Evening journal., 1891-09-22
TWO SWEPT OUT TO SEA
Thrilling Story of a Missing
Brooklyn Couple. .Ss
FROM oOEEY ISLAND TO FLORIDA
They Say They Were Carried Out by the
Tide while Bathing, Picked Up by
ship and Landed Near JacksonviIIe.
Both Given Up as Dead.


Tide while BATHING, Picked Up by
ship aud Landed Near Jacksonville.
Both Given Up as Dead.
JACKSONVILLE Fla, Sept. 2a.-on
Thursday afternoon, Aug. 27, two bathers,
Samuel W. Thornton and Eva Jewell, bis
sister-in-law. engaged rooms at bathina
pavilion at Coney island When the
pavilion closed at night two locked rooms
were found. On being unlocked clothes
were discovered in each apartment There
was a complete suit Of male wearing ap
parel in one aud all the clothes worn by
woman in the other This couple have
just arrived here, and they tell long and
interesting story Of being washed out tt
sea, saved by schooner, brought south
ward, transferred TO another schooner
and finally landed on the Florida coast.
rhornton's Remarkable story.
According to Thornton's story they left
his house, III Cumberland street. Brook.
lyn, at noon on that day and went to
Coney Island. At 9 p. m. they went in
bathing. After half an hour in the surf.
and while out some distance from shore, i
huge wave came in and she undertow
washed them away.
Strangled aud frightened nearly tn
death, he had presence Of mind enough to
plunge forward and seize Eva's dress and
keep her up, all ths while shouting fot
help. No one seemed TO hear them and
they hoated out fast
A Log saved Them.
A big log soon fioated by. He seized it,
and by It's aid was enabled to keep their
heads above water. The tide rapidly car
ried them out TO sea. Eva soon grew faint
and Thornton became nearly exhausted
by his struggles. Time passed rapidly and
soon Il began to grow dark. just after
| sundown a schooner came near Thornton
/ shrieked for aid. The lookout heard him,
| the sails were dropped and soon boat,
manned by two sailors, rescued them and
carried them to the vessel. Sympathetic
hands received them and soon Eva wat
under the motherly care Of the captain's
| wife, while Thornton was rubbed and
brought to by the sailors. To his surpris,
and CONSERVATION no one on board coule
speak English.
Eva Bagan TO Rave.
Eva was insensible when rescued, and I
was many hours before she recovered be
senses She began 10 rave, and for severa
days afterward was nearly crazy, repeat
ing ia her delirium the terrible experience
she had had. When Thornton fully recoy
cred his senses the next forenoon they wer
ont Of sight Of land and going southwark
bound for some port in South America. Il
his appeals 70 be set on shore the captai
shook his head, but promised 10 signal M
first vessel that came along. But no We
sci would stop until they had been o
board the schooner for thirteen day,
Then one day vessel stopped and the
were removed to il.
Thought He Would Go Mad.
But Thornton soon found that the
were no better of, as this craft was Span
ish, the same as the first one, and wa
bound, as best he could Judge, 10 Yucatau
going through Florida straits. Captain
and sailors were very Kind to the cast
aways and gave them the best Of treat
ment, good food and clothes Thornton
says that when he thonght OF the terrible
distress his wife would experience at thei
disappearance he thought he would Ger
tainly 80 crazy
But They walked In.
Eva was given the cooks galley and
every one treated her with great kindness
After ten days Of life on the schooner the
captain one day told them by signs TO get
ready TO land. The sailors got up a purse
Of $50 for them and gave them several arti.
cles Of clothing. Early last Sunday morn
ing the vessel came in near shore, lowered
boat and landed the two unfortunates
on the Florida coast in a strange locality
and with only one small hsherman's hat
in sight They got information as best
they could and started on foot for this
city, and after walking several miles they
were met by a team and hired the driver
70 bring them here, where they arrived
footsore and weary ia the afternoon.
Thornton tells a straightforward story,
but cannot tell the names of the schoou-
ers, nor the names Of their captains. nor
can he give any other information except
as TO their general course. Miss Eva Il
twenty-three, Is Of prepossessing appear
ance, slight build, black or very dark hair,
aud dark brown eyes. She has two froMt
upper teeth filed. She eorroborates Thorn-
toms story. She il dressed ia fantastic
manner, having only the dress given her
| by the captain Of the first vessel that res
cued them. The sailors fund purchased
clothes for Thornton. They are at q
boarding house here waiting for funds.