The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-12-16

G1A4 1@ 80
had elapsed between the time that Mr..
Earriss had left tie two men and when
he returned on the 9aunch.
When the lauren ran aground IL was
known ct Cnce that all efforts 10 save
the nl1n by reaching them IN this
manner was without avail. Mt. Har-
riEs called to them to go ashore; that
the aunch had run aground. and
through the bowling of the wind he
could hear Mr.. Gore shouting, u could
not understand what he said.
Then II was that Mr.. Harriss said nc
was going to make an effort to go to
the men and throwing off his coat and
vest and keeping on only his overcoar
he stepped into the small boat, sitting
on the bottom and down in the md
de he headed towards where he
heard the shouts from the desperate
men. The storm had increased IN the
meantime IN intensity and the wind was
blowing a perfect gale. BY this ume
the tide was coming In and Mr.. Harriss
soon realized that his undertaking to
reach his friends in the small boat with
the tide n wind dead against him
was adesperate n He rowed with all
his might. but the frail boat gained
very little Roadway and after going
about twenty yards and the boat mad
become almost flied with water, Mr..
Harriss saw that IL he kept on the
DCNN CAA * oN - lAN ~ --(o
10 the launch.
Again he called to the men TO wade
ashore and they called back. but coull
] not be understood. Every few minutes
one OF the men could be heard TO shout
and gradually it became fainter and
fainter. The men on the laucch
thought thew had heard them and were
going ashore and were gradually get
ting farther from them but they were
getting nearer. nearer to death. Pres
entity no sound could be heard save
the shriH whistle of the wind and the
| S~plashing of the waves. Just after the
last calls were heard the dog of Mr..
Cores swan to the launch and was
pulled on board. He no doubt remain
ed with his master until he saw him
sink and then made for the launch.
JUS before the men were heard to
shout the last tine the clouds sudden
" drifted apart and the moon, which
was Almost setting, cast it's silvery
rays across the rough waters. The
men on the launch thought by the dim
uncertain light Of the moor they could
see = black object in the direction Of
where the shouts were coming from,
but the clouds soon drifted over the
moon again; in a few minutes it had
sank from sight and darkness reignad
owe the scene.
1t was about s o'clock when the men
Il - OtAI ~ l4 " liz DIST Vile III
the party remained with the launch
near the spot until 10 O'Clock, when,
hearing nothing more from the two
men, those on board decided tina they
had evidently reached shore. The tide
by that time had lifted the launch from
the mud and Mr.. Harriss decided &c
4 come to town, gel a team and go back
after the two men. There was a colored
man who lived on the Brunswick side
of the river only q short distance from
the shore whom MIR. Gore knew we'll
and those on the launch thought he
would make for this house.
The party reached Wilmington about
IL O'Clock and after having some food
cooked to carry to the men and getting
together several overcoats for them to
wrap up. Mr.. HarriSS, Mr.. John Ben
nett and Mr.. Sneeden got in a double
seated hack. crossed owe to the Bruins
wick side and went down the river.
They had told AIR. A. j. Marshall of the
affair and he got in his buggy and
went with them. 1t was about . O'Clock
when they reached the negrO'S house,
where they the men had gona.
After failing TO find them there they
went to the river: secured a boat ana
Went out where the men were last seen.
The river by this time had become calm.
as the wind had ceased to blow. Moth
ing whatever could be seen of the men.
The party then thought that perhaps
they had gone ashore and fallen ex-
hausted in the rice field. They searched
around the liver and over the bank for
over two hours, and then came back to
Wilmington, reaching here at 6 O'Clock.
On Sunday morning at $50 Mr.. Ha--
Kiss, Mr.. d. L. Gore and a party Of
friends got in the launch and went
back to the scene Of the disaster. Moth
ing could be Seen of the bodies, bat
the upturned boat was found about
midway of the jetties, which We're
about a mile below where the boat was
upturned. This Party searched for sew
eral hours without finding any trace Of
the bodies
SEVERAL SEARCHING PARTIES.
Whe it became known Sunday
morning that the two hunters We're
missing and without a doubt drowned.
there were several parties that went
down the V and during the entire
day the section of the river where the
oodt was capsized was dragged with
rakes. but no trace of the men found.
The search continued until dark when
1t was given UP until Monday morning
Several friends OF Mr.. Gore remained
On shore near the scene of the catas-
trophe all night. LARRY Monday morn
ing several more parties were down thu
river in launches and ON tugs and upon
reaching the point. the searchers got
into small boats and began the search.
MR.. CORES BODY FOUND.
They had not searched long when
the body Of Mr.. Gore was found ar q
point as nearly as could be told, where
boat he was in capsized. In the
boat that found the body was NJ.
George Harriss and about half dozen
other men. One of the men who yas
rowing felt his paddle strike something
in the water and glancing down in the
water he saw ii was a body. Mr.. w. O.
Page took a rake n caught hold of
the BOD One of the men reaced over
n edge of the boat and endeayored
to pull it in, but it slipped from his
grasp and fell back. One of the oars
twas then pushed under the body and It
lifted up enough for several to get hold
of it. when it was pulled into the b,aE.
AS we'll as could De told Mr.. Gore had
sunk in the mud perhaps a foot. The
BODY was lying face downward. with
/ The arms in q hanr nnri+iAn n- e II