The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-27
LIFT AS SAM AND EVA DID.
John c. Austin Went Bathing and
Was Never Seen Again.
From. the Ne,p York Advsrsser.


! From the Netu York Aduertlser.
The story OF the disappearance OF Elder
Samuel Thornton and sister-in-law Eva
Jewell from the bath house on Mau-
haitian beach, and the mysterious
dispensation of providence which landed
them safely in Jacksonville after
an unheard-of and heretofore ad-
| Judged impracticable battle with old oceans
pillows, has evidently left an impression
upon the minds of some people Officers Of
insurance companies particularly have read
the story carefully and they are not in
hurry to pay insurance on the life OF any
one who disappears as be did.
It will be remembered that John e. Aus
tin a member OF the firm OF Lord q Austin,
ship brokers, at No. IS Broadway, disap-
peared on July 4. The last seen OF him was
when he hired room No. 991 in the bath
house at Manhattan beach. He didn't re-
turn to his family and his clothes we're
afterward found in the bath room. The
Inference is that he was drowned. His
brother. j. Elist Austin, and all his ac-
quaintances believe this. A man named
Joseph A. Dallon, who was standing on
the beach on the same Saturday afternoon,
says he saw man disappear beneath the
water. This is the evidence in favor of the
drowning theory. 1t was published in the
Morning Advertiser at the time. But the
management of the two insurance COM
panies, in which Austin holds policies for
s25. 900, believe that Austin will turn up,
as the 'castawaysn did. That is why they
will not pay the insurance, which his
brother now claims.
Austin lived at No. 1ll4 Dean street,
Brooklyn, with his three children. On the
morning of his disappearance he left the
house saying he was going to Manhattan
beach, and would return in time to take the
children to see the fireworks. At 9 o'clock
the same evening the clerk OF the bath
house found the clothing of a man in room
No. 39l. In the pockets were some of
Austin's business cards, a penknife, u
bunch of keys and other articles, which
were afterward identified as the property
of Austin. More Of his valuables were
found in the envelope which had been left
with the cashier. and on the outside Of
which was written. John c. Austin, 11I4
Dean street, Brooklyn" Ia this envelope
were q lady's gold watch and chain, two
| ring, on which was the letter "S."
The Coney Island police patrolled the
beach for weeks afterward, but Austin's
| body never came TO shore This is unusual
in cases Of drowning at Manhattan beach.
| When his brother presented the insurance
| policies the companies refused to pay
| them. and one of them instituted
/ al luV6bLlghLlOu, Lu6 result OF WllOl mas
| not vet been made public. One Of the
policies was on the Mutual Reserve
Life Fund Association for SIS. 600 and was
taken out In 1885. The other, for $4,000,
was on the United States Mutual Accident
| Association and was taken out three days
before the disappearance This is what
| Adolph Ettlinger, superintendent Of the
latter company, had to say yesterday about
| the disappearance of Mr.. Austin:
hNo Ia had kba HafaCffxyns uuOrl-fnny On
the case. We feel that we have good cause
| for refusing to pay the insurance until posi-
| tive proof OF the death has been furnished
us. The policy which Austin got from our
company three days before his disappear
ance he was very anxious to obtain In a
hurry. The lady's watch found in his
clothes did not belong to him."
Mr.. Austin's children have since left
Brooklyn and have gone to Montreal.
IL has also been learned that on Oct. 80,
1890, Austin and his wife executed a mort
gage for So, 800 on the house No. 1ll4 Dean
street, which will mature Aug. 10, 1895.
j. Eliot Austin said yesterday that this was
| second mortgage, taken out for the pur-
| pose of paying the first one. ~ believe"
| he said, that my brother was drowned and
any one who knows him has no doubt of it.
| He was in very good financial circum-
| stances"
Austin and his brother formerly did a
| small business with Haytian merchants.
Some time ago they had two steamships
running to Haytian ports. On inquiry at
the steamship lines yesterday it was found
| that Austin could not have sailed to any
port in that country without the knowledge
of the agents. all of whom knew him per-
sonally. His last will and testa-
ment was offered for probate in the surro-
gate court of Kings county on July %.
The will was admitted 10 probate by Surro-
81. The custody of the children was given
to his sister in Montreal