The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-07-17
A

James Rivera Young Man and a
Young Lady Drowned-The Former
the Son of John w. Gordon, Form
erly of This City-The Young Mans
Heroic Efforts to save the Life of
the Lady Result i'm His Own Death.
Thursday night there ocucrrei &
most distressing accident to a boating
party Of young people on James river
just below Richmond, resulting in the
death Of two Of the party, a young
man and Il Young lady, which has cas-;
a gloom over that city and it will also
bring sorrow TO many a person in Viii
mington because of former close asso-
Citations. The young nan was John
". Gordon, Jr. whose father has 50
mang friends in this city. The death
OF me young lady was made more mar
rowing because of the fact thai she
was at the time the hostess Of a joyous
mouse party Of young people. Young
GOrdOn's lite was sacrificed in mis-
her1oc, but vain, endeavOr to save the
- s'uLAS IduICS " ~ "Flc
thrown into the water with him. There
are many people in this city whose
hearts will 20 ~ in sympathy TO their
old friend, the father Of the Young a
in his sore Bereavement.
Up to last the bodies had
not e recovered, though enough dy-
Mantle has been used to cause them 10
rise.
From tho PichD,nnJ ,rrro IS T.;
day we take the following in regard to
this most distressing accident.
Tragic beyond all words was the
fate Of Miss Rose NJ. S~atterfieId, of 9J4
West Grace street, and Mr.. John w.
Gordon. Jr., Of 826 West Franklin, who
were drowned last night near Dead
Mans Reach. three miles below Rich
mOnd, while in a pleasure party, whose
members selected James River as the
scene Of their harmless ~frivOiity.
The young peOple-a hd~ppy-hearted
little company of boys and girls in
charge Of IN indulgent matron-were
the guests Of Mr.. Nelson Robins, a well
known newspaper man of this city,
n they Travelled on the naptha launch
Charlotte, a trim craft which has serv-
ed Tor many Il merry outing.
All went we'll until about II o'clock.
when the steamship Pocahontas, heav-
lily laden with the excursion Of the st.
Leo Club, passed by on its hOmeward
trip, and caused 50 violent a rocking
of the smaller boat that three Of tue
launching party-Miss Annis Clarke.
Miss Rose VI. Satterfield and Mr.. Cor
dOn-WeTe thrown from their seats in
TO the water.
ironmctIDco could b,rjI,, b,-,
oeen more unprOpitiOus for rescue work
and though the young men in the par
~ did their utmost they could save only
onc of the three unfOrtunates-Miss
Clarke. And it was only By the most
extreme eXertiOns and a little Of good
fortune, mingled with the horrors Of
the occasion, that she was snatcned
from the Surging waters.
Miss Satterfeld and Mr.. Gordon sank
almost Immediately, and as the river
had been thrown into great waves by
the passing steamship, it was impOssi-
ble to aid them. Vainly did the surv;-
vOrS circle the scene of the disaster in
the hope Of lending help to them, Or at
least of reScuing their bodies. Al
though two hours were spent in this
dreary occupation, nothing was ac-
tOIllpIlSutu, anu IduSuL IHuldlIItu, save
to hurry TO the nearest telephone and
cOnvey the terrible news to the affect
ed households in Richmond.
Death always appears in its mos
cruel guise when it selects youth as
its mark. but surely it could not have
been more remOrseless than it was last
night, for both of its victims were
young people of peculiar charm AID
promise.
The most heart-rending part about
ii all, too is that Miss Satterfeld, at
the time of the accident, was hte most
esS of a charming house party, ON
posed of Hollins Institute girls, who
were members of her sorority.
All these young ladies Ave Miss Nan
Davis, who remained in the city to
meet another engagement, saw tl.eic
beloved schoolmate perish.
Worse still, Mrs. Calvin Satterfeld,
mother of the young lady who perish
ed, was acting as chaperon of the par
~ and therefore witnessed the death
of Il daughter in whom her very life
WAS wrapped up.
Mr.. Robins, the host Of the evening,
had taken particular delight in add
ing to the pleasure 70 the attractive
members of the house party, and had
been unremitting in his attentions to
the young ladies. Today his distress
is unSpeakable.
The launch, which va the property
Of Mr.. Richmond Lacy, secretary 10
City Attorney Pollard. had been Dor
rowed for the occasion by Nj. Robins,
and had served its purpose admirably
until the POcahOntas pOSsed.
At that time nearly the entire party
was on the roof of the cabin ENJOYING
the breeZeS and the i~nCerchaDges OF
IhOse p~leasantries which make the
young 50 happy.
The smaller craft 'criss-cr0ssed' the
river several times in an effort TO
avoid the big waves left by the steam
ship. but was unsucceSSfully managed,
and finally landed in the great trough
of water made by the larger vessel.
Then il was that the Charlotte ca