Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1895-08-23
Drowning at ocean city.

Seven persons were drowned in Isle
of Wight Bay, Ocean City, on Saturday
morning last as the result of overcrowd-
ing a little boat managed by a youth Of
little experience. The victims are: Wm.
II. Stoors sign painter, aged as, Of 4S4e
Lancaster Avenue, Philadelphia; Laura
Stoors, his wife aged So; Ida Stoors, a
daughter, aged ID: Eva Stoors, another
daughter. aged 10; Miss Lulu Hall, aged
10, of Bishopville, Del; Miss Lima Hall,
aged IS, sister of the above, and Myrtle
Stevens, aged IA, of Selbyville, Del In
addition to these there were in the i'll
fated Graf; William Hudson, Miss Ida
Hudson and William Hail, a brother of
the Hall girls The Stoors married in
the neighborhood of Ocean City and
every year has brought bis family down
for two-week's outing. They were fond
of the water and spent most of their time
in cruising and fishing. On Saturday
! they we're up early and started for Gray's
/ Creek MIR Stoors had arranged bay
party for his daughters aud their young
! friends. He employed William Hudson,
] young man who knew little about boats,
10 take them out Hudsons boat is a
small one. capable of carrying only about
four people He protested when the nine
Stoors saving: ooh, there is no danger,
The water is shallow We are close 10
shore The wind is light" With this
the boat was pushed off and with a laugh
and a loud good bye to friends on shore,
the party started for Hammock's Point
The Point was reached and the boat
turned towards an inlet Ia doing so,
the boat let in a little water The wo-
men and girls, with a scream, rushed to
the upper side of the boat, capsizing the
little craft in SIX feet OF water. The boat
went to the bottom. Hudson dove under
water and with seeming superhuman
strength wrenched the mast out. This
done the boat arose to the surface. Mr..
Stoors was meanwhile keeping the women
and girls from sinking Hudson fastened
to his assistance Between them they
succeeded in getting all TO the boat and
placed their hands on the railing, telling
them to hold on. As soon as Stoors had
placed the hands of his wife, the last one,
on the boat he grasped for it himself. |
but his strength had been exhausted, and, |
with a cry of despair, he sank never to rise. |
This had a terrible effect on the wife, who |
let 90 the boat as if to spring for her |
husband but she too. sank. The daugh |
tiers were thrown into Mysteries. Boats |
had put out from the shore, but before |
they came up one after the other let go |
and sank They were quickly followed |
by the Hall girls Miss Lynch struggled |
for few minutes, but as hands were about |
to grasp her, she also sank, Hudson, the |
master Of the boat, and William Hall were |
clinging to the boat when rescued. Miss |
Ida Hudson was clinging to the centre
board, aud about to give up the struggle |
when & asped and saved The frantic
cries OF the distressed people on shore, as
we'll as those drowning, attracted large |
crowd to the opposite shore Scores be-
gan searching for the bodies, but only |
that of Mr.. Stoors was found during the |
day. The search was renewed Sunday
and the bodies Of Mrs. Stoors,
her two daughters and Miss Stevens we're
found They presented a horrible sight,
that of Mrs Stoors, having
been eaten by crabs. Before entering
the boat Mrs. Stoors took her husbands
gold watch, over 500 in money and their
rings and other valuables and tied them
in her apron. When the boat capsized
she was tightly clutching the bundle. 1t
was recovered Monday Afternoon. Cap
tain Duntou, of the life saving station at
Ocean City, says that this terrible acct
dent proves the need OF another station
between this city aud Fenwick Island.
Had there been a station midway. the
victims of this catastrophe would have
easily been rescued.