New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-25
DROWNING OF HERBERT MAPES
SEARCHING FOR HIS BODY AT FIRE ISLAND.
HIS CAREER AS AN ATHLTE AND HIS PoPU-
LARITY IN COLUMBIA COLLEGE.

Active search was kept up all day Yesterday at
Fire Island for the body Of Herbert Mapes. the popu-
lar young athlete OF Columbia College, who was
drowned Sunday while bathing in the surf there.
The reward of $500 oITerd for the recovery Of the
body. induced fishermen to cruise about in their
boats with the hope Of finding 1t. The search was
conducted by DR.. Charles J. Mapes, brother of the
drowned athlete; Dr. StrItford and Frederick CheSc-
brough. the latter being college cassnae Of young
Mapes. The search was kept up until o'slOck in the
everng. but the body was not recovered
Mrs Mapcs mother of the dead youth, who from the
shore witnessed the desperate struggles Of her son as
he was drowning, and saw him 60 down for the last
time is prOstrated in her at the Surf Hotel. IL
the body Is found 1t will be brought to New-York.
where the funeral will take place.
Young Mapcs considered an expert swimmer
and h. friends say that he must surely have been
helpless oy being seized with cramps or else he would
not have been drowned. During the day number Of
kilograms were received from young Mapcs's college
classmates asking whether his body had been recov
/ cred. kilograms Of coincidence also received
by the young athletes mother.
II IS as an intercollegiate champion that the world
Is Interested in the fate Of this manly young cocgan
but II Is as the lovable man and good fellow that
hundreds Of classmates and school friends must lament
him most. lie noble son and brother. Herbert
Mapes the third Of Mr. and Mrs. c. Victor Mapes Is
the grandson OF Professor James j. Mapes. ana the
nephew OF Mrs. Mary Mapes Dodge Tile was twenty
four years old and '02 man at Columbia College,
where he preparing to become an architect. He
was captain of the Columbia College athletic team and
one of the editors Of "The Columbia Spectator In
appearance he was medium-sized. handsome young
man, weighing in condition about 100 pounds stripped
and standing feet 12 inches tall He had brown
hair and slight mustache. To the Mapes
brothers Columbia College owes many "pOnt" at
close college competitions.
Although Herbert Mapes was Of four brothers
only two Of the other sons prominent IN athe-
tics. They were Victor and Charles: DR.. James j..
Mapes never having sought success on the oinder
path. Herbert 1Iapes not natural athlete us
the term is understood at college and athletic clubs
but by practice and brains developed into champion,
lie at his best high hurdler having held AZ
one time the worlds record flight OF tcn-3 oof
6 inches hurdleS-16 Sec0nds-and he will be greatly
missed at the champion athletic games this autumn
in which he expected TO De dangerous COM
petitor to such men as Copeland schevegeler Barnes
and Morrill,. Mapes and Copeland for a long time held
the go Yard hurdle racing record Of 90 10 seconds
Herbert Mapes's success as a student was no less
than he gained on the field. He also had a natural
taste fer drawing. and exceed in the use of water
col9rs. year he went abroad to get up the 100
pictures demanded of him by the rules, and on his re-
turn all were accepted and exhibited.
The death young Mapes met is the strongest proof
Of the dangers of surfbathng. He unaccOuntably
taken with cramp or heartdisease, he was mex
pcably caught In an undcrtow which did out catch
Others exposed and further ont than he was 1t
does not If heart disease could haze been tho
trouble, for he found by recent examining
b0aTI, which carefully measured and sounded Columbia
College athletes, to be in robust health. When Mapes
WIS caught In the undertOw or his strength failed
him. Fred Chesebrough and Mapes's brother DR.. james
j. Mapes Vice did their utmost TO save him. but not
another of the crowd of swimmers offered any assist
ance and there not man at the hfesaviDg station
when help sent for there