The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-01-25
HEACHCOMBER, &C,
Continued F-om Page One

Coast Guard boat about quar-
or of a mile away. He yelled at
the top of his lungs:
II have the man here! Come
along side and get him."
Gonzalez though conscious
could not help himself. So one OF
the two Coast guardsmen had to
get into Teller's boat to help lift
him over to the CG boat. The
.three men got him aboard at
$50. They rushed him back to
the Coast Guard pier to the
Navy ambulance, which took
HIM to Monroe General hospital.
DR.. J. Lancelot Lester, attending
physician could not be reached to
ascertain his condition, but hos
pitaI authorities said Gonzalez
rested we'll last night. He is rest
ing back at the hotel today.
During the transfer of Coma
Leg from Oscar Teller's sloop, the
NAVY boats came by. Teller was
still trying to go back to his
anchorage at Rest Beach, so he
sailed by the Navy boats and
told them he had already picked
I'D GONZALEZ. The Navy asked
Teller if he needed any help. Os-
car said no.
The seas were still rough,
however, so he tied up his boat
at the Officers Club pier at
Fort Taylor and spent the night
there, rather than heading back
for Rest Beach.
Oscar Teller was out in yes
terday's rough seas trying to haul
in an cupboard motor. boat which
broke lose from Rest Beach
mooring. This was at 4:30. Oscar
Jumped into his own sloop to
rescue, the outboard Tt was as he
was going by the Casa Marina
he noticed that kyak, which had
also gone out to get the cupboard.
She was in no trouble at that
time, Oscar Teller put line out
for the drifting cupboard, got it
in tow and took it back to the
beach at the foot of the Fort
Taylor housing project where I
saw it today.
Then he saw the Navy helicop-
ter and the Coast Guard in the
air and in the sea. He put out
again to sail back to Rest Beach,
the Coast Guard had
rescued the man because they
already had the kyak in tow.
Though he wouldn't admit, if
Teller had not gone by the
man at the moment he
did, Gonzalez would probably
have died. He was sinking fast,
according to his rescuer, and the
Coast Guard boat was quarter of
a mile away, he said.
Manning the 38 foot Coast
Guard boat were Fred M Suggs,
YN-1 and Raymond E. Turner.
TN. Navy Doctor 1t. c. E. Man.
gin, and two medical corpsmen
met him at pier Able. The corps
men were Robert B. Bell. HM-l
and D. B. Brakebill, HIM 3.
1t. Comdr. L. r. Thompson
and Fl. F. McLinden, manned the
Navy helicopter which directed
he Coast Guard boat to the
scene.
Teller is best known to Key
Westers for his palm-thatched
hats with birds. He anchors his
,loupsoff Rest Beach, lives on it
and makes his famous hats with
,ocon,it palm leaves. The birds
he twists out of the palm leaves.
lie said he is known everywhere
is "The Beachcomber"-his mail
S addressed that way. Last night
MS own palm-thatched hat was
lark brown, dripping wet from
he rough seas.
/ had just returned from meet
ns the Coast Guard rescue yes
,el Ariadne. Suggs, had told me
bout the near drowning. ] saw
he teletype message of the
Sent, and planned to- get the
shole@ ? story today. a II ! It.
When / got home r heard a
voice calling. Mrs. McAvoy--"
Oscar Teller came out of tho
lark windy night, still damp
rom his ocean experience. He
Mas locked just few hundred
,ards from where l was, heard
nav voice and came over.
AS soon as he mentioned the
| asked him to SIT
Down and dictate his story.
The rescue confirmed hunch
had all day, There was some
hing in. the air, the rough seas,
ne fact that | was meeting the
Ariadne, the low flying planes at
!, 80 that made known there was
leariisaster. !
was therefore not surprised
II either SuggS' report at Coast
Guard. or later Oscor Telier'S
Ill report.