Coroner's Verdict of Accidental]
Death: Viking's Gallant Effort, Though Endangered Coroner,. Mr. G W King, jon Wednesday held an inquest regarding the death of Mr. H. H. Fowkes, se, who was lost during 4 race on September 11, when the yacht Seagull capsized in a squall {im the Huangps, off the dynamite magazine, The Coroner returned a verdict of accidental death and paxt 2 tribute to the popularity of the deceased.
Dr. A, D. Wall sid that death was due to drowning.
Mr. W. Mellor said that Mr, Fowkes was sailing the Seagull and the crew consisted of witness two loadahs. Tt was raining and blowing at the time of the accident, The yacht was going about. when she was struck by a squall and capsized, All foun climbed on to the side of the boat and the" Viking fame by, but deceased shouted to her skipper not to worry, as the Seagull could not sink. The water got rougher and the Seagull began rock and witness thought Bir, Fowkes slipped off. He was in the swimming towards the Viking witness called to him to come back." He did s0.and witness actually was leaning over to help him back when something Tike a_ tidal wave washed them all off and the Seagull sank. That was the last saw of Mr. Fowkes. "Witness was dragged under by someone caught hold of him; he thought it was one of the Idadahs, because, the clothes came away when witness aught hold of them. When came to the surface witness could not wee anybody, 20 he swam for the lights on the Pootung shore and eventually. reached land, Both Mr, Fowkes and. witness. were wearing rain-coats at the time, Sergt. Kitichok said that when the body was recovered it was cloth only in a shitt.
Mr. Mellor added that Mr. Fowkes id not appear to be in diteuities fand was swimming when witness last saw him, At witness's request when he got ashore, two. Chinese ambans immediately went out ive any possible assistance and fruiced around for some time Mr. W. D. Neil, who was sailing the Viking, said that he saw. the Seagull capsize. He was slightly in lificulties himeelf at the time, befeause the squall struck the Viking first and he had to take in his mainsail. As toon as possible he put about, sailed as near aa he jecould to the Seagull and hailed the crew to swim across to the Viking. Mr. Fowkes, however, answered that they were all right." Witness then went closer in shore, from where he the Seagull sink. Standing he saw the Scagull's No.
clinging to. the two. feet of mast remaining above" water, fend atter rescuing him he sailed About for 20 mins., then anchored the Viking near the spot for nearly three hours. Then he heard. Mr, hil from on shore and took off, Tt was pitch dark at the time of the accident am witness also. experienced the wave Mellor had described and which made the Viking foul some wreckage. Prior to this there was no real danger, but the Seagull sank two minutes after the wave broke.
The Seagull's No. 1 laodah coroborated and said that when the! boat sank he swam back to the mast, He did not see any of the] others in the water.
The Coroner returned a verdict} "accidentally drowned" and said:—This was a very unfortunate accident and I believe it is the first tragedy the Shanghai Yacht Club} has had in all its long history. It was a-tragedy, for the deceased had reason to believe, as everyone else also believed, that where he was he was perfectly safe and therefore he [refused the offer of assistance made by the Viking. Then there seems to have come this extra large wave, }which sank the Seagull. Tt was tragedy, because the esteem in which the late Bir. Fowkes evidently was held very clearly was shown by the newspaper tributes to his chareter and life, and by the very large, attendance at his funeral.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.