MELANCHOLY DEATH OF THREE SISTERS.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 669, 3 May 1870, Page 4

MELANCHOLY DEATH OF THREE SISTERS.

A very sudden and distressing accident occurred on the 23rd January on Lochleven. It may be necessary, in order properly to understand the particulars of the story, to state that hard frost prevailed in many parts of Scotland during a portion of last week. It appears that three young ladies, the daughters of Mr Alexander Steedman, had left their house at about half-past one on Saturday, with their skates for the purpose of having an hour's recreation on the loch. As generally when out walking, they took a favorite dog with them. On reaching the loch they sat down on a seat by the side of it ; but whether for the purpose of putting on their skates, or with the intention of waiting for the coming of a friend who had promised to meet them and skate with them, cannot now be known. The dog started of on the ice after the wild fowl on an open portion of the loch, and when it had gone some few yards the ice gave way. Miss Steedman went to help it out of the water, and on seeing her on the ice some workmen, who were employed at the boat-house, shouted to warn her back. She still persisted, and when attempting to lift out the dog the ice gave way with her. She cried to the third sister, " Maggie, help me," and the latter responding at once, hastened on the ice, which at once broke, and she was plunged in. beside her sister. The third sister, seeing the other two struggling in the water for life, bravely went to their assistance ; but it was only to make another victim. The two men who had observed the movements of the ladies ran to the scene of the accident, and used every means they could think of or command to reach the drowning sisters, but in vain. A boat was, after some little delay, procured, and in about twenty minutes after the accident the bodies were got out. Two were found standing upright, and the other was lying at the bottom. They were at once conveyed to Mr Beveridge's spinning mill, where every means were resorted to by Dr Monroe and others to resuscitate life. It was 'too late, however, for the three ladies were dead. The three sisters were aged respectively twenty-four, twentytwo and twenty. They were highly accomplished and universally esteemed, and as they were known to an extensive circle of acquaintance, their untimely end is deeply lamented.