New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-24
FOUR MEN MISSING,
LIVES THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN LOST
IN YESTERDAYS GALE
YACHTS cApsrzEp AND DAMAGED IN GRAvEsEND
BAY AND AROUND NoRroN's PoINT-PoLIcE
MAKE UNAvAILrNa SEARCHES FOR

MEN AND BOATS.
Small craft and many Of the larger yachts an
chored In Gravesend Bay and Coney Island
Creek suffered considerably from the high wind
Of yesterday morning and 1t is believed from the
reports made to the police that at least two
people who were out pleasure-sailing have been
drowned The wind also caused much damage
along the bay shore. The police have received
a list OF the missing yachts, but up to late
hour last night they could not find any OF
them.
The first intimation that people had been
drowned was given when John w. Lyons. OF
Boy Thirteenth-st, Bath Beach. reported to
Captain Burford Of the Twenty-nnth Precinct.
yesterday afternoon that while he was fishing
off Norton's Point from an anchored rowboat
he saw the overturning OF small sailboat con-
taning two men. The boat at the time was
within half n mile Of the shore, and to all ap-
pearances she was laborng hard with the high
wind and heavy sea. One OF the men was hand
ling the tiller while the other trying to
take In n reef or lower the sail. few minutes
later, Lyons said. he heard a cry. and as he
looked toward the craft he saw the boom
swing around carrying with 1t the man who
was attending TO the sail.
The helmsman jumped from his seat and
went to his companions assistance but as he
did so the boat gave urch and moment later
overturned The wind then caught the boat
and it drifted off toward Fort Hamilton Lyons
rowed over to the scene of the accident. but he
could find no trace OF the men,
Three hours later the craft drirted ashore at
Dyker Beach. between Dyker Park and the
| links OF the Dyker Meadow Golf Club. The
craft is an 1Sfoot keel sailboat. high in the bow,
with a short overhangng stern and leg-o'-mut-
ton sails. The sail was torn to shreds. and two
| feet OF the topmast was broken. The boat Is
painted green inside and out. but there are no
marks that will lead to the Identification Of the
craft or show who Its owner is. There is no
! deck and her port side is stove In. Acting De-
tective Brown, Of the Bath Beach police. has
been placed on the case, but up to a late hour
| last night was unable to find any trace Of the
missing men.
John Scherle, a plano-maker. OF No. 3l9 At
lantic-ave, Brooklyn. also reported to the police
OF Coney Island at noon yesterday that while
he was fishing off Coney Island Point yesterday
morning he saw a small sailing craft with two
men capsized within fifty yards Of where he
was anchored. Scherle says that he immediate
" set out 10 rescue the men. but he was hin
dered by the large quantity Of water which en-
tered his boat. and kept him busy baling.
| Before he could reach the spot WHERE tne pod
capszed another yacht sailed up and after
| tacking about for ten minutes sailed away
After the boat departed Scherle could see nc
sight Of the two men, and he believed that the!
| had been rescued.
| CAPTAIN Collins, OF the Coney Island precinct
ordered his men to make an investigation, ant
| from their report the police are led TO thlni
| that these men have also pershed as the
police of Fort Hamilton, Bath Beach and Conel
| island can find no trace at any Of the landings
| where any rescued men have been brought
William Schumachers sloop yacht Clyte was
| saved from going ashore and being dashed tt
! pieces at the end OF Bay Twentieth-st, Bat'
| Beach, by volunteer wreckng crew com
| posed of bicyclists yachtsmen and walters.
The naphtha launch Exenia, belonging to the
| South Amboy Yacht Club. and owned and cap
| tanned by Thomas Fenton, Jr.. started from II:
| anchorage at South Amboy at O'Clock yester
day morning with James Wallace, David wat
son. Thomas Fenton and Donald Mckay or
| hoard When the high wind came up th'
| launch was off Coney Island Point ana IL was
| capszed The men were rescued by meHper'
| of the Stella Boat Club. OF Gravesend, and the
New-York Volunteer Life Saving Corps.