Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-04-03

William II. ZcigIcr and John =. Mills of
 Brooklyn. With Other Friends, Had
 Started n Little SIoop Eleven Days
 Ago-An Hands Reported Lost.
 JACKsoNVILLE, Fla, April 3-A report has been received from Palm Beach to the effect that tho cruising sloop Robin son Crusoe had been wrecked in BisCayne bay and all hands drowned.
 Among tho lost wore William Xoiglcr and John G. Wells of Now York both prominent thero. The former was inter estcd in tho manufacture of baking pow der
 The sloop left Palm Beach II days ago under charter to Zeiglcr and Wells for n cruise among the keys.
 Boatmcn along the lake brought the news. They said they got it from trad ing boat rcturning from tho south. They declared that tho Crusoo had bcen lost, with all hands on board. All that tho crew of the trading boat know was what they had heard from the men on other craft in those waters.
 Key Largo, off which the Crusoo Is rc- ported to have bccn lost. is the largest and most important of the keys at tho entrance to Biscayne hay This body of water is alive with sail and steam craft at this sea son of the year, a-.d an accident could hardly happen without full knowledge of 1t being disseminated at oncc. But thcro is no wirr south of West Palm Beach. 70 miles north of Biscaync nor is therc any regular means of transportation or of communication.
 It is barcly possible that tho Crusoe may have been lost, and no corroboration of the accident could havc been sent. In tho absence of details friends at the hotel are hoping that tho report is unfounded.
 Judge Gaynor Was Invited.
 BROOKLYN. April 3.-A report reached hero that William Zeigler. we'll known in this city and throughout the country. had boon drowned from his yacht Robinson Crusoe while on cruise of tho Florida coast.
 Mir. XciglCr. in company with William H. FlaglCr nf standard oil fame left for Florida on March It last. Judgc Gayuor of this city had been invited to he one of tho party. but owing t1 his having to appear bcfnFc the Friday investigating committee hero he was unahlc to 70.
 Tho particulars preivCd hero in rrgard to the rCportGd accident tn tho yacht wcro very meagCr, and efforts made to confirm tho report both in this city and in New York city where Mir Zeigler had resided for some time, were without avail. Tho report. however. was generally credited. William Zciglcr was born at Muscatinc, Ia, about a2 years ago Ho lived for a time at Syracuse and aftCrward removed to New York. In conjunction with Dr. Hoalgand and the lattcr'S brother. I. H. l Hoagland. and John H. Seal he organized the Royal Baking Powder company with a capital of $60, GOO. Somc years after a dispute arose among the partners in rc- gard to his intcrrSt in the organization. i The ease was taken to tho courts and l Zriglcr was sustained in his contention aS 1 to his share. llc afterward sold his share to the other members oi the company for l $4. 00u. 900. Ho invested largely in real estate in this city, and later organized the l Crcam Powder company of Now Jersey and also tho Price Baking Powder com pany of Chicago.
 ZcigIers Political Career. ! For time he was largely interested in politics in this city, and in 1891 he was nominated as the Republican candidate ] for mayor of Brooklyn. He refused how 1 ever. tu accept tho nomination, and Henry l \. Meyer was substituted, ho being de- featcd by David A. Boody.
 shortly before that time a scheme had bocn tloated whereby it was intended tu dispose of the Long Island water supply system to the city of Brooklyn for $l, ,250. | QUO. he present Judge Gaynor at once placed himself in opposition to this and induced Zciglcr to act as the principal in bringing tho matter to an investigation. They wcre successful in this fight, and tho system was finally disposed of for ] $4S0 OOO.
 Mir. LCiglCr was an owner in the Brook | lyn Eagle holding a considerable amount of stock in that newspaper. He was n wid-
 owor and had no children. His residence
 in New York city was at GA Fifth avenue. It is stated hcrc that John ]. Wells. who
 had lived for many years at the Mansion
 HouSc, Brooklyn. and who was manager
 of the Monfnrt CrOckcry company oi
 Trenton. had also aocnmpanicd Mir. ZeiS
 Ter and Mir. Flaglrr un thcir trip to Flor 1 ida