New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-16
THREE MEN WERE DROWNED.
THE SCHOONER LAURA CAPsIzED.
A HEAVY LOAD OF IRON DUMPED INTO THE
EAST RIVER OFF coRLEARs.sT-THE
CAPTAINS ESCAPE

! The schooner Laura commanded By Captain Eugene
Mclean, of No. 300 East Ninety seventbst, left thu
wharf in front OF the establishment of F. f. Perkins
d Brother, iron dealers at No. 405 South-st, abou
half-past O'Clock yesterday morning, bound for
| port up the Sound. Her crew. in addition to th'
captain, consisted Of James Noon, who shipped a.
James Lawler, of Seventy. slxth.st and Avenue A
William Jackson, OF Seventy second.st and Avenue
A; James Hughes and Alexander Chryste, whose ad
dresses are unknown The boat was heavily laden will
a deck cargo of 100 tons of iron, which held he
low in the water and tipped her, according to VII
nesses, considerably 10 side. She carried iul
set of sail, rccfed at the time. The wind was blow
ing strong and bore the boat rapidly to the farther
channel of the river.
She did not seem to be IN Immediate danger until op
poslte Corlesrsst There according to the captain, sud
den squall came up which filed the sails with wind
and threw the boat upon her side, dumping tho iron
in the river That was little after 10 o'clock The
accident had been witnessed from both shores by
many people, and the excitement became intense.
They gathered I'm groups opposite the point,
while the tugb0ats and various smaller
craft steamed or rowed to the rescue. From
the shore no sight Of the could be gained and the
impression became general that all had been drowned
The captain, however, who had been standing at the
wheel when the vessel upturned became tangled
In the rigging, and was held for time partly under
water With great eXertiOn he succeeded In eXricaiine
himself but he up struck in the shoulder
by the railing of the vessel
Disabled by this. for a short time he was unable TO
move but finally succeeded in swimming to the yawl
which was drawn behind the boat He reached this in
safety and was afterward brought to shore in the boat
lie was taken at once to Gouverneur Hospital, as Ii
thought that the collision with the railing had dis
located his shoulder. 1t proved, however, to be a
brulse only. The wound dressed and he soon
recovered sufficiently to report at the office Of the
Messis. Perkins.
The other men were not so fortunate James Noon.
who is about thirty years old, was brought 10
the hospital shortly after the captain. He was un-
conscious at the time and had severe scalp wound.
His lungs partly filed with water, so that 1t was
feared pneumonia might result from the accident and
exposure. According to Moons story he feared the
boat would capsze and advised the captain TO take In
some sail and change the schooner's course My
ADVICE however, was not followed he added,
when asked in regard to the accident, and
the gust of wind turned us over. When the
boat went over he caught in the main rigging ana
held firmly that he could not break away IN Order
to swim. His death seemed imminent, as the watT
forced itself down his throat, and despite the eTacst
eXcTtOnS he could not free himself AS no wa, alnOoV
forced TO give up hope, however, the tug BOAT CHPpeI
in command Of Captain G. NJ BrocAover' steamed
up to HIS rescue Owing 10 the position OF the mast
the tug could not approach NOOn and a. the tilnc was
precious, the captain decided to cut the mast OH
with the bow Of his boat. This enabled him TO get
nearer the sailor. and throwing rope about his BODY
he drew him board. lie was then taken ashore
The other men, Jackson, Hughes and Chrysue,
were drowned Neither the captain or Lawler hal
anything of them afcr the accident occurred ana
unable TO give any particulars as 10 their death
The place searched, but no trace of their boIe5
could be found. 1t Is supposed that the swift
current rapidly bore them away, as they wcf2
evidently thrown under the sides of tho schooner at
once No one on the shore saw them.
The boat which damaged considerably, was
towed to Pottery Beach, near Williamsburg where shs,
VIII remain for the present. The cargo was valued at
Isl 500 Mr.. Perkins said that he was uncertain
yvbnt he firm would take StepS to recover the
iron or not it depended upon the action Of the In
suranoc companies