Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1870-08-26
A STATEN ISLAND HORROR.

Drowned In Zach Odher's Arms
The PaInful Accident Near Tet.
tsnvilic.
Cornelius Orrlck, aged IL years ;
Henry Orrick, aged 7; and Ann Eliza
beth Robbins, aged 10, were drowned
on Friday evening on the south shore,
Staten Island, near the Princes Bay
lightship. Early In the afternoon,
young Orrick, who Is by trade o
painter, and resided with his father In
Richmond Valley, took Miss Robbins,
his sister, Miss Louisa Orrick, and his
little brother out fora sail In a large
oyster skiff belonging to a Mr.. Butler.
After sailing about some hours they
returned to the starting point, and 1t
was here that the accident by which
three of the party lost their lives oc-
Cured.
1t is the custom there to tie the oys-
ter skiffs to stakes about twenty or
thirty yards from the shore, instead Of
bringing them to the beach, on account
of the surf, which would knock them
all to pieces at low water If they were
beached. Small boats termed bateaus
are used to 90 to and from these skiffs,
these bateals only carrying two peo-
pie.
After the skiff had been made fast to
the stake, Cornelius 0rrick put Miss
Robbins In the bateau, and then got In
himself to row her ashore, intending
to return for his sister and brother. As
he was starting away, his brother
asked If he might come too, but was
told that there was not room enough,
and that he must wait. With the will
fitness of n spoilt child, however, just
as the boat was moving he jumped on
board, and alighting on the side, the
tiny craft was overturned In All Instant.
Instantly Miss Robbins threw her
arms around the elder brothers neck,
and at the same time the little boy
grasped round the leg, the three going
down literally locked together. Miss
Orrick, who was In the skif, screamed
for assistance, and q young man named
John Williams was the first to arrive,
too late, however, to be of any service.
Williams dived down just ut the spot
where the boat upset, and found Cor.
nelius Orrick and Miss Robbins clasped
In each others arms, but he was un-
able to lift them. "A seine net was
procured, and the two bodies recoy-
cred but the little boys body was not
recovered until Saturday afternoon,
when 1t was found close to the boat,
which would favor the supposition that
he chung to the inside Of the boat when
she was sinking and could not extri-
cate himself. Miss Orrick says that
neither one Of the three ever showed
above water after the first went down.
All these corpses wore a most peaceful
look, and no one could have supposed
but that they had died quite p~eaceably.
The Orrick and Robbins families have
been intimate for many years, and
Cornelius Orrick had for some time
entertained the warmest affection for
Miss Robbins, although they were not
formally betrothed.
A somewhat touching incident was
noticed when the bodies were found,
Cornelius having the young lady's
beads round his neck. Little did she
think when she put them on, that they
never would be taken of again. He
was buried with them on.
D.. The funeral TODD place on Sunday
from the residence Of MIR. Orrlck, In
Richmond Valley. Shortly before 3
o'clock the procession left the house
for the Bethel Methodist Episcopal
Church at T~ottenyille, where q large
number Of people who had been &C.
quainted with the deceased had assem-
bled to pay their last tribute Of respect
to the dead. The church was literally
crammed full, and a large number had
to stand In the doorway.
The coifins were placed In front of
the altar. They were very plain, with
silver nails, and a wreath Of white
flowers was placed upon each. The
services we're conducted by the Rev.
Samuel B. Roney, and a touching nd
dress was delivered by the, Rev, Mr..
Babcock, upon the painful story of
their deaths. ea
All tho neighbors speak in the high
est terms Of Cornelius Orrick, and his
Door old father said his boy was the
prop Of his old age. Miss Robbins was
beautiful, and had been
staying at Mr.. Orrick's some days pre-
vious to the accident. The accident
created the most profound sensation In
Valley and T~ottenville,
the families were widely known,
hence the large attendance at the tfu-
neral.