The New York herald., 1875-08-21
EXCURSION PERILS.

coBoNER's INQUEST ON THE MAN WHO WAS
CROWDED ovERBoARD-THE STEAMBOAT COM
PANY cENsURED.
At the Brooklyn Morgue yesterday afternoon Coroner
Smms held an inquest in the case of August Krumrcy
the young who crowded overheard and drowned
from the Rockaway steamer William Cook as the boat
passing Governors Island last Sunday evening
large number of citizens in attendance and
ifcsed great interest in the proceedings.
Officer Charles Stroble, OF tho Atlantic Dock police
was the Hrst witness. Ho testified On August 10
I discovered the body in Buttermilk Channel about
fifty feet from the dock at Atlantic Basin at nf.
teen minutes after five O'Clock in the morning; as
sisted to ~move It from between vessel and the dock
1t was brought ashore and taken TO the Morgue.
now A uPR SACRIFICED
John Mayer testified Il reside at Weehawken N T.
who lived near me- on Sunday last we came
together to Brooklyn, took the railroad cars for
Canarsic and went thence by steamboat to
Rockawayi we took tho steamboat William Cook
from the latter place for New York about seven O'Clock
T. NJ deceased fell from the upper deck into the water
the alarm of "Man overheard was NJ once Vivon but
the boat proceeded on her for nearly quarter Of
mile before the lcboat lowered to rescue the de-
ceased and this was done by the scarcely had
the febO gone half the distance where the deceased
fell overheard before the captain called to have her
brought back; there was management on tho
steamer; she was loaded beyond her capaety; think
there must have been at least 500 persons board
tho cabins and deck all crowded and persons were
compelled to stand outside the rangs and occupy tho
small boats besides these boats wore ashcd on tho
lower gangway; deceased was sober at the time he fell
overheard.
John smmonds, Of No. 4lI West Forty FIRST street,
Now York, testincd-I was aboard the steamboat on
Sunday, August 10, 1870 the return from Rockaway
TO New York city and two others were sitting in the
starbOard lifcboa when the steamboat gave a sudden
ungcN and deceased lost his balance and fell over.
board rs soon IN ! saw him fall gave the alarm, got
up and tried to lower the cbo0t found one side Of
the tackle was in six tight knots and was
three or four minutes unfasionlug them;
TBE STEAMER WENT oN
about quarter OF nile before stopping to make
attempt TO rescue the dcccuscd she then backed up
about half way to the place whcro tho deceased fell
overheard the lcboat then lowered with four pas
scngcrs IN NJ there were no Mrlccks in
the boat, and this occasoned another dc
lay; they rowcd about for ten minutes, when
the captain came on the bridge and said :"Host that
boat and come on deck - the steamer was crowded to
cxccss, and neither the captain the offered 10
give tho least assistance toward saving the mans life;
am Of the opinion that n the gear OF the feboat had
been In order, that could have lowered II, could
have saved dcceaseds life deceased sitting aft Of
the paddle wheel when he foil overheard.
THE STEAMBOAT OWNERS CESsUgKD.
The Jury, after q short debcration rendered tho
following verdict 1--WE fnd that August Kfumrcy
camo 10 his death by asphyxiA from falling on the
Steamboat william, Cook her return fran RoGkawAv