The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-03
PIRATES CAPTURED HIM.
Louis Norton Held Prisoner on a
Schooner for a Week.

Driven TO Shore in GaIe-The Young
New Haven Merchant, Who Was
Supposed to Have Been Drowned
While Bathing, Finally Washed on
the Strand at Atlantic City-A
Strange Tale.
A special dispatch from Atlantic City,
n. Y, Aug % to the Philadelphia Press
contains the following remarkable story:
Atlantic City, Aug. 25.--Louis Norton,
the young New Heaven merchant who
was washed ashore last night half dead,
his experience Norton's rescue was as
peculiar as his tale. Life Guards Jones
and Mills were passing along the beach at
IL go last night when they heard cry for
help. They saw under the pier man
struggling in the surf
The guards rushed into the water and
with considerable difficulty dragged the
man ashore. He was clinging to a plank
on which he had iloated He tainted as
soon as he reached the strand.
This morning he told his strange story.
On Friday Of last week he left his home
in New Haven, Conn, to battle In Long
Island Sound. He is an expert swimmer.
He rowed out in small boat beyond the
lighthouse.
Near the new breakwater he undressed
and leaped overheard. Another boat was
approaching, but he paid no attention to
1t. When he was some distance from his
boat the two men in the second craft
steered close to his boat and made the
two fast One of them sprang in and
rified the pockets of his clothing.
Norton swan to his boat as quickly as
possible. One of the men struck him
upon the head with an oar Further
than that he does not remember until he
recovered consciousness, some time later,
and found himself on board a small fruit
schooner. He was bound hand and foot.
There were two men on the schooner
the men whom he had seen In the small
boat. They were either Italians or Por-
tuguese.
The money and valuables he had with
him probably amounted to about "a 600 in
real value. Among his trinkets were a
gold pencil, a silver cigarette case on
which was engraved his name and that of
young woman. There was also locket
which contained the pictures of his
father and mother.
Norton says he was kept constantly
bound, his hands being released at inter
walls that he might eat He lay in an ex-
posed part of the boat and suffered
severely. He complained. and was kicked
and beaten by the men for doing so. On
brought on deck several packages, among
them champagne case
The boat was then anchored and the
mon lowered their small boat. The pack
ages were placed in it and the men rowed
away, leaving him bound upon the deck.
Norton freed his hands ana united the
rope which bound his feet.
With knife which he found in the
cabin he cut the rope which ran to the
anchor, and, as the sail had been eased
away he managed to run the schooner be-
fore the wind.
He had no idea where he was and stood
out before the wind, not being able TO
manage the unwieldy schooner single
handed. He was soon out of sight OF land.
The same afternoon an ocean steamer
passed him and he shouted and waved his
handkerchief, but the people on the
steamer appeared to misunderstood him,
as they gathered along the rail and waved
their handkerchiefs.
There was plenty to eat and drink on
the schooner. He found a case Of claret.
His head troubled him, owing TO the blows
which he had received and the heat and
exposure.
On Tuesday he caught the forerunner
of the cyclone. On Thursday the storm
reached its height. The wind increased
suddenly and Immediately the mast went
by the board. For about an hour he
drifted at the mercy of the waves. Then
the boat capsized and he chung to the
overturned craft
When the morning dawned he saw
lighthouse, the Absecom Light. Break
ing plank from the capsized schooner, he
worked his way toward land, which he
did not reach until long after nightfall
Norton telegraphed to his uncle, II. 0.
Norton, the dry goods merchant on
Church street, New Haven, This morn
ing he conversed with his friends over the
long-distance telephone. Norton is of
medium height and slightly built. He is
badly suuburned and appears to have
suffered considerable exposure TO the
wind and sun.
New Haven Aug 25.--Louis Nortons
father aud mother had given him up for
dead. They did not doubt he had been
drowned while bathing in the sound.
They will go at once to Atlantic City
His reputation is so good in this city that
his romantic story is implicitly believed.