The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-09-30
DIR. PORTEOUS DROWNED.
TIE ABRUPT TERMINATION OF AN
ECCENTRIC CAREER.
The Late Pastor Of All souls Church, Brook.
iyn, Lost from a Fishing Boat near the
Sea CHI Grove-A sketch OF his Life.


iyn, Lost from n Fishing Boat near the
soa CHI Grove-A sketch OF his Life.
The Rev. DIR. George d. Dorteous, late
pastor Of All Souls Church, Brooklyn, who had
been spending the summer at Sea Clln Camp
Ground, was drowned In Hampstead Bay on
Tuesday evening. DIR. Porteous visited Sea
Cln early In the season, and with bis family oc-
cupied a small cottage on the summit OF Sea
Cliff Blur. He was particularly fond OF out
door sports, and the greater part Of his time he
has spent In 1shina OF sailing on the bay and In
stroling about the woods with his children.
On Tuesday he hired a little skin, at the
the camp landing, OF Mr.. John Koop and with
his wife and two children, Mr.. L. X. Benjamin.
and the two sons Of Mr.. Koop, aged eight and
ten years, nshed for several hours. Late In tho
day DR.. Porteous returned and landed his fam
lily, and then, with Mr.. Benjamin, and Mr.. X oop,
aud the boys rowed over to Glen Cove. They
made some purchases, and early In the evening
were pulling slowly back at about two hundred
and nfty yards from the beach. The evening
was bright and still. and the surface Of the
The party were OF Garvey's Point, a small
headland about a half milo from Sea Cln, when
Of the frail craft to the stern, in which Mr. Koop
was sitting. He missed his footing, and, STUN
bling forward, fell into the water, capsizinR the
boat. DIR. Porteous went down, but, rising at
once, hoated upon the surface. Mr.. Benjamin
struck out for the shore, but. although an ex-
pert swimmer, no was so encountered by his
clothes and heavy boots that he went down
within short distance Of the overturned boat.
Mr. Koop Rrasped hts children when he saw the
boat tipping, and maintained his hold OF them
and also OF tho boat while In the water. He
placed them on its Keel, but Dr. Porteous In his
the craft, throwing the boys into the water
again. Their father rescued them and returned
them to the now upright boat. when II was
again upset by the drowning struggles OF DR..
u
again, and getting upon the bottom himself
began padding toward the shore. The boat
%asp sSd O ss asd ss % % d INTO The
He was slowly proDelllng the skin ahead by
swimming when the crew Of the yacht Favorita
rescued them. A yawl boat from a schooner
took the body of Dr. Porteous, which was still
hoating face downward, In tow up to the head
of long, narrow creek. II was buoyed up by
the water until the shore was reached. II Is
said that no efforts were made to resuscitate,
and y "a thought that II there had been they
found but fow feet from the scene Of the acct
dent Deputs Coroner Frost began an inquest
at ii clock, and At NJ. yesterday the Jury re-
turned . verdict OF accidental drowning. The
body was taken to bis little cottage which ad-
DR.. Porteons had wife and two children In
Sea Clin. The body OF Sir. Benjamin had not
sons have been at work constantly In the harbor.
The attempt to md the body will be resumed
this morning. Mr.. Benjamin leaves = wife and
At tho inquest Mr.. Koop testified that tho
party stopped and drank at saloon at Glen
steered for Sea CHI. The little sons Of Mr.. Koop
said that Mr.. Benjamin was In the act OF nand-
upset
The news of DIR. Porteous's death was received
With noticeable regret 10 BROOKLYN, where ia
a. any preacher OF long residence. He arrived
In New York from England in January. 1874.
law there. lie studied medicine In the Ander-
sonian Uplyersity; and graduated In the divinity
course IN Kings College, London. He was bred
In the Presbyterian church, but before he was
admitted 10 orders In 1853 he had acted as . sup
Unitarian pulpits, and had lectured on phrenoi-
ogy ana popular topics throughout northern
and middle England He praetised homeo-
profession obtained the utle Of doctor,
a conferred honor of Doctor OF Divinity.
He WAS rector OF st. Georges Church. Hanover
square and was spoken OF by the London Times
as one OF the most notable preachers in the city.
DR.. Porteous was transferred to Ireland, and
preached there until the late fall Of 1873 lie
Journeyed to America, secured a license from
bishops Potter and Little John To preach In New
YORK and brooklyn, and was cordially received
door opened to him, and he preached and lee
tured seven times week for many weeks, al
wrys to crowded houses. No minister ever be-
came more popular In short time in BROOKLYN,
and Tor three months his services were con-
stantly In demand. He exhibited great hber-
ality OF thought, manifested determined oppo-
sitton to bigotry, and made a sharp and cynical
light against orthodox cant. In March he was
NntCktu IN Ms swift rise TO lame Dy simul-
taneous revocation OF his licenses TO preach
by both OF the bishops named. The real
cause OF this withdrawal of sanction has not
been made public, but II is understood that the
Bishop Of Down and Connor, in Ireland, had
written To one OF the Bishops OF the Doctors
carelessness about his debts, and this fact, taken
with his satirical and comical attacks on the
Church and society, IL Is asserted brought about
the revocation OF the license. Tho Doctor
ganized The All Souls Independent Protestant
Episcopal Church"
The Doctor frequently said that he had Visited
America to make money, and he would not con-
sent TO labor for anything but . large salary,
which on account OF the ranse Mt te ndency OF his
congregations, his church trustees found Il hard
and In his farewell sermon his congregation
when, on account Of their inabilty to pay his
salary be determined to leave them, he asked
his congregation not to drift into d church
where hifalutin occupied one end and a key
bugle the other. He preached his last sermon
in Brooklyn on Sept. 0, and expressed the great
est liberality OF religious belief, repudiating all
claring that the evidences OF hell and the devil
did not occur in biblical teachings, save In the
parallels. A strong effort was made to keep him
In Brooklyn, and advertisements headed "shall
an Independent Exponent Of the Gospel be lost
TO Brooklyn" were inserted IN the newspapers
failed, and the Doctor prepared for a lecture
tour under the auspices Of Rsdpath's Lyceum
In Boston. He preached on Sunday last in
Theodore Parker's old church In Boston, aud
was so we'll pleased with Boston that he expect
ed to remove to Cambridge.
A number OF members OF DIR. Portsus's late
church won't to Sea Clin last evening. and will
return with the body to day. The burial 10 to be
In Cypress Hills Cemery this afternoon.