Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1916-08-16
FRED White DROWNED At SOUTHPORT.
Three Members Of The Coast Artillery Lose
their Lives While Bathing.
Charlotte Daily Oh. 18th,

! D6dCn at oOull pol /, ~. ". N'Hh
day morning at 10 o'clock, Sergt
w. E. Ardrey and Private Leon
ard Swain, both of Charlotte and
Private Fred White of Salisbury
all from the Coast Artillery camp
of the North Carolina National
Guard at Fort Caswell, were
drowned when they went beyond
their depth.
The three men. accompanied by
Privates Alexander, Guthrie,
Howell, Mccoy, Trescott and
Johnson, all of the Charlotte
company had gone to the beach
early Sunday morning to go in
bathing.
According to report from Fort
Caswell, the militiamen had been
warned against bathing at that
particular place, on account OF the
depth of the water and the treach-
erous tide, which it was stated
flows especially strong along the
beach there.
According to dispatches from
Southport Sergeant Audrey was
the first to call for help and
directly afterward, White and
Swain getting i'll water over their
heads, also called for assistance.
privates Howell and Mccoy,
who were nearer to the three men
than other members of the party,
started to the assistance of White
who seemed to be unable to make
any progress toward shore. They
succeeded in bringing him to
where the water was not more
than waist deep and left him
standing there.
Before other members of the
party could get to the assistance
of Swain he had gone down, but
the men we're able to reach the
spot where he was last seen to go
under, pull him to the surface of
the water, and tow him to shore.
In the meantime, White is
thought to have tainted or fallen
unconscious from the effects of
his submersion He disappeared
and the tide was ebbing strong
enough 10 carry him out to deep
water again.
Privates Dagley, of Winning
ton and Clute, of Raleigh, had
succeeded in reaching Audrey ana
were endeayoring TO swim with
him toward the shore
Other militiamen who had
started in a run for the Oakisland
Life Saving Station gave the
alarm and Captain Brinkman and
crew of life savers succeeded in
getting to the scene in 10 minutes
from the station which is a mile
further down the beach.
The life savers arrived just in
time to keep Bagley and Clute
from going under with the body
Of Ardery. At the time the res
cue party arrived they still were
struggling to make shore against
the strong ebb tide.
Bagley and Clute with the life
less form Of the young sergeant
were placed in the boat and
carried to the beach where re-
sucitation work was begun on
Ardrey After several minutes
work over him the experts from
the life saving station pronounced
him dead.
A search was then instituted
for Whites body but up until a
late hour Sunday night it had not
been found.
James r. Audrey, brother of
the young militiaman stated late
Sunday night that he had wired
Captain Cox, commanding officer
of the Charlotte company, in
structing that both the body of
his brother and of young Swain
be sent to Charlotte at once. He
received a reply stating that they
would arrive in Charlotte Mon
day night at 1870 o'clock.
| 1t is understood that the body
of Swain will be brought to
Charlotte and then sent to Lex
ing ton for funeral and interment.
Sergeant Audrey, who was 20
years of age, resided with his
mother, Mrs. W, M. Ardrey, at
HAY South Boulevard. He
was employed by the J. N. Nc
Causland Company at 221 South