The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-11-25
Three Little Girls
Dashed Into Sea
From Deck
Steamer President Scene
of HearfreHding Accident
Children Who Play
During Storm
Lose Lives
Flossie Burkman and
Schoffe Sisters Victims

As they danced lightly on the deck
of the steamer President while it
plowed its way past Gray's Harbor
last Friday afternoon, three bright
eyed little girls, Flossie Burknsn and
Reta and Ada Schotte, were swept
to their death by a tremendous wave
that dashed against the vessel during
a heavy storm. The parents of the un-
fortunate children lay sick in their
berths when the little ones were
claimed by the sea and not until two
hours later. when the ships officers
were Informed that the children were
missing. did the heartrending news OF
their loss become known
There were no witnesses to the
grewsome tragedy. The ship was
weathering heavy storm with the
wind blowing SIS miles an hour and the
breakers rolling high. The trio Of tots,
unmindful Of their danger, danced and
laughed on the hurricane deck.
The steamer arrived in this city yes
terday morning. bringing the sad It'd
tngs. The parents Of the children were
beside themselves with grief and were
10th to leave the vessel Their grief
was shared by the other passengers.
who wept out OF sympathy for the ser-
rowing fathers and mothers.
SCHoTTEs FROM AUSTRALIA
The two schotte children. Reta. aged
p. and Ada. aged 4. had Travelled all
the way from Australia with their
mother and year old sister to join
their father. They arrived at Victoria
last Thursday on the steamer Aurango.
Flossie Burkman. her mother and step
father were returning TO this cit-
after a long sojourn in Seattle.
The President was just "a hours out
from Victoria when the children were
drowned. Why the little ones were not
warned by the ships officers to keep
or the decks IS not known. According
70 the other passengers. the tots were
allowed 10 prance around at will,
though experienced seamen could see
st a glance that they were in constant
danger Of being carried away by the
monster waves.
According 70 the parents. the little
ones left their staterooms on the sec
ond deck shortly after 3 o'clock in the
afternoon, saying that they intended to
play tag on deck Their mothers and
fathers, all suffering from seasickness,
warned them to be careful and. not an
ticipating that they would never lay
eyes on their children again. settled
back IN their hunks
Shortly after o'clock one Of the
-sesmen announced that several buck
cts had been washed overheard. He
reported 10 Captain Cousins, telling
the latter that he saw what looked like
two OF the vessels floating near the
stern OF the ship two hours before.-
At this 5uncture Mrs. Schotte rushed
on deck and hysterically asked what
had become OF her two little girls. She
was Joined in a moment by Mrs Burk-
man. who. with tears In her eyes, told
the officers that her FIossie had been
! missing for more than two hours.
VESSEL Is STOPPED
Captain Cousins Immediately gave
orders for an investigation. The ship
was brought TO IN a twinkling and a
systematic searchs was inaugurated
wlthout effect. Boats were lowered in
the hope or finding the bodies of the
little ones. but this also proved futile
and the officers at once came to the
conclusion that the children had been
swept overheard hours before and that
their bodies had long since found
watery graves. It is believed that the
seaman mistook the children for the
buckets.
The parents were frantic with grief
They rushed madIy to every corner of
the ship. calling piteously to their little
ones. They refused to believe that the
tots had been carried to their death.
and not until the President arrived
here yesterday morning did the grief
stricken people realize that the children
had been lost to them forever.
Nobody on board heard even a cry as
she children were washed overheard.
All the officers agree that the waves
4 were rolling unusually high during the
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