Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1900-07-13
YACHT cApsIzEs.
Famous IdIcr IL Lost In n storm on
Lake Erie-six of Those on
Board Perish.

Cleveland, o., July 9.-The famous
schooner-yacht Idler is drifting half
submerged on Lake Erie 16 miles off
this port, and in her cabin are the
bodies of six persons, members of the
family of James Corrigan, owner of
the boat and n wealthy vessel man of
this city. The dead are:
Mrs. James Corrigan, wife of the owner
of the boat.
Miss Jane Corrigan, aged 20, daughter
OF James Corrigan.
Ida May Corrigan, aged 10, daughter
Eta Corrigan, aged 10, daughter of
John Corrigan.
Mrs. Charles Reilly, aged %, daughtep
of James Corrigan.
Baby Reilly, daughter of above.
Mrs. John Corrigan was the only
passenger aboard who was saved. C:
II. Holmes, the captain; Samuel Big
gam, the mate, four sailors, two cooks
and the ship carpenter were also
saved. The yacht left Port Huron
Friday with the family of Mr. Corri-
gan aboard and started to Cleveland.
Mr.. Corrigan was i'll and left by train.
The yacht was in tow until she
reached Bar Point, when the captain
left her tow and turned the yacht for
Cleveland. At two o'clock the storm
came up, and inside of five minutes
the yacht sank. All the women ex-
cepting Mrs. John Corrigan and Miss
Eta Corrigan were in the cabin when
the gale came up. They became panic
stricken and refused to leave the
place. The mate implored them to
come TO the deck, but they refused.
Mrs. John Corrigan clung to cork
sofa when the gale came and was
saved.
Samuel Biggam, mate of the ill-fated
yacht, who is one of the survivors,
said:
"It was about 2:15 o'clock that the
squall hit us. The yacht laid down on
her beams ends, and the water rushed
through the dead lights and companions
ways and in three minutes she sank.
Mrs. James Corrigan, Miss Ida Corrigan.
Miss Jane Corrigan, Mrs. Charles Reilly
and the infant daughter of Mrs. Reilly
were all in the saloon below when the
storm came on us. Capt. Holmes gave
me orders to take in SAIL and 1 trans-
mitted the order to the men. They obeyed
quickly.
THE captain, myself and the crew
made efforts to save the women, but
without success. We told them the yacht
was sinking. but they could not or would
not come on deck. I waded into the
saloon where the water was up to my
neck. but Mrs. James Corrigan would
not come out. She may have been rem
dered incapable of action by fear and
knowledge of impending doom. An ef-
fort was made to take the infant daugh-
htIt
would not let the child co.
The mate said II was realized that
nothing could be done to save those in
the cabin and that attention was turned
to saving those on deck. The latter, out
side of her captain mate and crew, were
Mrs. James Corrigan and her daughter.
Miss Eta Corrigan.
The captain, myself and some of the
crew tried to get Mrs. Corrigan and her
daughter up on the cross trees in the
rigging, but the heavy seas washed us
all overheard.
"'For Gods sake, Mrs. Corrigan, you
and your daughter keep tight hold on
the rigging! We called to them. Even
as we yelled the sea swept them and us
overheard. Fortunately. Mrs. Corrigan
had succeeded in taking hold of cork
lounge. She chung TO it and was saved
The Idler was launched in 1865 at New
Haven, Conn, being built originally for
yacht for racing as well as cruising pur-
poses, and for several years spent the
yachting season In southern waters. Ii
was log feet over all, being SO feet on
the water line and % feet beam. Its
tonnage was 1926. June II, 1870, the Idler
became the most famous yacht in Amer
lean waters and was known all over the
yachting world for winning and defend
ing the American cup Eleven schooners
took part In the race and the Idler ran
away from the fleet and won easily. Aft
er that the Idler rested on its laurels
and for few seasons was used mainly
for cruising purposes on the coast. In
1876 Colgate again raced the yacht In
several regattas, the most famous OF
which was the races for the Brenton reef
cup, which the yacht won. and the fol-
lowing year in September the 1dler won
the Cape May race cup, defeating a large
number of yachts. In 1882 A. ]. Fisher
of the Chicago Yacht club, purchased
the schooner and brought II to Chicago
where II became the best known of all
yachts on the lake, and for time was
the only large private yacht in USE