BOATING FATALITY AT THE CROIXELLES.

Colonist, Volume XLIII, Issue 9688, 18 January 1900, Page 1 (Supplement)

BOATING FATALITY AT THE CROIXELLES.

MAN AND WIFE DROWNED.

DISTBESSING DETAILS.

On Jan. 2nd, by the Blenheim coach, Mr W. 3. Stewart, J.P., of York station, Croixelles Harbor, arrived in town and reported that a fatal boating accident had occurred the day before in the Croixelles Harbor.

The particulars as stated by Mr Stewart are that, about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, Mr and Mrs James Kellor, who live with Mr Kellor, senior, at Kellor's Bay, at the extreme head of the harbor, left their home in an open boat, about 19 feet in length, to sail to Mr W. J. Stewart's, who lives in the next bay, proceeding towards the mouth of the harbor. After they had started, Mr Lewis Stewart, of the Pelorua Sound, arrived overland at Kellor's homestead, and as he was proceeding to his brother's (Mr W. J. Stewart's) to work, Mr James Kellor was signalled, and put back the boat, when young Stewart embarked, and a fresh start was made for York station. Kellor's Bay is an, arm about half a mile across, and runs pretty deeply into the hills. The heavy sou'wester blowing right down the harbor raised a good sea, and when the boat had gone about three-quarters of a mile, and was about the mouth of the bay, a heavy squall capsized her, and she, being ballasted with stone, sank, and the occupants were left in the water without any support. Neither of the Kellors could swim, and Stewart was only a moderate swimmer t Mr Kellor never moved after being thrown in the water, though Stewart could see him plainly. Mrs Kellor struggled to keep herself afloat, and Stewart went to her assistance and endeavored to tow her shorewards, bnt with great devotedness she wished to get to her husband, struggling to do so, and imploring to be allowed to join him. Stewart held on to Mrs Kellor for some time, he estimates about five minutes, though probably a shorter time, when finding that he had difficulty in keeping afloat, and believing Mrs Kellor to be lifeless he struck out for the shore which was a quarter of a mile distant. Being fully dressed, and with his boots on, he would not have been able to reach land had not he picked up a piece of the stern sheet of the boat, a substantial piece of board, and with* the aid of this he was able at last in a very exhausted state to reach the shore. He then walked round to his brother's homestead and told the sad news.

Mr W. J. Stewart at once got out his boat and -wont rottnJ lv KellUl'u Uuincstead to tell what had happened, and a search waa at once made. On a rock at the point to leeward of where the accident occurred were found Mrs Kellor's hat, Mr Kellor's coat and one of the boat's paddles. Nothing more could be done that evening, and early next morning Mr Stewart was rowed across the harbor to Anatea, whence he started to walk overland to Wangamoa, where he joined the coach. Before leaving the harbor he sent others to the assistance of those searching, and has no doubt that more was found yesterday, and is of opinion that the bodies will be recovered.

Mr and Mrs Eellor had been married about eight months only, the former being about twenty-eight years of age, and his wife, who was a Miss Coppell, of Motupipi, only twenty. They lived with Mr Kellor, senior, who is a widower, and the news came with such a shock to him that he was completely prostrated, and remains seriously ill.

The boat, says Mr Stewart, was considered about the best in Croixelles, and perfectly safe, but it seems a question whether any open boat is safe in these land locked waters when the wind is high, and Mr Stewart himself now never uses the sail. Already he has lost two brothers in boat accidents, the Mr Charles Stewart, of Fitzroy Bay, Pelorus Sound, who was drowned about a fortnight ago, being one ; a third brother has had the narrow escape above described. He has himself bad narrow escapes, on one occasion being capsized half a mile from shore, when he was rescued by his wife and an old man, who put off in another boat to his assistance, though he believes, being a good swimmer, he could have made the shore unaided.

The particulars having been laid before Sergeant Mackay, he has arranged that the Lady Barkly shall proceed to the Croixelles at noon to-day, and if the bodies are found and burial in Nelson is desired, the inquest will be held here, otherwise the inquest will be held on the spot.