The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-06-23

MOTHER SAW TRAGEDY.
The mother Of Miss Suggs was
among the Mortified spectators who
stood on the beach and witnessed the
tragedy. Mrs. Suggs saw her daughter
drowning and it was her cries for help
that attracted the attention of Mr..
Dillon and others who were some dis
lance away, and who ran to the scene
as quickly as possible.
Miss Suggs was among the young
people who remained near shore when
she first went into the gulf, and it was
some time before she would venture
out with the other young ladies who
formed the group to go out with Mr..
Morrison.
"PLL TAKE A PLUNGE"
The last words spoken ashore by Mr.:
Wallace before he went into the gulf
was when he handed his diamonds.
jewelry and money to Mrs. K. L. Nv
Iver wife of Rev. Mr.. McIver, Of the
Knox Presbyterian church. Then he
said: Here goes. I think I will take
a plunge" He was a fine swimmer
from all accounts and could easily have
gone even further out than where Miss
Suggs lost her life, but alone and with
the fearful undertow running out he
was unable to save the young lady and
himself.
Although the posts are there for the
placing of them no life lines or ropes
were out during yesterday and the
bathers therefore had no opportunity
of preventing themselves from being
carried out or to tell when they had
reached a dangerous point.
STATEMENT OF EYE WITNESSES.
c. F. Geek, superintendent of the
Sunday school under whose auspices
the picnic was given, was seen at his
The Journal. Mr.. Geek was an eye
witness to the awful tragedy and was
very much depressed on account of the
accident. He gave the following ac-
count of the tragedy:
The unfortunate affair occurred
about $780, as near as I can remember,
although in the excitement I could not
reckon time at all accurately. Mr..
Wallace and myself were together in
the surf when we noticed Mr.. A. D.
| Morrison, Miss Kathleen Suggs, Miss
Sallie McLane and Miss Mary Wolfe
together and it looked as though they
were about to be carried out by the
under current. We were near the beach
and they were, I should say, 100 feet
out. Mr.. Wallace looked at me, but
did not say anything, but he had an
anxious look on his face as though he
felt uneasy about the group and started
! swimming toward them, while l went
ashore as fast as I could after some
| life lines, which l secured, finally, at
the pavilion. BY the time l got back,
however. the party had become sepa-
rated and were clearly in imminent
| danger. Mr.. Wallace was an excellent
| swimmer, but in trying to rescue Miss
| Suggs he was overcome and lost his
! life, their bodies being rescued close
| together"
MIR. Morrison managed to reach the
shore, but he was entirely exhausted
and was practically helpless when he
|
| brought in by people who had gone to
| the rescue We worked on all of them
as rapidly as we could and managed TO
resuscitate Miss McLane and Miss
| Wolfe, both of whom had taken in q
| considerable amount of water, but
neither Miss Suggs nor Mr.. Wallace
responded at all to the efforts we made
/ to revive them and showed no signs
/ of life at all. I think we worked at
/ least two hours and a half.
The keeper of the life saving sta
! ton and one or two other men Of the
| crew were with us and worked hard, as
| did a number of other people. l dc
not know just who got the different
| members of the party out Of the water
as there was so much excitement and
| everybody seemed trying to render
! some assistance.
This was one of the most narrowing
| experiences I ever went through, and
| 1 believe it could all have been avoided
/ had there been life lines at the stakes
as none of the party were beyond the
| stakes when they were overcome.
WARNED SOME TIME AGO.
1t was only few weeks ago that The
Journal contained an editorial relating
to what should be done for the safety
OF the large number Who enjoy surf
bathing on the gulf beach.
Had life lines been out or the proper
| precautions been taken the tragedy Of
! yesterda.- afternoon could probably
! have been prevented
Mr.. WALLACE LEAVES WIFE.
| W. B. Wallace was chief clerk il Sac