The evening world., 1894-08-17
IS THIS A Big HOAX?
This Eottle Held Keys and q Story
OF Collision al sea.
Signed by Two Brooklyn.tes Who
Went for a SAL.
States that They Were Run Down
by the Steamship Paris.

Friends OF John Heath, the engineer
in charge Of Engine Company 70, in
Brooklyn, and Fitch Lattridge. who
keeps q stove store at 45l l-2 Atlantic
avenue. are undecided whether these
two men are practical jokers or victims
Of a collision at sea.
Until to-day they we're supposed to be
cruising down the bay In an old whale
boat that had been fitted up as a yacht,
but the news came to Brooklyn TINS
morning that Jonn Cavanaugh, while
walking along the beach at Coney Island,
picked up a bottle containing a note and
some keyss
Ine note was as follows:
Our boat was struck by the steam
er Paris. bound for Europe.
I" Help was refused.
Our boat Is nov nearly filled with
water. We are sinking last. No boat
near to help US.
'.Good-by. all. God only can save us.
Keys In bottle Tor my locker in
room OF Engine Company. ~, state
near Nevins street,
JOHN HEATH,
FITCH LOrTRIDGE.'
At the house of kngine No. ~ 1t was
learned that Heath was the engineer
IN charge Of 70. He went on his vaca-
ton Tuesday TO Atlantic Highlands.
He eft In an old whaiebodt that he
had fitted up as yacht.
With him was Fitch Lottridge, who
keeps a stove store at 45l l-2 Atlantic
avenIe
At the engine-house the firemen were
In 70 I'd he tnk
Heath lived at 427 Atlantic avenue.
with his wife and one child, a boy.
Mrs. Heath only returned from the
Catskills yesterday. Sac knew her hus-
band had started for Atlantic Highlands,
but has heard nothing from him.
At Lottridge's store this morning. q
postal card was received by Thomas
Lottridge. his son. dated Aug. Is. II
said: I'VE arrived at the hIs HANDS a,
u o'clock this morning. We are all
right"
The steamship Paris sailed from her
dock In this city after IL clock A. Nj. on
Wednesday, Aug. Is. the same day upon
which the postal card was maned by
Lotlridge at Atlantic Highlands.
II Is possible. of course. that the men
may have landed at Atlantic Highlands
and mailed the postal card. II Is also
possible that they may have started out
again for q sail and got into the course
Of the Paris as she went out
The general belief in shipping circles.
however. is that the story IN the bottle
was Joke. concocted and carried out
by the men in the boat on their way to
Atlantic Highlands, and that the postal
cara was .malIed at Atlantic highlands
as an afterthought and TO reassare their
friends should the bottle have been
picked up In the interval between their
departure for and arrival at Atlantic
Highlands.
When Manager Wright, OF the Amer
lean line, 10 which the Paris belongs.
was shown q copy OF the noe, he re-
marked positively that II wasn't So.
81 How do you known he was asked:
1T simply isn't So" he replied, and
he still maintained that he was right
when IL was suggested that the mana
ger Of a. steamship line doesn t know
any more about what Is going on at sea
than ordinary land lubbers.
Other officials Of the American line
said the Paris passed out Of the Hook
at l2T, and 1t would not then have
been very foggy, for she was sighted.
Except In thick fog, 1t was stated that
a steamship could not run down a boat
without seeing 1t, and that in case Of
such an accident, help would be Of
Weather Forecaster Dunn said that
his records show that u was foggy
along the coast all day Wednesday.