Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1910-07-02
M|DDIES Die TO
Save WOMAN
Bodies Of Three Recovered
Near Annapolis.
MAO BEEN IN BATHING

vaughter.in. Law o. Naval Academy
superintendent and Two Cadets
Drowned In the Severn.
With everything TO indicate that the
ioung midshipmen met their death
IL manner befitting the best tradi.
ions OF the American navy. the bod.
res OF Sherman ~ Mason. Of Newport
4 L.; Grisby L. Thomas. OF Union
Point, Ca. and Mrs. Joseph Nice.
5owyer. daugbterin.law OF Captain J.
VI Bowyer superintendent OF the
laval academy at Annapolis Nd. were
,ound In the river Severn on Wed.
aesday. The bodies we're found close
together. and there can be no doubt
that the midshipmen lost their lives
trying 10 save that OF their compan.
ION, who could not swim. and who had
probably gone on the shoal and into
the deep water that Is on the side OF
the bar
The place OF the finding was about
forty feet from the place where their
craft In which they went sailing had
been at anchor One of the launches
picked up the body OF Mrs. Bowyer
with graphing lines. A few minutes
later the bodies of Mason and Thomas
were found almost simultaneously.
They were about four feet apart and
each about six feet from the body OF
Mrs. Bowyer.
The closeness OF all the bodies in
dicated strongly that they had gone
down together. the slight separation
being accounted for by the drifting
with tho tide. The circumstances
bear out exactly the theory that was
most strongly held that Mrs. Bowyer
had got into deep water and the mid.
shipmen had tried to save her life.
Mrs. Bowyer could not swim and
Thomas was a very poor swimmer. II
Is likely. however. that he did what
he could and that Mason tried TO help
both. The result was the drowning
Of all three. Whatever happened must
have been very sudden. From the fact
that the life presefvers which were In
the boat were not used. II Is probable
that all three were in swimming when
the accident occurred, and there was
no chance To get the life preseryers
out of the boat.
The rife squad. to which both Ma
son and Thomas belonged. would have
left for Wakefield. Mass. Tuesday.
and the sail was the last the young
men could have taken this season.
They had given up the practice
cruise to England and the Mediter-
ranean for the purpose Of trying for
the rifle team which will represent the
naval academy In the national
matches at Camp Perry. Ohio.
The excursion which ended thus dis
atsrously began merrily. The mid
shipmen and their fair companion
were trimming over with high spirits
when they left the boathouse mooring
and endeavored TO pursuade others to
accompany them. They put out across
the harbor after announcing that they
were going TO anchor on the other
side. Although the harbor was crowd
ed with small craft. they were not
seen after their departure. and 1t is
not known whether they went down
directly 10 the spot where the boat
was found or whether they cruised
around for q time.
The accident has cast damper on
the entire city. for the victims were
favorites In naval circles. Mrs. Bow.
yer has been living in Annapolis with
her father-in-law since the death OF
her husband. Joseph Bowyer shortly
before Captain Bowyer's assignment
to the academy. Her maiden name
was Marie Dean.