SAD ACCIDENT ON LOUGH NEAGH
SAD ACCIDENT ON LOUGH NEAGH FOUR MEN DROWNED ANOTHER - melancholy occurrence has to be added to the long list of which this lough has from time to time been the scene. The storm of Thursday night, so general is its effects, visited Lough Neagh with all its severity , and from the easily. disturbed state of the waters soon raised a heavy, dangerous swell. The Toome side, of course, suffered most, the violence of the waves being almost unprecedented. The season being rather late, the eel fishing was in full operation, and the poor fishermen of that district, taking advantage of a rather fair run of fish, were out over night in large numbers. Amongst the boats there was one owned by a John Campbell, and on the night in question he and his son and another fisherman, named Francis Connolly, were the occupants. Having cast the net, they remained at anchor till daybreak and than made for the shore, but, as it is said, fearing the water bailiffs, owing to some illegality connected with their operations, they deemed it desirable to lie off for some time. The storm increasing they were unable to manage their little craft, and she, capsizing, precipitated the Whole party into the water. Some of them were reputed excellent swimmers but, of course, under such circumstances no human being could exist. They were at once lost to view of their brother fishermen and the upturned boat was all that remained to be taken charge of. In another boat there was Edward Beatson, and he, by some unfortunate means, fell out, and got drowned quite alone to the shore. An might be expected, the occurrence created great excitement amongst the people of Toome and those of the adjoining districts, and even at that early hour--half past seven on Friday morning - large numbers of people collected to hear the melancholy tidings. As soon as the brunt storm [passed?] over Dragging for the bodies was commenced but up till last evening it had proved unsuccessful. Those acquainted with the lough question the possibility of their recovery just now, as under the circumstances the bodies might be carried far out or cast upon any part of the shore. [Some?] of the deceased leave families behind them to mourn their loss, who are now bereaved of any means of [making?] out an existence, which with them at best has only been precarious. Transcribed by Jonathan EngstrandClose