Year: 1877

GBaton Rouge Advocated


The most distressing misfortune we
have ever been called upon to record oe-
Cured Sunday night about o'clock on
| this side Of the river, between Fisher Il
Woods coal fleet and Arbour's old saw
mill.


Sunday Mrs. Eliza O'Connell, wife of
Mr.. Charles O'Connell, with her child,
Mrs. Mary. M. O'Connor, wife of Mr..
Thos. B. O'Connor, and her two chill
dren, wentto West Baton Rouge to spend
the evening with some friends, intend
ing to return on the last trip of the
ferry that evening. They did not arrive
at the landing In time to meet the
ferry and not wishing to remain on that
side of the river got little boy by the
name OF Charley Bauer to get man
to cross them in skiff. After look
ing around for some time young Bauer
finally got negro man by the name
Of Leon to consent to bring the party
across. By this time it was nearly
nine o'clock and the night had got
had not come across on the last trip Of
the ferry. Mr.. O'Connell, feeling uneasy
about his wife and child, procured
large skiff and started across the river
to bring them over. When he had got
about half way across the river he heard
persons screaming on this side, and
some one called out to him to come
back quick-that skiff was sinking
below the coal fleet with some ladies in
1t. He and Mr.. Thielman were In the
skiff, and with all their might they
alarm came, and when he got there he
ascertained that his wife, child and Mrs.
O'Connor and her two children were
drowned,


From Charley Bauer, who came over
in the skiff, we learn that in crossing
the current had carried the skiff down
opposite the coal fleet and he sug-
gested to the negro TO land below. In
attempting to do so the skiff ran
upon log and dipped water. The
ladies and children became very much
of the boat screaming with fear, Mrs.
O'Connell holding her child, eighteen
months old, in her arms. About this
time the negro jumped out of the
skitf on the log, ran out on shore
and commenced calling for help. Young
Bauer says he held on to the bow Of the
skiff and endeavored to steady it when
he found the boat was taking water
very fast at the stern, and called to the
ladies to come forward quick. Before
they could do SO the stern Of the skiff
went down, and, clasped in each others
arms, Mrs. O'Connell and child, and
went down with the skiff in water about
six or eight feet deep. When he saw the
skiff going down he endeavord to free
the bow from the log in order
to give the stern chance to rise
up again, but before he could do 80 the
ladies and children had all been swept
out of the skif by the current and were
struggling in the river. He endeavored
then to shove the skiff to them with the
hope that they could catch hold of it's
sides and hold on until help could be
obtained, but alas his hopes were vain.
for already the loved ones Of happy
homes had sunk down to rise no more.
The waters had already closed over the
loved ones OF two happy homes that
are made desolate by this sad, sad mis-
fortune.


Immediately after the alarm was
given a large number of people gath
cred on the bank near the scene, and
soon men in skiffs, with hooks and
lines, were searching for the bodies,
and succeeded that night in finding the
also the bodies Of Mrs. O'Connor and
her little daughter Fanny. The body
Of the eldest daughter Florence had
not been recovered up to the hour of
going to press. Divers and men in
skiffs have been engaged all day in the
search.


The cowardice Of the negro Leon was of
the most criminal sort. Where the bow
of the skiff struck the log the water was
not over three or four feet deep. The
decline of the bank at that spot made
the water about six or eight feet deep at
the stern Of the skiff, consequently,
had the negro acted with the slightest
prudence he might easily have drawn
the skiff into shallow water, and saved
every valuable life that has been lost
mainly through his negligence and
cowardice.


This sad event has cast gloom over
our entire community, and Messrs.
Charles O'Connell and Thomas B.
O'Connor, the bereaved husbands and
fathers, have our heartfelt sympathy.
An inquest was held Sunday night by
Justice Hillen, of Ward No. l, DIR.
Brook being absent, over the bodies Of