evening and were taken to Cap
tain Calder's house. where restoratives
were applied. Mrs. Sandiford MAIN
tained her stamina all through the aw-
fm ordeal through which she had
passed, and despite her age scaped
without injury. The children were also