New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-14
DROWNED OFF ROCKAWAY.
FOUR MEN GO DOWN WITH A LAUNCH.
WHAT CAUSED THE cArsrMNG OF THE CRAFT

WHAT CAUSED THE CAPSIzING OF THE CRAFT
NOT Positively KNowN-THE VICTIMS.
The naph,ha launch Ethel. on which Louis Caem-
merer. d. Read Dennis, George Milton Norwood
and man named Mccall lost their lives or
Coney Island Point Sunday, dliicd ashore
yesterday at Far RoCkaway with a hoe IN hef
bottom Whether II was caused by an explosion Oh
the napltha engine, breaking of the machinery, OF
by rock after the vessel had capszed, II Is Impossible
yet determine because of the conflicting stories
told OF the accident. The only survivor Is Captain
Louden White, Of East Rockaway.
The Edith belonged 10 Louis Csemmerer. OF NO. ~
Hanson Place, Brooklyn, and was named iOf MS Htue
daughter Mr.. Caemmeer was an from merchant, nav
ING yard at No. 10 DcKalb-ave. He owned hhdsoHe
house at East Ioekaway. and with his WHO ana ore
child was spending the summer there lie invited Nor
wood Dennis, Mccall Mrs. Drnel Curtis ana MIS- New
CON- OF East Rockaway, to 90 with him IN inc !achV
ON Sunday Captain White took charge Of the launch'
The party went ont from East Roekaway al avouo 'o
for days fishing for blnefish. The ocean was ~
rough that after being ont for time ue "onien u
The party requested TO be put back On shoe' l'is
ua. dane They were landed al Point Lookout and
,vent home on the Marine Railroad. Then tile four
men put out again, and were hshihs un'n OeU"ooi,
3 and o'clock when, as they were uylns ~ ecU
through the inlet, the accident occurred whlch cpsb
three Of tho fishermen their lives captain "iic
says
aTba ors, heard wa, a bang like that Of rifle, and
tbe water came running in at the side OF the boat
When the boat got half full she went over and too
the men we had got TO 20 down. Wheh inc ilunon
went over we were all spilled out we caught hoiu VI
the capszed boat. Dennis and Norwood were the h'Se
II let 10 of her Then the boat went down. trleu
to hold Mr. Caemnerer up, but could not suppoT MIN
lang and he sank into tho sea before my eyes"
Cantafn White swan about on the water for ht'e
time and finally from the crest OF big wave saw
buoy which he thought was about mile away, anu
managed 10 reach il when almost exhausted lhere
he hung until rescued by the sO0p yacht Agnes Dean
The Agnes Dean sailed from Thirty siXth-st., Sol,n
BrookIvn in the morning for two days. bue-shing WIFI
six Young men from New-York on board Among
them we've Michael L. Scheehan, Philip Donohue
Thomas Dwyer, William VOoth, Henry Brenmcr
CAPTAIN and a mate. They cruSed of RocEaWay al
day. and about p. m. turned toward the city "leh
about 300 feet from the Long Beach bar buoy theS
saw White cInging to it. Martin the mate TOOK
small boat and brought him aboard. lie was landed
at Coney Island. lie was somewhat burned by the
sum- but was at his home I'm East Rochway yesterday
none the worse for his struggle
George Milton Norwood one Of the drowned men,
was a member Of the firm Of Joseph Norwood Z" sons
propretors Of the Long Island Iron Works. OF NO
345 Adans4st Brooklyn. He thirty year, Oh
unmarried and the eldest Of four sons. lie Ived WITH
his father and mother two sisters and his brothers IN
Damondst., FAtbush. Mr. Norwood was member
of the Gilbert Dramatic Society, and well known IN
on the sand bar or Long Beach yesterday afternoon
Mccall was said to live in E0ston.
Dr. Read Dennis was a manufacturer OF underwear
In Safest. near BOerm Place Brooklyn For several
years he lived at No 400 Cermoutave but about two
months ago moved 10 No. 1,043 Herkimerst He had
wife and three children. Mrs. Dennis is at present
staying at Newton. Dennis enthusiastic sports
man. and particularly fond Of yachting lie about
forty-five years old
Edward H. Brooks Of the New-York Custom House.
who was for long time a ncighbOr of Mr.. Dennis.
said TO Tribune reporter last evening: 81 have often
been out on the water with him. He would leave
his business at almost any time to 20 out on the
water lie had q boat of the as the one
capsized, but II did not have naphtha engine. He
had fine 'set-up for duck shooting Long Beach.
think he the most reckless man In boat ever
saw. He was a perfectly sober man at all times'
This statement about Denniss reckeSsness, together
with remarks about the same disposition in Mr.. Caem-
mcrer and the fact that some of Norwoods family dis
liked to have him 60 out in Caemmerer's yacht lends
color to the belief that the boat capsizcd through
careless handling. Captain White. however. says he
IS positive that there was an explosion befov the vessel
began 10 I'll.
The general opinion seems to be that there was
no explosion the yacht. Harry Stack and William
Beden were out in boats and saw the yacht They
say IL was upset and not blown up. Bedell SAYS he
In through the inlet at O'Clock. and called to
the Ethel 10 follow him. He did not tire accident
After he came In 10 became rough that ii almost
impossible get through the inlet without capsizing
Another story told by Captain White is as follows :
I" About O'Clock we started to come In, and about
80 got to Debb's Inlet, about two miles west CT
Long Beach. was at the wheel and Caemmercr had
charge OF the engine. lie was in the stern Of the
boat, and the others sitting around The first
thing knew heard 'kerplunk,' and turning round
a hole in the stern of the launch. l saw that
she must sink, / seized GA and told Caem1nerer
to take another and pull Us hard he could. We
shipped four seas, but when the fifth one came over
we went / was the last to leave the Ethel" 1t is
The father and brothers Of Mr.. Norwood went to
Of the accident There are conflicting stories
told about the amount of liquor board the Ethel
William A. Norwood. brother OF the dead man. said
TO a Tribune reporter yesterday that he knew Mr.
Caemmcrer and was sure that Che inslnuations Of
drunkenness were unfOunded They certainly were In
the Of his brother. Whatever the cause Of
the accident, he ii not due 10 the crews
being unable to run the yacht. He denied the state
hnent that his brother was TO he married.
Boiler Inspector Powers said yesterday that while
he had not made especial study Of naphtha boilers
what he had of them led to The belief that they
were far more dangerous than steam boilers, paricu
1ary because they usually in tle hands of in
experienced persons Mr.. Powers who insDects steam
boilers In Brooklyn. thinks that napltha boilers
should be under regular inspection