The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-23
BURK'S ODD ADVENTURE.
ROBBED IN 4 SOUND STEAMER AND
THROWN OVERBOIRD.
A Certainty ut Lenst that lie was Found
Floating In the water after Midnight
Mile from Land-Ilis Account OF the won't.

A Certainty at Len-t that lie wns Found
Floating In the Water after Midnight n
Mile from Land His Account Of the Event.
About half past one o'clock yesterday
morning the Niagara, a small schooner loaded
with sand, was passing Sands Point, IN Long
Island Sound. when her mate. Edward Hanlon'
heard somebody family calling for help. Ho
aroused one OF the crew. and, holding lanterns
over the side OF the schooner they examined
the water rs far as they could see. Hut the
night was very dark, and the light OF the IAN
terms penetrated the surrounding obscurity Tor
only a short distance. The CRY for succor was
repeated more family than before. Quickly
casting OF the yawl the mate and the other
sailor rowed In the direction OF the voice.
After taking few strokes with their oars, they
stopped to listen for some sound to guide them.
Another cry, this time hardly audible. and the
noise Of a feeble struggle In the water reached
them. and thus directed, they were quickly be-
side a man who would soon have gone to the
bottom. Already he was Utterly exhausted.
| His Iegs had sunk beneath him, and he could
| only lust keep his head above the water by the
| motion Of his arms. He was chilled, and when
| lifted from the water was unable to speak. The
yawl was pulled back to the schooner. aud the
| rescued man carried into ths csoin, where be
| became unconscious. Remedies were applied,
| and he was soon able TO explain how he came TO
| be floating In the Sound with his clothes on q
| mile from the nearest land. Hosaid that he had
| been robbed and thrown overheard from the
steamer Elm City. In which he had taken pas
| sage from New York to New Haven.
| The schooner put into Port Morris and landed
the man, who went to the leoth street police
! station, and related bis adventures to Capt
| Heddsn. His name, he said, was Charles Burk
| and he was cabinet maker, doing business al
| 30 Bristol street, New Haven. He came to New
York on Sunday night In the steamer Elm City
and spent Mondsy forenoon In tho transaction
Of the business which had brought him to this
city. In the afternoon Of the same day he went
tT,sSs' 70 20 oSss w;II,sm Saller lie Renamed there
until 10 o'clock. drinking beer occasionally, oul
not he sgys inordinstsy ne desired i 70 ,sssrI pr
alp at II O'clock p. M, and sn hour before the
time for hsr to start Muller accompanied him tc
Bayard street and tho Bowery. where theJ
parted Muller requested the conductor OF the
car upon which Burk stepped to show him th'
New Haven steamer when he arrived AT feck slip
| Burk got safely on board the steamer, which
| he supposed was tue Elm City, ana, being IA
tigued, went at once 10 the upper ,,,,i, ueoN sn1
after the steamer was nearing Hell Gate. Ihei
a stranger, whom he describes as OF middle stat
ure, but Of athletic euid, nnd wearing cIose
cropped black whiskcrs, entered into cOnvcrsa
ton with him. After conversing about nv
minutes the stranger went away, and Burke lei
| asleep lie was unable to form any idea Of th'
| length OF time that he slept, but he was ruoell
AWAKENED by the vigorous grip oi man hanu
Mt his throat. As soon as his fret surprise wa,
past he discovered that ne wAs beins held bl
one man, while another hsd possessed himself
his pocketooOk, and was examining nis pockets
He struggled desperately. and both men tired u
hold hiIn fast, out mis- resistance Was 50 vxorou
that at length his assaiants lifted nlm boulll
| over the rail, and dropped him into the water
He plunged under head foremost, and comm
Sssmsr Sson d dsaepesr,ns rapidly. Water, ordinari
| ly. has no terrors for him. From 1901 10 100 w
was swimming master OF hus.ian Iesimsh' ~ !
the art being taught as a military accom- tlsh
| ment IN tue Imperial army. He WAS considered
unusually expert, having frequently Kept MN
self on the surface ofthe water Tor long periods
when encountered by his rife. which he wa
obliged to keep dry, aud heavy uniform equip
meats. on Monday night he was oresssd u
eummer clothing, but he wore long boots,whicl
? emba fassed MIN greatly. The water, moreover
was rousn, aud tue night dora. swimnn
could only result In exbsustinx him, anu takin
him, perhaps. still further from lana, or our o
the track Of vessels he, therefore, nlane w NJ
i mind that his best cnance Of being rescued wa
to Keep at the surface with as little ehtrlon a
possible, and rely upon passing boat pickln
| MIN up Accordingly he threw himsef upo
his back, and noaIsd, occasionally shouting .
| loud 8 ma could. In TINS way II seemed To nm
have been about an hour and half in III
water be tore he heard the welcome stiAsh mhu
by the oais Of the Niagahs yawl' lie had a.
most abanao aoucd nole. ITS s.rvngth was spent
| his benuubed limts nearly po"eIlesS, an
there seemed no prospect before nun ou
| drowning. lie could not see either the yawl q
the schooner. ana he knew that II they tAlle
to ind MIN his last chance Tor ne Nouiu nhN
| passed away. Collecting all MS enetsies lor
| nnal eifort.ne shouted as loud IA he couid agal
aud again. Some Of his cries they heatd IA tn
> yawl, ~hils others were uiowheu oS the ho's
| OF the oars. -
[ Hanlon the mate OF the schooner, said, wne
. | Questioned by the ponce, thst no oetectvu th
eaor of nauur in lIurk's Oteath when lie ure
Q MIN frOm the water. and from that came a su'
, | picion that he might lave Jumped oVeI boai
, while In a nt OF ueiitium. SIM ne salu tn'
when ne went on board the Em cry he had
y pocketnook containing tlO, wn'eh was nlss'n'
Inc Elm CITY did not SAL Tor New haven u
:. Mondy y night, nut WAS undergoing repairs
Peck slip. 1he ConLiuental, however starte
at the time specined. aud BULK ,hisnt ny
mistaken one boat for the other. A careful II
? a,ilry leaves hnrdIy doubt that he really dl
I start for New Haven on Monday night
= Capt Peck OF the steamer continental, whe
,oterrogated by Onicer Hey, VINO went VII
!, Durk TO Peck slip To meet Tue boat yesterdi
q afternoon, sald positively thai n0body IN Il
LIST ike Durk had taken passage for New IL
: ven on Monday night. HIS rame dld NOT appe
4 In the PASSENGER .lst, anu . ,ne eier
:. | NOT seen MIN. Burk says TINS Is not At All Ia
= probable, as he saw no one but tho deck m'
" b,ndling cargo when he went ON board lie d
. | moi nay for his passage at the cIeIk . Oftce, b
u ascended at once TO the upper deck. Ihs sI
y ployees Of the steamer could not RENE ber ha
,, inv ssen nny one on board answering TO the d
~ ~ scrptIon Butk gave Of one OF his hssailants.
a Inc Continental's employees have theo
=, regarding the occurrence. lhey say That
~ would be almost Impossible for deadly sttu
ole such as Burk describes, to have taken pla
ON the after part Of the upper deck witnout
Inc obasryed, for at midnight, and generally I
an hour al ierward, passengers SIT Just In Il
place. SO habitual has this practice oeoOi
- that every morning at half past twelve or y
O'clock the clerk goes around to collect fAl
from all who may not have purchased tioke
Il There is, besides, watchman on board, "
ok | could not have failed to hear the strugge, or
"a have seen It, had 1t taken lsce. Yet no "a
49, be neithersaw nor heard ANYTHING OF me XII
Us In view OF these circumstances II Ia allog
N | that Burk was slightly under tho influence
>. iiauoT, and, falling asleep, was seized with
20 nightmare aud fell or jumped overheard.
,s ' WHAT MORRILL, WISHES TO kH0
70 - -. ann
IL A tuniission that has hpssi uio-:"oo'
o. has Made no RspoH'