BAD BOATING ACCIDENT. TWO MEN DROWNED. A MIRACULOUS RESCUE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 414, 26 October 1889, Page 5

BAD BOATING ACCIDENT. TWO MEN DROWNED. A MIRACULOUS RESCUE.

Wellington, October 23. A h\v boating accident happened in the harbour laf.fc nighfc, in which two men named Gum and James Stewart lost their lives. It appears that the men named en. gaged an open boat, and accompanied by a young woman named Spcckmun, went tor a sail. All went well until abouL7.3o, when they wero leturning from Petone. Then a sudden squall capsized the boat, which was a 14-iooter with centre board. The boat at this time was off Rocky Point, near Ngahauranga. Cries of distress weie di&tinctly heard at Ngahauranga and Kaiwarra, and several boats went otl and a constable was despatched from town, but no trace was found. Later in the evening the Petone Navals, w hen leaving Wellington for Petone after being inspected by Major-General Edwards, heard of the accident, and on arriving homo gallantly decided to launch their cutter and make a search of the harbour. They left the sheet at a quartei -past eleven and teaiched thehaibour until about 12.30 a.m. when they were rewarded by finding a boat bottom up, with Miss Speckman clinging to the keel. She was at once placed on board the cutter, and all hubte nuide lor Nghauranga, wheie tho young lady was taken to an hotel, and, although much exhausted, soon reco\eied. She stated that the boat capsized about 7.00, and all three- occupants managed to jjeb on the bottom of the boat, but the men soon lost their hold and disappeaied Gum is believed to be an e.v-boabswain of the steamer lonie, and. Stewatt is a painter at Petone. The Navals deserve every credit for their life saving errand. TII 3 boat was recovered at Point Halswclt this morning. In the course of an interview this morning, Miss Suiah Speckman (aged 19), the only suiviver of last night's boat accident, states that they left Petone before 7 o'clock, and about 7.40 the boat capsized, owintr, the belie Ned, to the boat jibing in the squall. All three occupants got safely on ihe boat, she helping Stewart, who was rather a delicate man. They cried lustily for help, but saw none of the boats sent out'- to rescue them. * After half-an-hour Stewarts strength gave, out and he fell back into the water and was never teen again. Uum, who was a strong powerful young man, showed signs of exhaustion after being an hour on the boat and fell across the bottom with his head almost touching the water. Miss Speckman pulled him up and said, "BE A MAN. HANG ON LIKE ME.'' Ho, however, was too far gone, and a few minutes later fell off, and Miss Speckman jaw him floating alongside the overturned craft for some time, bub could do nothing to help him. For three hours after this Miss Speckman, who was straddle across the boat, \Vas by herself, and apparently with little hgpe 1 ot being rescuod, and was fast drifting towards the Heads. At last the Petone naval cutter came near, and .she called,' " Shall 1 throw you the painter?" ' • The men called to hsr to cling to the boat and they would come alongside, which they did, and took her ashure. - ', Miss Speckman feels very libblo effect from -Mi c exposure, bub her lefb arm and right leg are a little bruised. ' : John Gum was a single nnn, about 24 years of age. James Stewait was a widower with tlnee children, and has friends Cambridge.

(Jus —What, did you think of cur amateur theatrical*, Mis-* Mamie? KfiUicr a lare entertainment, \wia it nofc? M i&s Mu'nie—-AVell--er.—yea j ib vvabn'b V-'iy well dotie, lo l^e sure