The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-10-25

| ing steamer he cast the box into the
river. l was his favorite, and was
named as sole beneficiary in his will
1t is necessary that I recover the box
to prove my claim to the property.
My father is H. W. Baker. wreckinc
master on the Great Lakes. l have had
three years experience in diving and l
| want one of your tugs to go to the
scene of the Slocum wreck. where l
am confident of recovering the tin
! box"
Press Agent On Hand.
| The girl paid cash down, $780, and
| the Hustler. manned by Capt. Blk. and
| his crew, was at Pier l. North River,
promptly on time yesterday morning.
Miss Baker. attended by girl friend.
tripped down the pier, and her flushed
cheeks were as red as her crimson
picture hat. In her train came the
! financial hackers of the Isle of Spice
company, led by the resourceful press
agent.
But the ea-faring man is innocent
of theatrical wiles. and deep down in
the hearts of the Hustler's crew. was
an honest fear for the safety of the
young girl. One lonely figure which
neither sailors nor actors expected,
CT VII, rf
dressed in deepest mourning. APP
preached Miss Baker and asked per-
mission to accompany her She granted
it readily.
He was William Bandelow. who lost
his wife and two children on the Slo-
cum The bodies of his wife and uau4n-
| ter We're recovered, but his search for
Of the most pathetic chapters in the
| SlOcum horror. He had read in the
newspapers of Miss Bakers venture
Il have offered a reward of 500 for
my sons recovery, dead or alive" he
! told Miss Baker Il am a poor tailor
but if when you are down in the
wreck, you see my boy and bring his
| body to me | will give you $500. Will
| yOu?" he queried with infinite pathOs
! A soft light filled the girls eyes She
| could only nod her head and turn
swiftly away. She had not the heart
| to tell the grief stricken father the
motive for her venture.
No Novice, She.
The Hustler steamed up East River
and came to anchor off North
| Brother Island. The crew got out a
| diving outfit and made ready the
pumps Every minute the men ex-
! pected to see Miss Baker weaken. 1t
was not until she essayed to superin-
tend operations that Divers Blomberg,
! Johnson and Walsh took the matter
! seriously. She showed a technical
| knowledge of everything that was be-
ing done. She complained because
the helmet had not been cleaned with
vinegar and instructed them where to
cast the lifeline in seventy feet of
water. The rubber overalls We're
donned and the thirty-seven- pound
neck piece dropped on her shoulders.
Then came Tightening of bolts-and
still no sign Of fear.
She thrust her feet with a ringing
little laugh into the iron shoes weigh
! ing sixteen pounds apiece. enough to
drag her to a watery grave. seventy
pounds of lead were tied about her
waist, and the swarthy divers winked
wisely. An employee of the Merritt &
! Chapman company advanced at this
point with legal document releasing
the company from liability. Miss Ba
ker signed it without a word. The he'll
pers then raised the ponderous he'll
met with exaggerated labors, awaiting
! the first sign of weakening. 1t was
| raised above the girls head and
poised The men could scarcely be-
lieve the message of two smiling eyes.
! full of confidence. which looked into
! their eyes. Their hands trembled as
| the lowered helmet shut the fair face
! from view.
The air compressors began their
'chug. chug,' and the girl dragged
| herself to the ladder, bravely support
| ing the $50 pounds of diving outfit.
There was no sign of hesitation as she
reached the water and sank slowly in
! it's blue.
George Golart. one of the company's
| most trusted men, held the signal
| line, and Johnson the air-tube. They
| were not yet convinced of the girls
| ability to carry out SO hazardous an
! undertaking. and after she had sunk
| twenty feet they raised her. She had
| entered the water at 1902, and APP
| peared on the surface three minutes