The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-03-04
Boatman Graft and Two
Friends Missing.
LEFT FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
PugiIist Nick Burley Was One
of the Party.
A MATES NARROW ESCAPE.
Upset by the Strong FIood-Tide
and His Boat Swamped.
Marine Notes.
LEFT FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
A MATES NARROW ESCAPE.

Since 4 o'clock on Friday afternoon
Boatman Frank Graft, whose boathouse
is at the foot of Harrison street. Nick
Burley, the pugilist, and an Australian
lightweight fighter whose name has not
vet been learned, started out from Harri-
son-street wharf for trip to the sugar
refinery, where is tied up vessel from the
islands on which the party had acQuain-
tances.
Graft and his companions never reached
the rfinery, nor have any signs of their
boat been since seen about the bay. Yes
terdsy CRAFTS boathouse was closed all
day, and although numerous friends called
there for news no one was within to give
it to them.
The case of the three men is probably
similar to that of the six young men who
were lost in Mission bay last Summer
CRAFTS boat was probably ca sized. the
occupants drowned and their craft ground
ed on the mudfats of the south arm of the
bay. This is what the boatmen along the
water front seem to think.
The boat chosen by Graft in which to
make the excursion was a new one and
had often been pronounced by him to be
decidedly cranky" The weather on the
bav was squally ana the water quite rough.
When Graft got into the boat he said to
Burnley: II guess she will stand saip';
then he hoisteG his sheet and payed 1t out
to catch the southwest breeze.
The start was made In gOnd shape. The
boat shot off from the wharf dipping
down to her gunwale every few minutes.
She bore away for Mission Rock and that
was the last seen Of her.
Before starting on their trip all men
drank freely at the New Oceanic saloon
on East street, near Folsom. and before
leaving the resort ordered and paid for
four bottles Of bier, which they took along
with them to the boat.
The night before Friday Burley had
fought a match al Harry Maypard's place
for the benefit OF Peter Maher, the Aus
traIian boxer. When he left the New
Oceanic he mentioned the fight and said
that be would haue to get back early, as
he was obliged to see some local sports
in reference TO il that same evening.
Graft was just iniOx Gated enough to be
hilarious. He was bent on having a good
time. and he did not appear to care
whether the wind vas blowing gale or
not. Under different circumstances. that
is, il he had been perfectly sober. il s
thought that he would not have risked
setting sail, but would instead have rowed
the boat 10 the refinery.
Burley ana his comrade, the lightweight
boxer, who is described as small sparely
Dullt man, were missing from thelr accus-
toned haunts last evening. No one in the
Tenderloin district, or among the sport o 2
fraternity, could give any clew as to their
whereabouts.
Careful inquiry was made along the city
front last evening and there were found a
few persons who seemed to think that
Graf would turn up all right. friends and
all. 81 hardly think Frank was go intoxi-
Gated that he did not know what he was
about" said one boatman. "He is a good
boatman and understands the bay currents
and the wind as well as any one on the
front. / think it very likely that he and
his frenus went To South San Francisco
and put In the night and day there having
a good time.
''Burl-y knows number of the boys at
the Potrero. He may have persuaded
Graft and the other young fellow to stop
among them for dav or So"
Frank Graft has been hoatman on the
front Tor number of years and is favor
ably known among seafaring men. He re-
sided at his boathouse and has no family
In San Francisco.
But fol the timely aid of John Healy, a
boatman in the employ OF Edward P-ter-
son. f rs Officer Brown of the schooner
Lizzie Vance would have been drowned Cd
Friday night.
The officer insisted on pulling out to his