Marion, MA Boat Explosion, Jul 1907

LAUNCH BLOWS UP

FOUR MEN KILLED IN SAD ACCIDENT OFF MARION, MASS.

TWO OTHERS ARE SAVED

Picked Up After Being in Water Twelve Hours – Victims Were Prominent Citizens.

Marion, Mass. – Four prominent summer residents of this town and Falmouth met death through an explosion on board a 45-foot launch off here Saturday night. Two survivors were picked up Sunday after having been in the water for 12 hours.

The dead: ROLAND WORTHINGTON, Boston; JOHN T. TRULL, Woburn; JOSEPH S. BEAL, Milton, and GEORGE SAVORY, Marblehead, captain of the launch.
The saved: A. P. Tarbell, Marblehead and Edward Pecker, Boston.

Pecker, who was clinging to an oar, and Tarbell, who was supported by a life preserver, were able to swim, and they remained together until picked up by a lobster fisherman going out in the early morning to haul his pots.

Mr. Tarbell, who owned the Dolphin, as the launch was called, said the boat started out from Marion on a short pleasure cruise and was well out in the middle of Buzzards bay when the explosion occurred. Savory, the engineer, was suddenly blown into the air and was probably dead when he struck the water. The boat caught fire immediately and Tarbell called to his comrades to leap overboard. He strapped a life preserver about himself before he leaped, and Mr. Pecker, who is connected with the Boston banking firm of Rollins & Sons, seized an oar and followed. So far as they knew, none of the others in the party jumped. Either they could not swim and preferred to cling to the disabled launch until help came, or else they were stunned by the explosion.

Mr. Worthington was a large owner of real estate in the Boston financial district, but had retired from active business. He was 49 years old. Mr. Trull, who was 66 years old, was well known in Boston mercantile circles and had a business place there. He lived in Woburn. Mr. Beal was connected with the office of the Osceola Consolidated Mining company of Boston.

The Stevens Point Journal, Stevens Point, WI 18 Jul 1908
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Transcribed by Jenni Lanham.