The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1912-06-15
GEO. CURTIS DROWNED.
Lost his Life III Attempting
to Save a " Year old Lad
Georgic Riggs His Cousin.
Two Lives Lost in Wednesday
Nights Storm.

On Wednesday night, ut the
new camp, just completed hy
George Curtis on the banks ot
Bayou Carljn, no far above the
mouth Of the stream, George Cur
It's and his twelve year old cousin.
Geo, g,c Riggs. lost their lives by
drowning, victims of the storm OF
that night.
The other two members OF the
party, Paul Dnpuy and x. l..
Riggs, the latter lad Of four
teen were saved.
Some time ago Mr.. Curtls, Il
great lover Of the bay. determined
upon the building Of lodge on
lower Bayou Carl'n. to serve az u
base IN his hunting and fishing
outings. A small frame building
was erected and had just been
completed. On Wednesday tore
noon, accompanied by Paul Dupuy
and the two lads, he went down
the Bayou Carlin Canal III his gas
olinc launch to his new camp,
where the party purposed spend
ing the night before making an
early start the next morning for
the fishing banks.
That night, ~ the storm IN
creased and before they appreci
atrd the dangers which surround
cd them, their motor boat was
swamped. Az the night progress
ed the storm increased III fury TIL
all the land in their vicinity was
submcrged-stilI they believed
their safety was in their cabin.
When the cabin went to pieces un-
der the influence of wind and wave
they were forced to seek safety in
an open skiff, their only remaining
refuge All were gotten into the
skifr. In u half hours time the
sea rose eight feet, completely
submergDg all the low lands and
marsh for miles around. The
great waves of the sea rolled unln
terruptedly inland. One Of these
great angry rollers overlook the
f,all craft, laden with four human
lives, and overturned 1t. All, save
George, succeeded IN regalniDg
their hold on the capsized nkif
Mr.. Curtis located the little fellow
struggling in the water and
promptly went to his rescue. In
the dim light he was discerDed
with the lad on his shoulders
struggling to regain the boat,
when another great inrushlng
wave passed over them. The
two cllnging to the sk'ff had u
desperate struggle to regain the
boat after the passing Of the waye.
Nothing more was heard or seen
of Mr. Curtis or his charge
For hours Paul and X. l.. were
battered by the waves; their boat
being repeatedly overturned by
the great waves, each desperately
struggling for self preservation,
unable to render assistance to the
other In the eternity of that
night they lost all record Of time
When dawn came X. l. found
himself alone with the boat. The
wind had lulled and the waters
were rapidly receed'ng.
Mr. VIM Ewing, the veteran
fisherman, familiar with every
foot of that coast, headed the res
cue party of Thursday morning,
which found Dnpuy in the marsh,
thoroughly exhausted, helpless
aud quite speechless. lie was
brought home where he now il
aud critically i'll.
X l.. WAS found and brought to
the home of hls grandparents,
Mr. and Mrs. Leon Lemaire, in
this c,ty. Aside from the terrible
mental strain his escape has been
but little short of miraculous.
AIlday Thursday and yesterday
searching parties were hunting
for Mr.. Curtis and the other little
boy. As Thursdays sun sank
into the west the hope of finding
either of the missing two gre"
very slim indeed, and finally gave
away to the pail OF despair
The Two story club house, built
by Mr.. II. +. Pat0ut on the beach
of Weeks Bay, west Of the mouth
of Bayou Carlin, was overturned
and carried some three miles
across the marsh on the great t.
dial wave coming up out OF the sea
that night. 1t was occupied at
the time. Whether any OF the
occupants were lost we could not
learn in time for this issue.