Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-13

Marion, Mass, July 12.-Four prom
inent summer residents of this town
and Falmouth We're lost in the explo-
sion on board a 45-foot launch off here
last night and two others were picked
up today, after having been in the
water for II hours. The dead:
Roland Worthngton, Boston.
John T. Trull, Woburn.
Joseph Beal, Milton.
George Savory, Marblehcad
The saved: A. P. Tarbell, Marble
head
Edward f. Pecker, q Milk street,
Boston.
Mr. Tarbell and Mr.. Pecker were
picked up after being in the water II
hours Mr. Pecker was clinging to an
oar and Mr. Tarbell was supported by
life prcserver. Both had been able
to swim and had remained together
supporting each other through the try
ing hours, waiting for rescue.
The rescue was effected by Frank
Bowman Of Mattapoisctt, lobster
fisherman going out in the early morn
ing to haul his pots. His boat was seen
by the two struggling men in the wa
ter ,cng before the fisherman himself
could make them out and it was not
until Bowman heard feeble cries for
help coming across the water that he
spied the nearly exhausted swimmers
and picked them up. In a few words
they told their story.
An explosion had occurred on board
their boat, they did not know from
what cause One Of the party had been
blown several feet into the air and
was probably dead when he struck the
water. The boat had caught fire imme
diately and Tarbell called to his COM
rades to. leap into the water. He
strapped a life preserver about him
before he leaped. and Mr.. Pecker. who
| is connected with the Boston banking
| firm of Rollins & Son on state street,
seized an oar and followed.
| So far as Mr. Tarbell knows none
of the others in the party followed
| Either they could not swim and pre-
| ferred to cling to the disabled launch
| until help came or else they were
stunned by the explosion.
Both Tarbel and Pecker remained
in the vicinity of the launch fer sew
| eral moments, urging their comrades
| to jump into the water with a cushion,
| oar. life preserver, or something, for
| the launch was burning rapidly. One
| man, believed to be Roland Worth
ington. well-known business man Of
Boston, was seen clinging to the SIDE
of the launch, but he could not swim
and there was nothing nearby to grasp
to support himself away from the
launch
Gradually the launch driftcd away
| f,Irthnr fn paniyay-
and Mr.. Tarbell were forced to give
up hopes of doing anything to aid
their comrades. With a last shout of
encouragement to their friends, they
turned landward and struck out with
| slow strokes SO as to husband their
strength as much as possible. In the
hopes Of attracting some ailing party
from nearby resorts or some belated
fisherman they shouted at regular in
| tervals.
| The sun sank with no sail in sight
and with the flames Of the burning
launch Dolphin apparently unnoticed
| Soon the two swimmers lost all trace
of the launch and concluded that she
| burned to the waters edge and sank
with all or board.
Through the long hours Of the night
| the two men hoated, sometimes swim
| ming so as to keep up their circula-
ton and sometimes drifting, to rest
They had plunged into the water at
about $50 and at sunrise were still
| drigting without help in sight. 1t was
not until $50 this morning that Bow
man heard their shouts from the water
and took them aboard his boat anC
brought them ashore at this town.
when the first news of the accident
reached land.
News of tine disaster spread rapidly
and nearly every summer resident anG
fisherman who owned yacht OIL
launch went out in the bay to search
for some trace of the boat or its occu.
pants. Word was also sent to Fal-
mouth and Woods Hole and other
points along the bay to keep a SHARP
lookout for some possible survivors Oh
any bodies
-~h~ do~'s eoarch rroved fruitless
The launch undoubtedly sank and al
it, occupants VINO had not been killed
Nv tic explosion, were probably
drowned.
Later in the day the tender Of thu
Dolphin was seen off the shore of Eas
Marion by Miss Crossett, daughter o
Lewis Crossett, the well-known shoe
manufacturer of Boston and Rock
land. The tender was brought ashore
but contained nothing to indicate tina
any of the occupants Of the launcl
had been able to board it.
With the exception Of Mr.. Pecker
none of the occupants Of the launcl
stopped at this town. Mr.. Worthing
tor was spending the summer will
his family at Falmouth and most o
the others had accepted Mr.. Tarbelp
invitation for a launching party
starting from Falmouth yesterday
Both Mr.. Tarbell and Mr.. Pecke