Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-04
TWODROWN
NEAR SHORE
BODIEs OF YOUTHS SWEPT
TO SEA
HUNDREDS WITNESS FIGHT FOR
LIFE
Identity of Young Men a Mystery but
Police Are Convinced Both
Were Residents Of Los
Angeles

Special to The Herald.
LONG BEACH, May 3.-Two uniden-
titled young men were drowned near
Aiamitos Bay shortly before O'Clock
tonight while out in skiff.
Both are believed to be residents OF
Los angeles.
T..e men hired the boat, which was
Z common skin, early in the afternoon
and 1t Is believed they went rowing
far out to sea. The windy weather
made the water rougher than they
had supposed and it is believed the
men lost control of the small craft In
the angry waters.
At about z o'clock last night the boat
was seen drifting in toward the pier.
The remaining occupant, whose COM
panion had already gone overheard
and drowned, was trying to save him.
self by getting from the open sea to
the quieter waters of the bay.
Shrouded in the gathering darkness
his form was SO indistinct that no one
could tell who he was. But Patrolman
Phillips of Long Beach is convinced
the man was an employe or Los
Angeles picture show on Broadway'
near Fourth, whom he knew; while he
is as firmly set in his opinion that the
other man was also from Los Angeles
He had seen them previously.
The first sign of the craft being IN
distress was noticed by Naples con-
tractor named Smith, who was stand
ing on the Alamitos Bay pier. he saw
the unidentified man In the skiH pat
tline with the huge combers. wave
after We smote the frail boat and
threatened every time to sink 1t and
seal the doom of the solitary occupant.
Smith saw the latter's peril instantly
and ran to the bayside. sounding a call
for help for the stranger who was en-
deavoring to find a haven from the
storm.
People Gather on Shore
Quickly the news spread. People
gathered on the sands by the score
and soon hundreds were standing as
near as the angry breakers would let
them, straining their eyes to pierce
the gathering gloom and see how the
heroic boatman was gaining in his
fight for life.
Two rescuing parties were formed.
One started in the boat Louis, while
Contractor Smith, who first noticed
the storm-tossed boat, together with
N. III. Becker, started from shore In
the launch Arrow.
They knew full well that the strug-
Cling can could not reach the shore un-
aided.
The breakers were beating against
the small skiff with all the fury which
today's high wind could lend them, and
the occupant of the craft was seen to
be struggling oravely to gain the shore.
His efforts never relaxed until death.
This much could be made out by the
anxious watchers on shore. Some in
their excitement even waded into the
waters.
But willing hands were clenched In
vain and the occasional shouts of en-
couragement and direction were lost In
the bowling of the wind.
Man Struggles Hard
The people on the rescuing launches
who had a slightly closer view of the
boatman could see his body swaying
with the mighty efforts which he was
making to bring his boat toward the
shore line.
They saw him lunge and swerve with
his efforts to send the boat farther
toward the shore. But his feeble strokes
were lily matched against the might of
the angry sea and fierce wind, and
slowly his efforts became fainter
Finally he was hurled into the waves
ard his frail craft was capsized.
efforts to locate the body were futile.
II is believed the corpse may have been
carried into tine inlet.
After sinking the first time. at the
capsizing of the boat, the unidentified
man was not seen save once, when he
rose to the surface, only to disappear
again quickly.
The skiff was painted black on the
outside with blue interior.