The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1911-09-06
STORM TRAGEDY
Fire Persons We're D ownsd of Rap
pso Mills Opposite Charleston
HOUSE CARRIED AWAY


The Pathetic Story of the Drowning
of Mother and Her Two Young
Children as Described by an Old
er Son, Who Also Dattled For His
Life in the Water.
The News and Courier says five
persons were drowned off Wappoc
Mills. in St. Andrews parish in the
storm Of Sunday ni-ht The dead
are as follows: Mrs !-ottie Richter
Mary Richter, Mrs Martha Goodson
Charles Goodson and Lillian Slender
The death of these persons was from
drowning IN the high waters Of Wap-
BOO cut late Sunday night, after they
had been driven from the small cot
tage in which they were housed. This
cottage was the home Of Dennis Cas-
sidy, watchman at Wappoo. Both
Cassidy and his wife were saved al
ter q fierce fight with the wind and
waves.
The Cassidy residence was washed
away by the high waters, and those
in the home who were saved maze
their escape by floating On the top
of the roof and upon a small out
house. These were rescued by ne
gro farmer by the name of Ford, who
gave them clothes and food and as
sisted them on their way to Charles
ton. A peculiar feature of this ter
rible affair was that none Of the oc-
crpants of the house were clothed
at all. They had undressed for bed
before the storm broke upon them
and what night clothes they wore
were torn from them by the wind
and the waters.
1t is a sad story that is told of this
drowning. Mrs Lottie Richter was a
young women, just about twenty
wears of age, and her little daughter,
Mary, who was also drowned. was but
a babe of three months. Little Lillian
Slender was about two years of age:
as was Charles Goodson. Mrs. Good
son. mother of the yonug boy, was
about thirty-six years Of age. and re-
sided at Waycross, Ga. There was a
large crowd in the small cottage
that was DESTROYED, the Cassldys:
John Slender, his wife and child, Mr..
and Mrs. Richter and their two child
rem and others.
From the story of the fear1u!
occurrence, it seems that as the Wa-
ter gradually rose higher and higa
er the. occupants Of the cottage IN a
measure were prepared for the worst
and both Slender and Richter sat in
the windows ready to take to the wa
ter and swim for their lives. When
the house was lifted from its founda-
tons and fell upon one side, the va
rious occupants clung to parts OF the
wreckage as best they could-some
were able to undergo the fearful Or
dea, and others perished. In his
arms, John Slender clung tenacious
" to his Eittle daughter until
heavy wave burst over him and dis.
lodged the child. Endeavoring to
keep up with the floating house, he
made dive after dive for the little
girl, but to no avail. She was drown
ed and her body was recovered IN the
marshes not far from the scene OF the
tragedy. John Slender was enabled
to save himself by clinging to parts
of the floating house
John Richter, his wife. Lottle
Richter and their two children, May
and Allen were in the house. IN
the window sat the husband ano
father. shielding his two children, al
ter his wife had admonished him to
tae care Of them and she would take
take care Of them and she would look
out for herself. When the house 1eii
John Richter was somewhat hurt IL
the crash, but he held on to the two
children. Floating for awhile on
part of the wreckage, Richter was
enabled to keep May and Allen above
water. but before long he was struck
bv q piece of timber, blown asalns'
him. and knocked him almost sense
less. His hold on the children was
broken and they sank into the waite!
below. But upon recovering hlmsel
somewhat, Richter made numoef
OF dives, which were only partially
successfully. He succeeded in find
ing his son Allen and brought hin
to a. place on the roof, to which the:
were holding But without aVal
we're his efforts to recover his dauSh
ter May.
Douglass Goodson. a young lad O.
13 summers. who survived the ter
rible traeedy, told graph1c ane
pathetic story of the death of nj:
mother and little brother Charles:
Mother and US boys, Leroy. five
wears old. ard myself, went to Wap.
BOO mills about two weeks ago &c
spend a vacation with Mrs. Bertha
Slender. We had very pleasant
time until Sunday afternoon. "ltr
us at the time of the tragedy were
Mr and Mrs. Dennis Cassidy, both o.
whom were saved. Sunday evening
the rain began to fall very hard ano
in a few hours the entire house II
which we were staying was sur
rounded by water. All OF US recame
frightened and ran out on the pl-
azza. when the floor Of the house
fell in. The roof followed shortly
afterwards, Then the front porch
Our lanterns were blown out by the
terrific wind and we were LETT II Ut
ter darkness. In the midst OF an un-
,cnallJ. strong gust the entire build