New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-05
TEN DROWNED IN THE BAY.
AN OVERLOADED BOAT SINKS.
TWENTY-FIVE WORKMEN TRY TO SAIL
THROUGH THE STORM TO SOUTH BEACH

IN vAIN-DowN GOES THE LITTLE YES.
sEL-NINE DISAPPEAR FOREVER
BENEATH THE wATERs-AN.
OTHER PULLED OUT.
ONLY TO DIE.
One OF the most disastrous boating accidents
that have occurred for a long time In the neigh.
borhood of New York took place yesterday
afternoon In Raritan Bay. small whitehall
boat crowded with men, was swamped I'm cross
ing from Hoffman Island to South Beach, ana
ten out of the twenty-five on board were
drowned The men belonged to the force that
has been engaged for several months In the
erection OF the new hospital and buildings on
Hoffman Island They were PLUMBERS TIM
smiths, carpenters and other mechanics VINO
spend the week at work on the island anu
return to their homes in Ncw-York or eise'
where on Saturday. to stay until Monday
Yesterday afternoon, as usual. they made
ready about o'clock to leave the island. mo
water was rough, and the number who wanted
TO come ashore was unusually large. Stiii no
one anticipated danger and they crowded into
the boat until It seemed full. Even then sew.
oral men were about to be left behind when
George Butler the boatman, called to them 10
"Come on in the boat will hold -FOUR
more" So the others crowded in until twenty.
two people were packed into a craft that
should never have held more than hair tnas
number. Laughing and Joking, the men pusheo
off, The wind against them. ana as they
beat up against it under their single sail inc
hoat forced its way through the water ike
q solid mass 1t was too heavily loaded to
rise upon the waves 1t met them. hak
way across, the spray had b.; ten so thicKiy
into the boat that the laughter was hushed
and the more cautious Of the men began %
bale with their hats A few lengths further
and all began to be anxious, Butler more 30
than most Of the others
THAT sails got to come down." he exclaimed.
1T will swamp u.s..
DOWN GOES THE OVERLOADED CRAFT.
With danger and difficulty the sail was low.
cred. the oars got out and the boat swung
round with her stem to the wind and sea- me
critical moment seemed past and the fears OF
the men began to disappear. But the waves
continued to crash against the little boat. ana
she sank steadily lower and lower in the water
At last, when a breaker larger than the rest
came up on the starboard quarter, the water
logged overloaded craft had no power 70 rise'
Quick as fash 1t filled and sank.
No one jumped. Perhaps it would have been
better II some had done so, for the mems COM
bined weight forced the boat far below the
surface and left all the men struggling In the
waves
Meanwhile the trouble had been noticed from
on shore Stephen w. Mahon, partner OF John
Regain a master plumber Of No. 1853 Franklin
st., who has the contract for the piu'rbing work
en- the island, had gone Gown tc South Beach
on his way to Hoffman Island t. pay on hie
was about to leave for the island when no
saw the island boat coming toward him. Watcn'
ing 1t, he it get lower and lower IN the
water. saw the sail come down with rush.
saw the oars put out, the final catastrophe.
and, too late. realized what II all meant
HELP COMES TOO LATE
my God, they're sinking!" he cried. and
rushed TO the beach, In a moment more four
boats were speeding to the scene. In one boat
were Mahon and Albert Bowtke; in another H.
Nunley and A. HOFFMAN; in a third ]. F. Kohl.
mann and a boy while naphtha launch from
Hoffman Island carried Frank Owens and John
Costigan.
Quickly as the boats hurried to the scenes
death was quicker The launch picked up SIX
men, Mahon's boat three Kohmann's boat
three and Nunley's one The other nine went
to the bottom. and one Of those picked UP, ana
apparently saved, died Of exhaustion before
land was reached. The opposing wind ana the
tide dashed the waves so furiousy ana the
that II was not easy for the rescuers to ma
those whom they came to save. Mahon saw
Joe Pearson struggling in the water.
"tJoId I'D Joe" he cried, I'm coming" 40
he neared the sinking man, voice from the
other side hailed him: For Gods sake, hep
me. MIR. Mahonw This was George Butler, the
boatman Both men were hauled into the poats
which also picked up j. b. Sheldon
CALLING IN VAIN TO BE HELPED
Josenb Pearson knows nothing OF what hap
Ha q r
wife and children, and felt he must strike out
| for himself and not try to help others. he was
| almost gone when picked up.
Charles McNamara was fighting desperately
! for life against the waves that seemed to drag
| his feet down. Near him were Edward Kinney
| and Charles Smith. Both cried to him for help.
| eft was awful" he said later. II couldn't help
| them; I could hardly keep Up myself Just a.
| Kohlmann's boat reached me Kinney suddenly
gave way and disappeared .
Mr. Kohlman's boat also picked up Charles
s. SiebenwYight and Charles Smith. When they
| reached shore Smith was dead. and Sieben-
| wright little better He was rolled on par
REL and after half an hours hard wcrk nfe re:
turned to him, but he terribly weak and
| exhausted, and 1t will be many DAYS peiore nc
| fully reccvers.
LIST OF THE DEAD.
| Following are the names of the dead: John
Bloom, Tompkinsvc John Crosby. No.
Beach-st., New-York; Charles d. Drude. Ridge
wood; Thomas Hoey Edward Kenny, Horatio-
ST.. New-York Benjamin Mcclure, James Mol
| 10y, A. s. Norman Tompkinsville; Charles
| Smith, Lynn Wanser. No bodies were recov
| cred. Bloom was single man. about thirty
| nine years DID, Crosby foreman OF Re
| gans shop. at No. 153 Franklin-st. he was un
| married. Drude was married, and leaves tive
| children; Kenny has been In Regans shops fol
| ten years, and was valued employee he leaves
| wife.
| Following are the names Of those saved
| Henry Bing New-York John Boardman. New
| York. George Butler. Swinburne Island; Andrew
| Connolly, New-York George Grove, Brooklyn
| and Charles DAVIS Joseph Pearson. Alfred
| Loring, Charles Mcnamara, John Regan. j. B
| Sheldon and Charles s. Siebenwright, all ol
| New-York Five other men. workmep on thu
island, declined to go into the overloaded boat
| They were Charles Stevens, James Cregh, Fred
erick Blaughough. william Larkin and Osca'
| Cranheld.
| A, aoor On the resc,ied mon were Trough