The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-29
A SEA SIDE ESCAPE.
Struggle for Life on the Beach ut Shark
River-Sixteen Bathers Bat.
Ting with Death.


Sixteen persons, guests OF .'Tucker's,r at SHARP
River mad very narrow escape from drowning on
Saturday while taking SURF bath. The beach Is q
very safe one: but IL happened that two three
OF the bathers In question took 1t into their heads TO
make n test o. an UNEMPLOYED portion OF IL, where
the breakers appeared to be the most inviting The
party consisted OF Mr.. Frank Hatfield and his sister
Cecilia, Mr.. Jos. Fox, Mr.. Thomas Gilhooly, Miss
Hattie Rutter, MISS Fannie Rutter Mr.. Robert Fox,
Miss Katie oilara, Miss Beatty. Mr.. John Brophy
and his sister Katie, Miss Emily McCallum, Mrs.
.Rowley, Miss Emma Tucker, Miss Lizzie Garland
and signor Hermann, the weknown opera singer.
| The water was delightfully."- warm when tho
| batbers stepped into the waves, ana they at once
began To ENJOY themselves to their hearts, content.
! Under the excitement Of the moment they neglected
to drag the rope provided Tor the safety OF FATHERS
after them, and to this neglect partially due the
terrible experience which followed. The party Gid
not venture out very far, but they found
TIE SURF
so 'splendid" that they forgot all about their bear.
ings and so, when they finally made up their minds
TO go ashore, they discovered that they had been
dnted a considerable distance north OF the rope
stake where they had started into the water THIS
trre" gave no uneasiness to any OF the party, and
In twos and threes each made his or her way toward
the shore az well as possase under the circum-
stances, the sea at the running very high and
the presence OF
STRONG UEDERTOw
beginning TO make Itself felt. The foremost Of tho
bathers had already reached within O distance OK
thirty feet from the shore when of sudden the bot
tom OF sand underneath their feet seemed to drop
away, and IN another second they were nounderlng
In the surf With the water fully fathom deep. The
fact Is they had walked into one OF the numerous
holes which the sea, beating hard upon the soft
sand during gale like that or Friday so often
honeycombs q shallow beach. Miss Emma Tucker
! and MISS Fannie Rutter were the first to
FALL INTO THE TRAP.
They sank for moment out OF sight, and on COM
ing to the surface screamed Tor help. Their cries
attracted the attention OF Mr.. Gilhooly who was In
shallow water short distance from them. and he at
once rushed TO their assistance. The moment NO
reached ner side Miss Tucker IN gong down q Sec
ond time threw her arms aoout him, and clutched
him closely that he unable to strike for the
shore, and the three Rutter having hold ofhim
also
Gllhooly managed on coming to the surface to get
his arms Tree, aud telling the two girls to cling
him. made dash for the shore. 1t was hard tug,
but the tide fortunately was beginning to food. and
dry beach safely, though more dead than alive. Al
most at the same time tnat this
STRUGGLE FOR LIVE
began the other bathers were striking ont right
and lett Tor the shore they too having got into one
OF the storm traps. SO intent each TWO
three vino happened to be together when they got
beyond their depth TINT the cries or alarm OF tho
others who were In twos and threes, and VINO were
Brophy ike Mr. Gnooly, mad terrible r bus' Struggle
or 1t, MT only to himself, but the ladies' who
happenea to be near nun when they got Into me
firm grip with one hand, while MISS Hattie Ruter.
Miss Beatty, Miss 0'liara and Miss Lizzie Garland
chung to hlmeac clinglnE to whatever part OF his
bathing dress they could get hold of-wjth
A GRASP DEATH
To swim, under the circumstances, was an impos-
sibitty, ana the whole party were again ana again
carried down by the waves. BY punglng forward
every shore-bound wave tnat came roaring along by
throwing himself forward on its crest, Mr. Brophy,
with his load, utterly exhausted at last reached
THE SHALLOW WATER.
Miss McCallum and Mrs. Rowley had verv mar
row escape OF 1t, too Utterly helpless beyond their
depth, and pulled downward and further away from
the shallow water by every wave that receded from
tany been lost but that Mr. Joseph Fox, luckily an
expert swimmer discovered them IN time. When
he battled his way
THROUGH THE BREAKERS DErERMrxEDLY
each of the ladies holding with one hand TO his
back, and was fortunate enough get them ashore
rience TO the others. Thanks to the efforts or the
former and the assistance the others gave him when
the shore IN safety but not until they had
become almost helpless. Horace Rutter, younRster
time, mad presence Of mind enough, It should be
mentioned, when he finally discovered the peril OF
struggling in the water were able to reach it and
pull themselves In out OF the breakers they mad
got out OF the deep water.
The escape OF the party little less than mira
CulOuS. III seems quite impossible at first blush To
conceive how out OF sixteen persons struggling IN
twos, and even III tours ana 1ves, deep water the
females cllnging 10 tue men regardless IN some IN
stances or all consequence OF now they chung to
them, there was not one lost. Had the three men
oil the party who saved The ladies from drowning not
mad ther presence OF mind about them and kent
perfectly cool during the brief but terrible struggle
for LIE that all experienced, the result might
nave been very sad one for more than one family.
The strangest thing about the AFFAIR Is that eacn
little party OF twos ana threes got To the shore It
for the nIst time learned thatit not the only one
just
NoUT or THE JAWS DEArH,r
showing how fOrgetlul OF aught else about them
put their own danger each party IN IT'S batting
against destruction the narrow escape OF these
bather5 should
TEACH LESSON
10 all seaside reSorters ard that is never To baths
rom any portion or beach the ''oottomn forma-
tlOn OF when Is not known to them, and always TO
have rope handy whether they ike TO battle
without one. IL may be a little irksome at times
nave To walk short distance before reaching that
portion OF u beach which known to be sale rather
tban TO take ones chance by ones dressing
mousse where the beach Is mystery everybody,
though very attractive on the surface; but II will
always DO found the safest In long run to take no
such chances. 1r this Shark River party had oniy
taken the trouble to battle saturday where they
always were wont To they would have encountered
no Danger. It Is TO be hoped the ordeal they nave
gone through Will be OF service to others as wen a.
to themselves.
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