The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-07
THE DROWNING AZ R0CKAWAY.

ONLY ONE BODY FOUND, THAT OF MISS LENA
REITz-THE INQUEST YESTERDAY.
No more mournlul occurrence has happened
during the present: bathing season than that
which took place near the Seaside Hotel, Rock
away beach, on last Monday evening, by which
three persons lost their lives.
Visitors to Rockaway that day were numbered
by thousands. The steamers William Cook,
Oceanus, Americas and Neverslnk took full loads
OF people. VINO were out for q days pleas
ure and bathing on the "Sea-eirt shore.u
Along the beach, in front OF the different hotels
the bathing places were so unusually crowded
that people had wait long for their turn to take
q dip. About five O'Clock IN the afternoon John
Gossner, OF No. lo2 First street, New York;
William Goodwill, OF No. Al Grand street. Williams
burg. and Miss Lena Reitz, oil No. 275 Mulberry
street. New York, with some other friends having
after little delay procured their batling
dresses, went into the SURF Soon after woman's
shrek rent the air and lady friend OF Miss
Reitz was heard to eXclam, ''For Gods sake,
John, save LenaW This agonlzing scream spread
CONSERVATION among the bathers, who almost
paralyzed with fear all began to make for the
shore, not knowing what else to do AS If by
instinct, the pathers cast their eyes seward
ana behe.d there q female form
STRUGGLING HARD WITH THE WAVES.
1t was Lena Rettz One hand was raised out of
the water over her head, and her piercing appeal
"Save mel save melr was heard above the noise
OF the breakers that Numbered along the beach
Several brave men faced toward the spot where
the girl was yet struggling against the
cruel waves for her young lie. John Goss-
mer ahead OF the others, made toward
her with strong strokes, and Tor moment 1t
seemed that she might vet be rescued When the
swimmer had got within three or four yards OF the
girl she sunk beneath the surface and was lost to
sight. Gossmer swum Tor a few minutes about
the place where she had disappeared and then
turned toward the shore. other men, who were
also going out to the rescue, seeing that all hope
was abandoned, returned. Gossmer who must have
been exhausted from his efforts now cried Tor a
rope. This Was the first sign gwen Of HIS being in
any difficulty. No rope could De mad at the mo-
ment, ana William Goodnill CALAMITY went 10 the
assistance OF the exhausted swimmer. Hundreds
oil aching and fearful eyes watched b0in men
with intense anxiety. AS soon as they
touched each other IT. seemed as II a desperate
! struggle ior life commenced between Them one
moment they were on the water, another under
II; at one instant both heads were seen above the
breakers, and at another arms and legs were dis
cerned in violent notion unul some huge pillow
would for few seconds bury them under its brny
crest. IL was now perceived that the two brave
men who had tried so nara 70 save human life
were themselves about TO meet
wArERY GRAVE.
William LLOYD crossed the life lnesn and swan
toward the drowning man. lie had not got well
started on his mission OF mercy Doth Gossmer
and Goodnill went down together The sight OF
their sad fate must have made strong impression
on Loyd's mlnd, for lie Immediately (tnrough Iear,
II Is conJectured,) cried ont Tor rope, anu sank
himself With the help OF rope IN the hands of
an expert swimmer, Lloyd was reached, clutcned
By the hair OF me head and DRAGGED ashore In an
UNCONSCIOUS condition; but MS lie was saved.
The sad event took place n little before six
O'Clock, ana about hall an hour aGterward the
corpse OF MISS Reiz Was given up by the angry
sea ana landed about 300 yards west OF the place
where she was drowned. she was picked mp on
the peach at point about 200 yards
east OF Failing's Hotel BY man named
rested on Monday night, ana were brought
TO New York yesterday by the two O'Clock T. NJ.
train. Up TO a late hour last night neither OF the
other two bodies mad been found. Upon inquiry
IL was ascertalued that no boats had hecn
that men are on the lookout along shore to see If
the tide should Cast them up.
THE INQUEST.
Yesterday forenoon Coroner's inquest was held
at the Seaside House for the purpose OF investi-
eating the circumstances connected with this
lamentabie misfortune. Coroner Hicks, OF Hemp
stead, conducted the proceedings, anu Mr.. George
w. Harmcr foreman OF the jury me Jury
rendered u verdict to the effect that the three mad
come TO their deaths
by ACCIDENTAL DROWNING,
from going 100 far outside me llie INES" after
being frequently warned not TO DO so.
An interview wnh MIR. Wainwright, keeper OF
the seaside House, reveals the TACT tnaJ ne par
tculariy anxious The public should understand
that at his bathing place every possible precau-
ton has been taken against accident lie mas
two large buoys, IN the shape OF red painted par
bathing boxes These barrels are connected by
line enclosing the space between them; beyond
winch 1t Is not sale to go. There are also two
lines running from rhe puoys to the beach All
these ropes, taken together, are called
''LIFE LINES
Within these Mr.. Wainwrlght insists, It is per-
iectly safe TO battle. lie states that the unfor-
tunate people who met tnelr death on MONDAY
were repeatedly warned not to go outside OF The
''nle lnes,n nut that tney, being full OF lie, Iun
ana irolic, paid no nced TO his advice. Inc land-
lord iurtner AYERS that when the accident hap
pened the lost ones were at least 100 feet outside
OF the INES 1t was blowing q stin south wind at
fhe time the breakers ran very nigD, and, alto
getner, the day was what he called a dangerous
one.
Part OF the above statement Is controverted by
Mr.. Goodntll, brother OF the unfortunate young
man OF that name VINO was drowned. Mr.. Good
hill nforhed the writer OF thus Jnat Miss Reitz
was
"wAsHED OFF THE BUoY,n
so that, II this he correct, she could not have been
OF the breakers alter she had lost control
OF her own movements. The remaining
brother came to recover the body
OF Young Goodwill, and had with him bundle
made up OF the dead mans clothes. A younger
brother OF Gossmer was also seen ar the seaside
House upon similar melan choy mission.
A conversation had with the foreman OF the
Jury, Mr. George w. Harmer, elected his state
ment TO the effect that there were but two wit
nesses examined before them. one OF these, u
man named SAM Is employed by the landlord
bathing houses connected with that hotel,
ana the other witness, "A person named q. \. Ben
nett, 10 employed by the same Establishment un-
der san. The foreman says, "rhe wnole thing
DID nor LAST TEN MINUTESp
Although right ana other reasons brought TO
their homes many 0i The people who witnessed
the Catastrophe on Monday, stil some ci them
yet remain about the scene, and It Is strange that
none received citations to give their testimony
before the minutes" Jury yesterday.