The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-31
FOR SAM AND EVA.
-.eroR JuN5RS sTATzMsNT SUs-
TAINs1HE sAWLO9 STORY.

rna Result of His Late Quest-In the
oo,nion of the Mount Olivet Church,
"a Rapresented by Mr.. JUNIOR, it is
altogether Probable That sam and
t5is sister-in-Law Flcated Out to
sea. Were Picked Up by a Vessel
and Landed on the Florida shore.
From the Ne,U York Adrertiser
Pastor JUNIOR Of the Mount Olivet church
..s submitted his report on the adventures
=, Samuel Thornton and his slster-in-law,
Fva Jewell. The report is a whitewash
throughout, and plainly shows that the
nastor is firm believer in the wonderful
feat of the ocean fioaters.
He begins by reciting the circumstances
of their temporary disappearance, which
took place Aug. q. He takes Elder Thorn
toms word for it that they went bathing in
the surf. that wave caught Miss Jewell
and carried her into deep water. She could
not swim and Samuel had hard work in
keeping her from drowning.
They sighted log, around which Eva
wrapped her arms, and both were carried
ont to sea and remained floating on the log
for two hours, when they sighted a sailing
ship bound for YucataD.
They were taken on board and the sailors
gave them clothing, in which they arrayed
themselves and cast off their bathing suits,
and after week they were landed on the
shores Of Florida at point which they were
informed was twenty miles from Jackson
Vile Afterward they were driven TO that
city IN a wagon, and sent a telegram 10
Elder Thornton's brother the following
Sunday. They stopped in the st. Johns
hotel. A man approached Mr.. Thornton
while he was at the hotel and asked il he
did not know him. Mr.. Thornton promptly
replied that he did not.
why, | came from Pensacola with you
on Sunday last, he said.
"Oh, no" said Mr. Thornton, "you are
mistaken" The elder believes that the
mans name was Carter. land thinks he was
q reporter, but did not wish to talk with
him.
Following Elder Thornton's statement in
Pastor JunOrs report comes the announces
ment by Henry w. Parker of the John
Hancock Life Assurance Company, who
says that Thornton asked him to accompany
Miss Jewell and himself TO Coney Island.
Next comes Miss JEWELS statement, which
corroborates Thornton's in every detail.
That OF Mr.. and Mrs. Burst follows. It
declares that they saw a man aud woman
float out TO sea the eventful day while they
were in bathing at Coney Island. and that
they since recognized Samuel and Eva as
the pair,
Pastor JUNIOR. in reciting the continue
ton Of bis Investigations. states that he
went to Florida, and from the Gescrip-
ton which tho elder gave of the road he
had traversed from the coast inland, fol>
lowed it closely, and found that it
agreed entirely with his own obser-
vations. He next attaches the statement
OF Mrs ?. Fl. Love, manageress of the st.
Johns hotel in Jacksonville. This state
ment she gave voluntarily. She AYERS that
Sam end Eva arrived at her hotel Sept. 81,
1871; that Sam was dressed in sailors
clothes which were TOO small for him, aud
that Eva had on wearing apparel which
was far too large. They told their story to
Mrs. Love, who kept watch on them and
found that they conducted themselves in
accordance with the relationship which they
told me they occupied. They afterward
got clothing in Jacksonville.
Next Pastor Junor comments upon the
newspaper rivalry which existed between
the evening newspaper, the Metropolis, and
the Times Union, which is the morning pa
per. The arrival of the castaways was not
noticed in either OF the papers Monday. but
ON Tuesday the Times Onion printed the
story. So as not to be outdoue the MetTop-
oils came out with the Pullman car con
ductor story the next day. The pastor next
described MS call upon Carter, who de-
clared he saw the couple in the car and
could not be mistaken about them. He
says that the conductor. p b. Barr, had
evidently tried to help out his friend Carter
IN his statements. and adds that Supt Rich
ardSon told him Barr was not q reliable
man. He claims to have received kilograms
from two other witnesses, one a man who
saw boat put ont from the unknown ship
to the shore, and another u person who saw
awhile man and woman drive over the road
from the coast to Jacksonville
Following IS the report Of the church COM
mttoe:
BRooKLYN Oct. ". 1891.
we bagan our investigation decided on at
u'' Iast meeting, from the standpoint OF Jhs
innocence Of the parties concerned, not only
because man should be considered innocent
luI ne Is proven guilty, but also because we
zen mat no church officers could lay any claim
10 lle word Christian who would withdraw their
confidence from - brother who had been
known trusted aud loved for many years ex-
'ept on evidence admitting no shadow of doubt
concerning his unworthiness, AS will be seen,
nIocA OF he evidence thus far obtained corrob-
oIaleS Mr.. Ihorntons story. Concerning the
aieged eiopement theory and the statements of
I-uitor Carter and Conductor Barr supporting
H. We have to saw.
L. That We do not consider personal identifi-
calion by strangers, especially on casual obser-
'atiol. as strong evidence in any case
( 1DaJ these statements in this case seem to
DC opsnlo suspicion as to motive while t9ey
col'ain so many improbabilities and neon
ssUehcles and are contradicted in so many i'm
portant points by other evidence that we feel
satisfied that all persons having any sense of
JusIice viii agree with US in refusing on such
evidence to blast the reputation of a man and
woman ana convict them of that which would
justly Danish them from society
:, Al a meeting of the officers of Mount Oliyet
ffeseyterian church. held Oct. &c. 1891, at
1 Mhlcn aI were present except Samuel w.
,rae ~, ana j. T. Abeel the foregoing report
proye1' and It's publication left in the discretion
~ VIC SOuiiiilltee ID. JUNIOR. Pastor.
NJ. q. Young, Clerk.