The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-08
YACHTING PARTY DROWNED.
James J. COrriEan's Family Lost II
SuunII ON Lnke Erie.


CLEVELAND, Ohio. July I'm a sud
den storm this afternoon on Lake Erie
the pleasure yacht Ider was overturned
eighteen miles off shore and the entire
family of Commodore James j. Corrigan
the millionaire vessel and mine owner
partner of Frank Rockefeller. were
drowned.
The dead are:
Mrs. James Corrigan, aged 81 years.
Mrs. Charles Riley. aged % .ears,
daughter of MIR and Mrs. Corrigan.
Miss Jane Corrigan. aged 90 years,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs Corrigan.
Baby Riley aged seven months.
Miss Ethel Corrigan, niece of Mr.. and
Mrs. Corrigan.
The disaster was the termination of a
weeks pleasure cruise. Last Saturday
the Corrigan family, including the commo-
dore, sailed in the Idler for the st. Clair
Flats. where they spent the subsequent
days cruising about, fishing and having a
general good time. The start for home was
made this morning. Mr.. Corrigan, in or
der to get to his business early, came to
Cleveland early by train, not doubling
but that in the Idler. one of the stonch-
est yachts on the lake, his family would
be perfectly safe. The yacht was being
towed by the propeller Australia.
At p. m. heavy storm arose and
the yacht was capsized. On the deck at
the time were the captain and crew of the
yacht, Mrs. John Corrigan, wife of a
brother, and James J. Corrigan, and Mr..
Corrigan's two young unmarried daugh-
and Baby Riley were in the cabin
Only Mrs. John Corrigan was saved.
All of the crew were saved. Fishing tugs
cruising in the neighborhood picked up the
crew. but could find nothing Of the pas
sengers with the exception OF Mrs. John
Ccrrigan.
Captain Charles G. Holmes, of the yacht,
says that the storm came up SO suddenly
that he was even unable to take in sail
This is disputed by others who were on the
lake at the time. They say that the storm
was gathering for over an hour. Alexander
Nelson, one of the sailors. says that he
tried to save Miss Jane Corrigan, but that
she clung around his neck so that he was
forced to break away from her in order
to save himself.
Mrs. Riley was married two years ago.
and her wedding was one Of the society
events of the year. Her home is in New
lut ItoCueu WtiS
brought to this city and Immediately the
life saving crew put off to the wreck. They
found that she had righted and her spars
were standing out of the water. All her
sail was set
Mr.. Corrigan at 9 o'clock went out In a
tug with divers to recover the bodies. He
says that it appears that the crew could
easily have prevented the wreck. The wind
that overturned the yacht was blowing at
the rate OF sixty miles an hour, says the
local United States weather observer.
The desolated Corrigan home at 1910
Wilson Avenue, is one of the most mag
nificent in the city. The family enter
tanned great deal and the young ladies
were among the most attractive in the
city. They were expert golf players and
horsewomen. The crew is severely criti-
cised for saving themselves and not saw
ing the passengers.
In the midst of the storm several small
hoats were overturned. but no one was
lost so far as known. The violence OF the
storm was severely felt in this city.
Mr.. Corrigan gained mention recently by
lis suit for s1.00O,0G0 against John d.
Rockefeller