Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-09-22
LIKE A FAIRY TALE
The Wonderful Adventures of
a Brooklyn Pair.
THOUGHT DEAD-FoUND ALIVE.
Carried Out to Sea, They Cling to a Log,
: and Are Picked Up.

Kindly Treated by Their Rescuers, who
Could Not Talk Enalish--Transf,rr to
Another vessel--FnaIly Landed on the
Coast of FIorida--Nearly Crazed With
Their Terrible Experiences.
New YORK, Sept. 22.-Samuel w.
Thornton and Eva Jewell, the young
people who disappeared while in bathing
at Coney Island on the night of Aug p,
and whose clothes were found in Il bath
ing pavilion, are said to be alive and
well, in Jacksonville, Florida.
A special despatch from Jacksonville
says that Thornton was interviewed in
the office of the Chimes Union last
night, and gave an account of his adven-
lures. According to his story Thornton
and Miss Jewell went in bathing at p.
m. on the day mentioned.
After half an hour in the surf, and
while out some distance from the Shore
huge wave came in and the undertow
washed them away.
Strangled and frightened nearly to
death, he had presence of mind enough
to plunge forward and seize Eva's dress
and keep her up, all the while shouting
for help. No one seemed to hear them
and they f1oated out fast.
A big log soon foated by. He seized
it, and by it's aid was enabled to keep
their heads above water. The tide rap
idly carried them out to sea. Eva soon
grew faint, and Thornton became nearly
exhausted by his struggles. Just after
shutdown a schooner came near. Thorn
ton shrieked for aid and they were taken
on board
Soon Eva was under the motherly care
Of the captains wife, while Thornton
was rubbed and brought to by the sail
ors. To his surprise and CONSERVATION
no one on board could speak English.
Eva was insensible when rescued, and
for several days afterward she was nearly
crazy, repeating in her delirium the ter
rible experiences she had had.
When Thornton fully recovered his
senses the next forenoon they were out
of sight Of land and going southwark,
bound for some port in South America.
To his appeals to be set on shore the Cap
tain shook his head, but promised to
signal the first vessel that came along.
They were on that vessel 10 days be-
fore they We're transferred to another
schooner. Then they were no better off
for the craft was Spanish, bound for Yu-
catan, through Florida Straits.
On this ship both were treated with
great kindness. Eva was given the
cooks galley After 10 days of life on
them by signs to get ready to land.
The sailors got up a purse of $50 for
them and gave them several articles of
clothing. Early last Sunday morning
the vessel came in near shore, lowered Il
boat and landed the two unfortunates on
Florida coast in a strange locality and
with only one small tisherman's hut in
sight.
They got information as best they could
and started on foot for Jacksonville, and
after walking for several miles they were
met by team and hired the driver to
bring them there, where they arrived
footsore and weary in the afternoon.
Seeking boarding house. they secured
rooms and rested after their terrible ex-
perience
Thornton's brother, William, is thor
oughly investigating the matter and
has sent a message TO the !nAn in Jack
sonville asking him certain Questions. If
these are answered, all uouDts conc era
ing the strange story will be removed.