The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-03-16
KING PARTY SHOW
UP AT LAST: TELL IN
TEREsTING STORY

Miami, March IA telegram to
Captain j. +. Jaudon from John W.
King at I'LL p. m. yesterday told
that Mr.. King. John W. King. Jr..
and w r. Catlow Jr.. were safe in
Key West and would arrive in Mi
ami on the Oversea Limited early
this morning.
/ This was the first intimatiOn reach
ing Miami to the effect that the ter
rible journey through the Everglades
had come to an end and the mem
hers of the King party were safe.
Mr. King. his young son and w
X. Catlow. Jr.. arrived this morning
at 1920 on the over Sea Limited
from Key West. and were met by
their happy relatives and several
friends.
They told graphically of the trials
they underwent in the Everglades
and swamp region of the west coast,
adding that they were compelled. be-
cause of lack of water to drag their
boat the greater part of two hundred
miles. following every blind trail in
the Everglades and swamps while
seeking an outlet.
This was caused by the experience
they had in going west over the Ia
miami Trail survey and south from
! Lee to Monroe county. They
dragged their glade boat and provis-
| ions and supplies into the corner of
( Monroe county, where they intended
securing photographs, and when they
were ready to leave for home, de-
cided to seek an easier means of exit.
But. as Mr.. King told. "the fur
ther we went the worse it got" and
with each effort to escape from the
difficulties which surrounded them,
their plight became worse.
Finally their food gave out and
Z they were forced to subsist for the
greater part of week on garfish and
cabbage palmetto buds, with occa-
! sionally a few curlcw's eggs.
! Their condition was made worse by
/ the fact that all were badly poisoned
/ by drinking bad water and by what
! is known TO glademen as "dogwood
/ poison
They were in really pitiful condi-
/ ton when they encountered party
of hunters in Tarpon Lake. at the
/ head of the Shark river and were
taken aboard the houseboat Kenne-
saw. where their ills were ministered
to. and they were given food and
! shelter.
/ This party was composed of Rich
mond Talbot, Col. II. II. Rogers, w
r. Belts, pr Thorpe. all of New
I York, who had left Fort Myers two
: weeks previous on fishing and hunt
ing trip. The Kenesaw was com
manded by Captain A. n. Wintle and
/ the tender w Il. Powell, which
towed the King party to the Manetto
companys plant near the mouth of
Shark river, was commanded by Cap
tain Fred Quedau.
The guides in the party who dis
covered Mr. Kings party and car
ried them to the houseboat were: w.
b. Alderman, Nick Santina, Orenzo
Santina and others.
Were Not Lost
Mr.. King said that at no time were
they lost. but that they were unable
to find their way out Of the swamps
and glades because of the extremely
low water. and their time was passed
irving to extricate themselves.
Immediately on their arrival at
Key West they learned that friends
were searching through the swamps
for them. and Mr.. King at once tele-
graphed to Miami to allay appre-
/ hension
Mr.. King said that under similar
circumstances there would be no
need to send out large number OF
men 10 search for missing parties.
Two men would be enough he de-
clared. ian expert trailer and an un-
dertaker's assistant"
Mr.. King and the boys. who are
fifteen years old. would have had a
more plentiful supply of food had
not their ammunition failed them.
Some of their shot gun shells were