Morning journal and courier., 1880-07-10

Willingham, of the firm of Kinshudst & Co.,, of New York, sstarted from Oriental Cottage near the Rutherford Park Hotel, on the Pas safe river, for row to Belleville. The time on the out and homeward trip was pleasantly whlled away in singing and merry talk and though the sun had long since set and the thick darkness come down on the river long before they neared the finish of their jour ney, the voyagers had no fear of danger, as at that hour of the night-for it was fully half-past nine o'elock-they fancied them selves alone upon the river. h the middle of merry song and chorus, without a mo- ment's warrington none of the occupants of the boat had seen the craft that was rapid ly approaching in an opposite direction an- other rowing boat came crashing into them In the confusion that ensued the boat capsiz- ed, and in an instant the five voyagers, who, but moment before, were heartily joining ill a mirthful chorus, were struggling for dear life in the deep waters of the Passaic The first instinct of each of the party was to en- deavor to gain a hold on the bottom of the boat, and this they all momentarily succeed ed in doing. The gentlemen are both exper. swimmers but of the ladies Miss GoodsilU alone is mistress of the natatory art. In rel sponse to the screams for help that assailed their ears on all sides and guided chiefly by their sense of hearing, for the darkness was so intense as to obscure all surrounding ob- jects, Messrs. Hemming and Willingham, aided by Miss Goodsill, swan hither and thither, guided by the sound of the pleading cries for succor of the sinking women, until there was a deathlike silence on the water save for the half choked sobs of the distraught ladies, who, guido d by their lrave saviors 10 the boats side, clung on with desperation to any protuberance on it's hull.
 AN ADDITIONAL CHARGE.
 On calling muster to make sure that all their party was safe, MT. Hemming found that MT. Willingham and himself had two ad- ditional charges on their hands in the Misses Olsell and Story, of New York, who with Colonel Dely, of Boston, and Spanish gen tleman named Ferrars had been the occu- pants of the boat with which they had col lided. These ladies had also been thrown in- to the river at the moment of the collision, and had then lost sight of their escorts whom they had seen no more. During the terrible moments that immediately succeeded the catastrophe, nothing was seen or heard of those two gentlemen. All that is known is that they got safely ashore. When and how, there was, up to the time Messrs. Nottingham and Hemming left Passaic yesterday morning at half past eight, no information forthcom- ing. Certain it is that the ladies under their care owe their safety wholely and solely, as do those who were in the other boats, to the above-named gentlemen and Miss Goodsill.
 ''We cannot hold on."
 The boat capsized as 1t was, and swinging to and fro under the grasp of the eight ter ror-stricken men and women, soon proved but broken reed for it least some of the party to depend upon. ''We cannot hold on any longer simultaneously cried two of the ladies. Brave as they proved themselves the hearts of the men quailed within them as they listened to. as it seemed to them, the dying words of at least two of their little party. Then Miss Goodsill, who had throughout maintained the utmost composure, was equal t@f ha,sr n1- 1rrik suggested plan that saved every soul alive Eff you cannot swim, girls" she said, as calmly though she were bathing in shallow water at Manhattan Beach, 'tyou can tread water. Now keep cool and we will get safe to shore."' Then the heroic girl instructed the two men to take Miss Olsell, who was the weakest of the party, between them, and to give their disengaged hands to two of the oth- CT ladies she took the other one in hand, and the whole party joined hands, letting the boats drift away and, acting under the or ders of the noble girl, trod the water as best they could in what they judged to be the di- rection of the shore. But again the terrified women cried that they were sinking, and yet again Miss Goodsill was equal to the occasion. She instructed the three well-nigh exhausted girls to place one hand on each of the gentle mems hips and the other on their shoulders then encouraging both men and women by the assurance that they must speedily make GL10 SllOI0 SuS LIOu bu0 WdLSE dS Clu Ju6 bNO men, and slowly made their way toward the river's bank. But Miss Olsell, thoroughly unnerved by the fearful ordeal, soon declared herself to be incapable of the little exertion needful to hold on to Mir. Willingham and cried that she must let go1her hold
 A LIFE SAVED.
 ''Give her to me; am strong enough to swim ashore with her, and then I will come back to you,' rang out Miss Goodsilrs voice; and notwithstanding that Messrs. Hemming and Willingham begged to undertake the per ilous task, the lady would not listen to their entreaties. ''Your place is with the women," she cried; ''keep them afoat till get back, and never fear but will all yet get safe ashore" Then placing one arm firmly round her almost ifeless charge she struck out bold ly with the disengaged hand for the river's bank. Terrible to the little band struggling for life in the water were the next five min utes as their companion with her precious burden fought her way to place of safety. Slowly the sullen plash the brave girls arm cleft the rivers bosom, grew fainter and fainter. Then all was still and then across the dark water came the clear treble notes of the brave girls voice, ''AlPs well !'' Again the monotonous splash, splash, announced that their Grace Darling was making her way back to them, for this girls heart was cast in no common mould, and though she had al- ready risked her young life in saving that of a stranger and well earned the safety she had gained, she was back again to the rescue of those who were still battling with the dark waters of the Passaic. Her return nerved the little band to renewed efforts. A place was made in the ring for the dauntless girl, and, cheered by her hopeful words and brave presence, the whole party soon reached the land in safety. They landed quite near to Oriental Cottage, whither they managed to drag themselves, and then fell utterly hausted to the ground. Messrs. Hemming and Willingham arose yesterday morning phy sically little the worse for the terrible ordeal they had passed through, but the agony of mind endured during that forty-fve minutes passed in the water will not be so easily oblit- erated.
 Miss Goodsiil came up to New York yester- day morning to assure her friends of her safety; but two of the ladies were so thor oughly exhausted that they remained under the care of medical man at Oriental Cottage, who, however, pronounced their ailments as nothing beyond the natural consequences of so severe shock to the nervous system.
 MT. Willingham and Mir Hemming were found late last night at Nobles Mansion, Washington Heights. Both gentlemen were averse to speaking at all on the matter, but eventually MT. Willingham, on finding that the facts were public property, gave the par ticulars as detailed above Speaking of the bravery displayed by Miss Goodsill he said -'I could not have believed it possible that a woman was capable of exhibiting such cool ness and bravery. She is the most noble and self-sacrifcing of women."
 Miss Sarah Clark, the oldest person but one in Avon died of hemiplegia, July 4th, af- tor a brief illness of a faw hOurS