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Distressing Boating Disaster…

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Distressing Boating Disaster in B TWO MEN DROWNED. PROVIDENTIAL RESCUE OF MAESTEG MEN. A distressing boating fatality occurred in Carmarthen Ray on Friday afternoon. Jt appeals that John Black more, landlord of the (been Dmgon Hotel, Lauglnrne William Jenkins, 45. Coegnant-road, Caerau, Maesteg William Williams, 29. 1 ywith-cottages, Caerau, Maesteg and Thomas Garrett, 16, Coegnant-road, Caerau, Mactdeg, left Lnugharne on Friday morning in a 1 Oft, open sailing boat. When near No. 5 buoy in Car- marthen Bay, about two p.m., one of the occupants of Mr Alma Rowlands's fishing-boat (jwcnni", which was about half a mile distant, observed that Blackmore's boat was missing. Rowlands at once sailed to the spot where the boat was last seen, and found it overturned. Williams was supporting himself with two oar, whilst Garrett was clinging to the keel of the boat. Blaekmore clung to the boat for a short time, but gave way, and was drowned, his body being found lloatirig. Jenkins was not. seen by any of the others after the boat capsized. Rowlands rescued Williams and Garrett, and put. them ashore. He also took in the body of Blaekmore, which was carried to his home. The body of Jenkins has not been recovered. The serenity of the old and historical Cor- poration town of Laugharno was disturbed on hearing of the distressing news of the 11 C5 tragedy. Laugharne is situate at the mouth of the the River Taf. and is surrounded by romantic scenery, but the place is so inacces- sible that comparatively few holiday-makers take advantage of it. However, amongst the visitors this year were William Jonkins, 45, Coegnant-road, Caerau, Maesteg; William Williams, 28, Tywbyth Cottages, Caerau and Thomas Garrett (a native of Laugharne), 16, Coegnant-road, Caerau. They lodged at the Dragon Hotel, which was managed by Mr John Blaekmore. WHO possessed a 16 ft. sailing boat which carried a main sail and jib. On Friday morning the landlord, together with his party of visitors, set out in his little craft for a cruise in the bay. Although there was a pretty stiff wind blowing and the sea some- what choppy, the boat, which according to some experienced fishermen was too frail to have ventured out so far, went merrily along throughout the morning, a visit being paid to Ferryside. Subsequently they went down the River Towy, and before reaching the bar came across the fishing boat Gwennie, owned by Captain Alma Rowlands, Laugharne, which was lying at anchor. A friendly con- versation ensued between Blaekmore and Rowlands, and the former insisted upon those on board the Gwennie partaking of some beer. Subsequently the little boat parted and was making for the fishing nets. It was apparent that it was not manned as carefully as it should be, and Captain Rowlands deemed it advisable to give them a warning. When the little boat reached No. 5 buoy in Carmar- then Bay a gust of wind blew, and the sail swerved from one side to the other so quickly that the occupants were taken unawares and dashed into the sea. The men were all sitting on one side of the boat, and the additional weight of the sail overbalanced it, with the melancholy result already reported. The scene of the disaster is a most perilous one when gales are experienced, and in close proximity to it one sees the masts of the wrecked Craigwennie and Teviotdale. When the catastrophe occurred the Gwennie was about half a mile away, but what had happened was soon discovered by Captain Rowlands, who lost no time in going to the rescue. He managed to save two lives by his exertions. It was a difficult task to get the exhausted survivors into his fishing boat, but he surmounted the difficulties, and his conduct must be commended. The following narratives will give some idea of the terrible experiences of the men. STATEMENTS BY THE SURVIVORS. Thomas Garrett, when seen by a Press representative at Laugharne on Saturday, seemed to have got over the shock. He said We went for a cruise on the Carmarthen river, and John Blackcnore, being in control, sat at the helm. Everything went off splendidly until about one o'clock, when a strong wind blew the sail from one side to another, the boat overturning and the four of us being thrown into the water. I clung to the keel as tightly as ever I could. The sea was choppy and I was drawn underneath the boat two or three times. I saw Blackmore clinging to it as well, but he relaxed his hold and disappeared in the sea. I was fairly ex- hausted when I was picked up by the Gwennie. It was an experience I shall never forget." William Williams said:—After being thrown into the sea I saw two oars afloat, and I swam for them. With the use of these I was able to support myself until the Gwennie came along. I was in the water for about twenty minutes. I saw William Jenkins struggling in the water, but could render him no assistance, and he disappeared before my eyes." When questioned as to whether there were any intoxicating drinks on the boat, Garrett said there were two jars of beer, but explained that neither had been emptied, and also that the men were not under the influence of drink. THE RESCUERS. Mr. Alma Rowlands, captain of the Gwennie, said "I had thought of going out mackereling, but as the day was not very pleasant, 1 anchored inside the bar. Later we saw a boat coming from the direction of Ferryside. It came alongside my boat, and I had a chat with Blackmore and the other occupants. Upon leaving, Blackmore told me that they were going to see the fishing nets and that they were coming back again. They went away and we kept a look out. 1 thought they were not handling the boat as they should and I warned them that some- thing would surely happen unless they wero careful. It was a small boat under sail and she was running up against the wind. Twenty minutes later a man inside my boat said I have lost sight of the boat," and we went on top of the boat's deck. My son shouted, I can see something in the water father," and we got the Gwennie under weigh as soon as possible, and went to the rescue. We had over half a mile to cover. We saw a man holding on to the keel of the boat, and just before reaching him we saw another man fast to two oars. With great difficulty we managed to pick them up. We then saw Blaekmore floating in the water, but after getting him into the boat we found that he was dead. We failed to see Jenkins at all. The men were subsequently landed at Laugharne. I suppose that by jibbing and the sudden jerk of the sail they were thrown out of the little craft." Can you account in any way for the boat capsizing ?" Captain Rowlands In my opinion I don't think Blackmore was careful enough. Such a little boat with a sail on her should not have risked it out so far. There were also too many in it. What about the sea, was it very choppy Nothing out of the way." In an interview, Mr. Edwin Jones, pilot to Colonel Fry, Ferryside, who picked up the ill-fated boat, said:— Colonel Fry and my- self were beating down the river towards tho bar. There was a fresh wind blowing and a heavy swell, and we overtook the boat which subsequently capsized. Being too early to begin fishing, we went to a place to anchor and before getting there we saw that Mr Alma Rowlands's fishing boat Gwennie had anchored. By this time the ill-fated boat was alongside the Gwennie. Colonel Fry and myself went down to the cabin for lunch between 1 and 2 o'clock and after finishing our lunch I happened to look out, and noticed that the Gwennie had her fiag at half-mast signalling distress. We immediately got up our anchor and made for her with all speed. We had a presentiment that something had happened to the little craft which we had seen near the Gwennie, and which was now out of sight. The Gwennie asked us if we had any spirits aboard, and I took some to the occupants. Whl D I got alongside they told me that they hid rescued three, but I that John Blaekmore, the owner of the boat was dead, and also that a man named William Jenkins, of Caerau, Maesteg, was gtill missing. The Gvennie thcu uiade for 0 Laugharne, and we spent the rest of the afternoon searching for the missing man. We picked up the missing boat, and took her to the Gwennie. John Blaekmore, who was 66 years of age, was for a number of years a lighthouse keeper at Lundy, and was in receipt of a pension. He was very widely known and respected because, in after year he acted as collector for the ferry boats plying between Fcrrryside and Llaristephan, and in this capacity he came into contact with hundreds of people. He leaves a widow and two children. William Jenkins' body has not yet been recovered and it is not likely that it will be for a couple of days, owing to the gripping pools." Deceased was single and only 19 years of age. THE INQUEST. Mr Thomas Walters, solicitor, Carmar- then, the coroner for West Carmarthenshire sat at Laugharne, on Saturday to inquire into the circumstances attending the death of John Blaekmore, one of the victims of the boating accident in Carmarthen Bay on the r-revious day. Evidence was called showing that about 12 30 p m. on Friday the deceased, who kept the Green Dragon Hotel at Laugharne wont for a cruise in the bay in a small boat, which ho kept for the use of visitors staying at the hotel, taking with him three colliers from Maesteg who were spending a holiday in the neighbourhood. The men were Wil- liam Williams, Tywyth Cottages, Caerau, William Jenkius, and Thomas Garnett, both of Coegnant-road, Caerau. They were all on pleasure bent, and took a jar of beer on board with them. The soa was a bit choppy and the Maesteg visitors left the manage- ment of the boat to Blackmore although it transpired afterwards that he was not an experienced boatman. About 130 p.m. a local boatman, named Rowlands, and Mr Tower Smith, who left Laughare shortly after the first, had a conversation with the occupants out in the bay, and accepted a glass of beer from them. Rowlands, who is an expert boatman, stated that at the time ho did not think Blackmore was managing the boat properly, He had the sails on in a choppy sea. He thought that the extraordinary way in which the deceased was managing the boat was due to his want of knowledge and ex- perience, and not to insobriety. Personally he did not think Blackmore was drunk at that time- They then parted company, but shortly afterwards the boy he had in the boat with him called his attention to the fact that Blackmore's boat had capsized in the vicinity of No. 5 buoy, which marks the course of the river from the treacherous sands at Cefn Sidan. Witness immediately rowed to the spet, and found Williams, one of the colliers, supporting himself by the two oars, while Garnett was clinging to the keel of the boat. He took Garnett ou board and then Williams, and 30 or 40 yards away he found Blackmore floating face down- wards. He made for him at once, but found him quite dead. Jenkins, the fourth man, was never seen, and his body had not been recovered. Williams, one of the rescued men, stated that when they were near the No 5 buoy a gust of wind blew the sail from one side of the boat to the other, and before they had time to do anything the boat cap-ized. Wit- ness himself knew nothing about boating, and left the management of the craft to the deceased. The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death by drowning." Up to Wednesday the body of young William Jenkins had not been recovered, although search parties on foot and by boat hhve visited the vicinity of tho accident. Some express the opinion that the body will never be recovered, owing to the nature of the sands which form the dangerous Cefn Sidan. The bed of the channel contains numbers of hollow holes, locally called pokes," which continually change their location owing to the shifting nature of the sand. The body may thus become buried in the tand. FUNERAL OF MR BLA.CKMORE. The funeral of Mr Tohn Blackmore took place on Tuesday at St. Martin's Church, Laugharne, and was largely attended. The mourners included the widow, deceased's two sons and three daughters. Rev. F. Atterbury Thomas, B.A officiated. Local Wills. MR B. PUDDIOOMBE, PENBRYN. Mr Beyn-on Puddicombe, of Bron-y-mor, Traesaith, Penbryn, Cardiganshire, husband of the Welsh novelist, "Allen Raiine/' who died on uie 29th May last, left estate of the gross value of f;1,564 Is 8d, with net per- sonalty sworn at £1,120 18s 3d, and probate of his will has been granted to his widow, Mrs Anne Adaliza Puddicombe, of Bron-y- mor, the sole executrix. iuR T. JONES, LLANDILO. Mr Thomas Jones, of 38, Rhosmaen-st r eet, Lla.nd.ilo, ^armarthenshir e, who died on the 9th riay last, left estate of the gro-e value of jE916 18s 2d, with net personalty E481, and probate of his will has been granted to his widow, Mi Letticia Jones, of the same ad- dress, the sole executrix. MR. JOHN EVANS, SLEBECH. Mr John Evans, of Picton Farm, Slebech, Pembrokeshire, who died on the 7th July last, left estate of the gross value of £ 998 lis 3d, with net personality £986 14s 9d, and probate of his will has been granted to his widow, Mrs Elizabeth Evans, the sole executrix.

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