The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-09-02
STORM TRACEY. y.
Five Persons We're Drown'd OF Rsl
p,o Mill, Opposite Charleston
HOUSE CARRIED AWAY

rhe Pathetie: Story of the Drowning
of a Mother and Her Two Young
Children IS Described by an Old
er Son, Who Also Battled For Hi
Life in the Water.
The Nevn: and Courier says i've
persons were drowned off Wappoe
Mills, in ST. Andrews parish IN the
storm of Sunday night The deao
are as follows: Mrs Lottie Richter
Mary Richter, Mrs. Martha Goodson
Charles Gooison and Lillian Slender
The death O.. these persons was from
drowning in the high waters OF Wap'
poo 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, watcl.man at Wappoo. Both
Cassidy AMI his wife were saved al.
ter a 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 made
their escape by floating on the tor
of the root and upon a small out
house. There were rescued by ne
gro farmer by the name of Ford, who
gave them clothes and food and as
sisted them IN their way to Charles
ton. A pee, liar feature Of this ter
rfble affair vas that none OF the oc'
cupants of he house were clothed
s.t all. The had undressed for bed
before the storm broke upon them
and what light clothes they wore
were torn f;om, them by the WIND
and the waters.
It is a sad story that is told OF this
drowning. llrs Lottie Richter was q
young women, just about twenty
years of age and her little daughter,
Mary, who W as also drowned, was but
q 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 Wafcross, Ga. There was a
large crowi in the small cottage
that was destroyed, the Cassidys,
John Stender. his wife and child, Mr.
and Mrs. Ric hter and their two child
rem and others.
From the story of the fearful
occurrence, It seems that as the wa
ter gradual, rose higher and high
er the occur ants 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 WIS lifted from dts founda-
tions 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
deal and others perished. In his
arms, John Slender clung tenacious
~ to his little daughter until a
heavy wave burst over him and dis
lodged the child. Endeavoring to
keep up wi.n the floating house, ne
made dive after dive for the little
girl, but to 10 avail. She was drown
ed and her t ody 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 we're in the house. In
the window sat the husband and
father, Smelling his two children, az
ter his wife had admonished him to
tae care of them and she would take
take ca. OF hem and she would look
out for herself. When the house fell
John Richie was somewhat hurt in
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
by a piece cf timber, blown against
him, and knocked him almost sense
less. His hold on the children was
broken and hey sank into the water
below. But upon recovering himself
somewhat, FIGHTER made a NUMBER
of dives, which were only partially
successfully. He succeeded in find
ing his son Allen and brought him
to a place or the roof, to which they
were holdino. But without avail
we're his efforts to recover his daugh-
ter May.
Douglass .1oodson, a young lad of
13 summers, who survived the ter
rible tragedr, told graphic and
pathetic story of the death Of his
mother and little brother Charles:
fMother and us boys, Leroy, five
years old, and myself, went to Wap-
moo mills ABOUT two weeks ago to
spend a vacation with Mrs. Bertha
Slender. we had very pleasant
time until Sunday afternoon. With
us at the time of the tragedy were
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Cassidy, both of
whom were saved. Sunday evening
the rain began to fall very hard and