The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-11-02
DROWNED IN A RISING TIDE
A STR1NGER'S TERRTBLE FITE IN
LONG ISLAND GREEK.
Cnush, in tho Mud and .unocated b, Inflow.

Caught in tho Mud and Sufocntcd bv Inflow
ing Wnters-A Coroncrs Jury's Verdict
Censurina N Horse Railway Company.
As two laborers on the Long Island City
Shore Railroad were crossing the long, dreary
oauseway spanning Sunswick creek which sep
aratcs Astoria from Ravenswood, early yes
tcrday morning, they noticed an object in the
water. THE tide was low, but the rough, wintry
wind raised such heavy ruflies that It was dim
cult for the men to determine whether the few,
struggling tufts OF hair that were occasionally
uplifted were those Of man or dog. They
called TO Ofhcer Emmett Of Astoria and when
he reached the place the shIltnRs Of the tide
had turned the object over, and tho features Of
q dead man were fully exposed. The policeman
attempted to drag the body from the water, but
II was fast held to the bottom, and resisted his
utmost efforts. Coroner Maujer, Of Winfield,
was summoned, and he and group Of villagers
gradually pulled tho corpso from the mud.
The body was that OF a man about forty-nve
years old, nve feet seven inches in height,
With sandy complexion. The features we're
wildly contorted and wrinkied, as though he
had died in agony. He was dressed In brown
cardigan Jacket, black velvet vest brown
underhirt, light peppor-and-salt pantaloons,
and Hight slippers OF German make. There was
t5b In German silver coin In the pockets. The
The body was borne to the Sunswick hotel.
and there tho inquest was held The Jury
turned verdict oi death by drowning or other
Railroad, in that they. while laying new track
across the causeway, had taken down the fence
and had neglected TO provide guard against
the quagmires ON either side.
THE ouAGMIRE.
The noint Of which the body was found Ia a
lonely aud somewhat Isolated spot on the out
skirts OF Astoria. II IL Just opposite the north
ern point OF Blackwelis Island and about q
q arter Of mile up Sunswck creek, which
mel, and then spreads itself over the dreary
meadow lands that reach 70 the banks OF the
Dutch Kills. The whole valley. which is several
miles long and half mile wide. Is a trackess
waste, intcrspersed with rank, wild grass, slimy
pools ana ue1Cher1us lerns' III u.long, 70 tne
and 1t IL stunned. 1t is land Of quick
sand. OF oozy mud pools, and tangled boys,
and 1t Is said that no one who ever
yentured upon its surface escaped with his
life. AZ one time, years ago, the sea covered
the whole land ard 1t was navigabe, ana the
tide ebted and flowed uncontrolled. Bat since
the construction cf the causeway the water has
been partially resisted ana the back country has
become a dreary waste. On the Astoria side Of
the causeway is an old wooden -four mill In
ruins. and at its base tho remlins Of a Hood
gate helps to keep back the tide. The gate Ia
regulated 10y the flow Of the water, allowing the
tide to rush out at low water and preventing It
great height, sometimes seven or eight feet, and
when II Is pouring in IT would he impossible to
imagine a more perlous situation than that In
the meadows on either side Of the causeway.
SWALLOWED Up ny THE TIDE.
II Is supposed that the drowned man
caught In the treacherous bottom OF these
meaupMs; aho was tnsIs ihprsoneu unti tne
quilted him. lie was found In the centre of a
collect or pond, many Of which are scattered
over the meadows and along its steep borders,
and across the soft pulpy mud his painful foot
| steps could be traced. Through the tempest Of
| Saturday night he probably struggled, and each
| step took him deeper Into the mlre, adding 10
| the horror and hopelessness Of his situation,
| and he sank po~erless to help himself. His
| f,co was covered with the green mould and
| slime when he was taken from tho quagmire.
The body was uDrecogniIed, and, as there Is
n.
plain, pine CONN, and In the afternoon was
| buried IN st. hichsels Cemetery In Newtown.
| Undertaken II allett and Sergeant Darcy, sf the
Astoria police. followed the corpse to its grave.
| There was n" clue 10 the dead mans identity
| beyond a couple Of German new spapers found
| on his body.
| Many persons in Astoria believe that the IN an
was murdered and thrown into the creek
others think that II Is case OF suicide but II is
the general opinion that he caught In the
quagmire and died. after hours Of torture, in
the stream that slowly orept through the um-