New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-08-26
NoRToNs STRANGE STORY.
TAKEN PRISONER WHILE BATHING AND
CARRIED AWAY.
HE ESCAPES FROM HIS GATORS AND SAILS
SCHOONER ALONE IN THE sToRM-cAP.
SIZED AND WASHED ASHORE
At ATLANTIC CITY.

At ATLANTIC CITY.
Atlantic City, N. J., Aug. 2.-Louis Norton, the
New-Haven merchant who was washed ashore nero
last night half dead. Is rapidly recovering from the
effects Of his peculiar experience. Life uuarus
Jones and Mills and Chief Of Police Eldredge wefv
walking along the beach the pier at ii2o
when they heard cry for help and saw man
struggling in the surf under the pier. The guards
rushed into the water and with considerable dim
Guilty dragged the man ashore. He tainted az soon
they reached the strand.
This morning he said that he left home last
Friday to go bathing. He went to the Cove ans
there took a small boat and rowed out beyond the
lighthouse Near the breakwater ne un'
dressed. leaped overheard. and swan around tne
boat several times. Another boat was approach.
ing. but he paid no attention to It, When ne wa
some distance from his boat the two men In the
second craft steered close to his boat and macs
the two fast. One Of them sprang In ana took
his clothes Norton says he swan to his boat ~
quickly possible. and had just placed his hama
on the rail when of the men struck him upon
the head with oar, stunning him. When ne
recovered consciousness he found himself on board
a small fruit schooner. He was bound hand ana
foot. The two men had returned his clothes, puS
had robbed him of money and valuables amountinS
to about $780,
Norton says he was kept continually bound, bic
hands being released at intervals that he might
eat On the afternoon OF the second day the
schooner anchored, and the men lowered their
small boat and rowed away, leaving him bound
upon the deck. While the men were absent Norton
freed his hands, cut the rope which ran to the
anchor, and managed to run the schooner before
the wind He was out Of sight OF land. ana
kept watch in hope of signalling passing ship.
Several times he saw craft In the distance. but
owing to the slowness Of his boat he could not run
close to them There plenty to eat ana
drink on board the schooner. His head troubled
him. owing to the blow which he had received ana
the heat and constant exposure.
On Tuesday he caught the forerunner or tne
Storm and his little boat raced rapidly through the
water Everything went we'll with him that night.
but with sunrise the wind had increased Several
times during the trip he sighted vessels but could
not get near enough to make himself understood
On Thursday morning the storm reacnrd iu
height, and the boat capsized. He chung TO the
overturned craft, but was finally swept way: rs
succeeded however in grasping piece OF piaIk:
ing and chung to II, working himself toward lana
when the tide rose.
Norton telegraphed to his uncle H. o. Norton. the
drygoods merchant OF Chufch-st, New-Haven, this
morning and conversed with his friends over the
long distance telephone. Norton Is Of medium
height and slightly built. He is badly suLburied.
and appears to have suffered considerable exposure
to the wind and sun. He complains IF pains about
his body. where the waves beat him and where
he was thrown against the piling