Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-09-24
A STARTLING STORY.
THORNTON AND EVA JEWELL RIVAL
SiNBAD THE SAILOR.
Supposed TO Have Been Drowncd-Cone
Island tn Fiorfda--A Con6 uctor's
Later Developments.


Florida that Samuel W. Thornton and
Miss Eva Jewell, who one day last August
donncd bathing-uits. splashed about In
Coney Island brine, end then disappeared.
want money with which 70 buy clothes.
They also express a desire 20 return TO
brooklyn. William Thornton, who has
worn Grape for Brother Samuel during the
past three weeks. seems loath to take it
off. He refuses to believe that his brother
lives, md cruelty saws that the climate Of
FLORIDA is warm and bananas are 10 be had
for tho asking, so there will not be any
need of money for clothing or food. The
telegram he received Sunday night ran as
follows
-" JAcxsoYyILLr. Fla. September 90
Both safe Had narrow escape. Were carried
ont to sea. Want money to get clothes
and return. Send $50.
SAMUEL W. THORNTON"
As Mr.. Thornton was under the im-
preston, and is still, for that matter. that
Samuel is at the bottom of the sea. the
telegram surprised him very much. Samuel
was his brother aud his partner in busl-
ness. lie Is. or was, twenty five years Of
age, and on August 9th went TO Coney
Island IN company with his wlfc's sister,
Eva Jewell, handsome and lively young
CARRIED OUT TO SEA.
Late on that same night dispatch
reached William Thornton at Freeport that
his brother and Miss Jewell had been
drowned at Coney Island. lie FASTENED
to West Brighton Beach next day. Samuel
and Miss Jewell. he was informed, had
gone out from q pavilion to battle. and
presumably We're carried out 20 sea and
drowned. The pavilion-keeper showed
Mr.. Thornton the clothes Of his brother
and si,ter-in-law. which he recognized.
lie and his relatives went into mourning
tor them and are in mourning now.
Il looked over the telegram" Mr..
Thornton said Yesterday, land came 20
the conclusion that 1t was either what
newspaper call fake or else WAS sent
by some one who wanted $50 of mine. !
am businessman, however, and do not
give $50 away on the strength of q tele-
gram from the dead. Nlr. Claude Styles,
of Piermont-on-thc- Hudson. another
brother-in-law Of mine. suggested that We
should see If there was any foundation TOR
the story. In order TO test the sender Of
the dispatch Mr.. Styles sent the follow
ing:
- BRooKLYS, September q. 1891. is that
You. Sam, really? II SO. state what Oc.
CURED AT nv house between you and me
on August 25th; alsO, tell me the safe
combination. CLArDg STyIEs-'
After waiting some hours ! received
another dispatch carrying exactly the same
words-that Is, "a request for $40 Samuel
knew the combination perfectly well. and
when the impostDr did not mention II my
impressions were confirmed.
The superintendent of the Western
Union said It was "a genuine dispatch 20 Tar
rs its coming from Jacksonville is con-
ccrned / next went 10 superintendent
Campbell, OF the Brooklyn police, and he
Informed me he would at once communl-
cate with the Jacksonville authorities and
find out if possible who sent the tele-
gram"
THE STORY DIsCEEDITYD.
JACKSONVILLE. Fla, September o.
Samuel w. Thornton. the alleged cast
away at Coney Island, Was satisfactorily
Identified early tins morning through COM
mumcation with the Associated Press agent
hy his Brooklyn relatives, and this fore
noon he received a telegraph money order
tor $50 from his brother, William }. Thorn
ton. Of 277 Cumberland street. With this
money he paid his board-bill ut the hotel.
bought decent drese for Miss Jewell, and
with the balance purchased two second
class tickets for New York ciG the Savan-
nah Steamship Line. Public opinion this
morning was divided as to he truth OF his
story, and it was generally dlscredited.
RECOGNI1ED.
The pair would have gotten out Of the
city IN very good shape if conductor on
the through Pullman-car from New Or
leans last Saturday had not recognized
them as passengers Of his on that trip.
The conductor snys that they got on the
train at the depot in New Orleans on Fri
day nigh; and cams all the way through
10 jacksonville with him, arriving mere at
$50 Il. NJ Saturday. He Is positive as TO
their identity and produced two other
passengers who were ready TO swear to it.
Thornton and his companion according
to their own story were ON Spanish YES
sci Oh that day III the Atlantic Ocean.
DENY 1T.
Both deny the story of the conductor
very stoutly, bur Thornton grew pale and
nervous as the conductor brought dozens
IF incidents on the train TO the recollec-
ton of the pair. They hurried TO get
away from him and took the l:l0 J. NJ.
troin for Savannah. They Will reach New
York BIZ steamer next Friday noon. They
are beyond any doubt :. W. Thornton and
Eva Jewell, Of Brooklyn, who disappeared
from there nearly four weeks ago.