Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-03
DIES DESPITE EFFORTS OF
COMRADES
-
BODY BROUGHT TO LOS ANGELES
BY FRIENDS
"Never Mind Me-Save YOURSELF"
Last Words of Physician as
Life Passes from
Body
aNever mind me-save yourself"

and his last words ones of encourage
ment. DR.. Joseph B. Tanner. one of the
best known and most popular young
physicians and surgeons of Los Ange-
les, was drowned off Gull rock in santa
Cruz bay Wednesday morning at 9;lo
O'Clock.
His hodv was recovered by comrades
who were with the physician on fsh7
ing trip, and was brought to Los Ange-
les by John NJ. Beckwith, Los An
geles newspaper man, and John =.
Vgray, deputy game warden, yesterday
morning.
DR.. Tanner, Beckwith, Wray and Ed
ward Acker left Los Angeles last sun
day morning for a weeks cruise up the
coast. They had long planned the trip,
and many promises of fine catches to
be sent acquaintances were MADE 10
friends
AT San Pedro the party boarded the
launch Pedro, Captain A. S. Earquhart,
and left for Venice, where Captain Per-
CIV M. Grant and Andrew Anderson or
the Venice life saving crew Joined them
C. A. Stavnow of Venice also joined the
party at this point, and at 1880 sunday
night the crowd left in. the launch for
pigs Point, on Santa cruz island. They
landed there early Monday morning
and passed the day fishing.
Leave for Harbor
EJarlX we IiloiIlS We " IN
camp" said John M. Beckwith. when
questioned about the accident, "and
headed for Gull rock en- route for Prs
oner's harbor on the channel side OF
the island. We had selected this place
for our camp for Wednesday night.
I'VE passed three hours fishing When
one of the party noticed several wild
hogs on the hills about five miles south
of Gull rock. One of DR.. Tanners am
bitions was to kill wild hog, and he
and Captain Grant decided to take a
dory and go to the island and try their
luck.
''The rest of us remained in the boat
and watched the captain and the ply
sician on their trip. They landed safely
and we saw DR. Tanner shoot three
times al the wild hogs He and Captain
Grant then returned to the shore and
we saw them launch the dory. Dr.
Tanner sprang into the stern, ana the
boat passed through the first line OF
surf.
"An instant later we saw DR.. Tanner
spring to his feet. and as a wave struck
the boat cast his rifle overheard ana
Jump into the waves himself.
"At the same moment the dory over
turned, and Captain Grant was thrown
into the water.
Water Not Deep
"The water at this point was not
deep but DR.. Tanner seemed unable 10
keen his feet Captain Grant grasped
the physician and held him until Cap
tain Earquhart, who had sprang over
board from the launch and swan
ashore, reached them with life pre-
server. This he threw Captain Grant
and the latter succeeded after heroic
efforts in drawing the unconscious
physician ashore.
"Andrew Anderson then took a flask
of whisky and swan to the aid of Cap
tain Grant, and for two hours the party
worked over the unconscious physician
in a vain effort to bring him back 10
life.
"Under command of Wray the launch
then started for Forney's inlet for as
sistance. Fortunately a fishing smack
with Big Jake Snively on board was
met, and a record trip was made with
the body of the physician to San PEDRO.
Grant, Earquhart, Andrews and An
derson are all experienced swimmers
They showed great courage in racing
the dangers of the strong undertow and
strong wind in swimming to shore ana
CARRYING supplies. They did all in their
power to save the doctor, and deserve
the highest credit.
"Dr Tanner was personally an eX-
pert swimmer, but ii is thought While
jumping overheard he struck his head
on the gun which he held, thus stun
Brings Body Here
The body was placed in the undertake
ing rooms of G. A. Lucas at san Pedro,
and later was brought to Los Angeles
over the Santa Fe railroad. 1t now
rests in the undertaking rooms OF
Pierce Bros.
Captain Grant sad: "The last words
DIR. Tanner said were: Save yourself;
/ can't hold out any longer; don |
bother about me-, which shows the
magnanimty of the man even in the
face of DEATH
DR.. Tanner was born in Pecatonlca,
TIL. He was SO years of age and the
third youngest of four children. lie
moved to Los Angeles with his parents
i'm 1889 and located on Del Monte street.
His father, John Tanner. was superin-
tendent of the Redondo Street railway
up TO the time of his death, which oc-
CURED about two years ago at the fam
ily home on Thirty-frst street. Shortly
after the death of his father Joseph
moved with the family to its present
home in Alhambra.
He was graduated from the public
school in his home town in Illinois ana
at the age of II entered the employ of
the Santa Fe railroad as telegrapher.
There he earned enough money to at
tend the L. S. G.
He graduated from the university in
the class of 1902. Later he took post
graduate course or TWO years IN Lon
don, going from there to Vienna, where
he studied under the best surgeons of
that country.
Enters Chicago Hospital
He returned to the United States and
entered the CITY hospital in Chicago
He served in this hospital for about
seven months before returning to Los
Angeles. He then entered the county
hospital as assistant superintendent, in
which capacity he served for two years
going from there to his last position as
assistant police surgeon in the Los An
geles receiving hospital.
He leaves a mother two sisters and
one brother. His brother Ernest is as
sistant manager for Park Davis e Co
of San Francisco. and will arrive in the
city today to arrange for the burial.
--S-~-S-
Patience-Do they have to beg Peggy
to sing when they have company?
Patrice-Yes; but they have to beg
harder for her not to sing when they
haven't got company States
rlan.