The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-07-15
CAUGHT BY THE swIFT-RUNNING
TIDE ON DAUFUSKIE BEACH.
BUT ONE BODY RECOVERED.
TRAGIC ENDING OF THE HEBREW
GAMAHL HASAD PICNIC.

Death in Trying to Cross TO the
Beach-ScveraI Others Had Mar
row Escapes-HerOic Efforts to
Rescue the Drowning Ones.
searchers mt Work All Night on
The Island.
Six bathers were swept to their death
by the tide on Daufauskie beach yes
terday afternoon. They were:
ISAAC YACHT, nged -.
Mrs. ABE DICKSTEIN, aged rs.
LEAH sILVERsTEIN, aged 1s.
ANNIE KRONSTADT, aged 10.
IDA KRONSTADT. aged 10.
ANNIE HOROVITZ, aged 13.
Only one body was recovered, that
of Mrs. Dickstein. which was brought
to the city on the steamer Eulalia
The other bodies it was expected would
be recovered at low water, about mid
night, and men were left on the island
to search for them.
Dreadful as was the tragedy it came
near being much worse, as at least
half a dozen more people were in
imminent danger and We're saved only
by the merest good fortune, and the
heroic efforts of a few of the bathers
who We're near enough to render them
assistance.
The drowned We're all members of
party that went on the steamer Eula-
liza to attend the annual picnic of the
Hebrew Gemahl Hasad, a local Jewish
benevolent society. The steamer left
the foot of Abercorn street in the
morning with a happy crowd of 175 or
more excursionists bent on II
good time, and none with a Fremont
ton of the disaster that was impend
ing. There was music aboard and with
light hearts the young men and women
whiled away the time with dancing
until the steamer reached Daufuskie,
about noon. Then the crowd scattered;
some remained on the boat. others
for a ramble about the island, while
still others, among them the doomed
ones, went in the surf.
Went In at Low Tide.
The tide was low, but that did
not deter them, nor did the fact that
there were no bath houses. Suits were
to be had from a negro on the island
and for want of a better place, the
old Stoddard house, which stands some
way up the bluff, was opened and was
used as dressing rooms. Then the
party of twenty or more entered the
water.
The beach at Daufuskie slopes into
a gully, beyond which are number
of shoal places. This gully at low wa
ter is readily fordable and there is
little or no tide in it, but with an in
flowing tide. especially a spring tide,
like that of yesterday. it becomes a
perfect mill race.
The party of bathers crossed the
gully to the shoals beyond at low wa
ter, and had enjoyed themselves in the
surf for some time when they decided
TO return. as the incoming tide had
just topped the shoals. They were all
holding hands-the six drowned peo-
pie, and Abe Dickstein, the husband
of the drowned woman. They started
toward the beach, but had gone but a
short distance when they found them
selves in the swift current racing
through the gully, and were swept
from their feet.
swept HeIpIessIy TO Death.
Dickstein said that up to the time
they lost their footing they were stu
holding each others hands. but the
strength of the current and the strain
of the line pulled them apart and they
were left singly to battle for
their lives. Dickstein shouted for help
whenever he could get his head above
the water, meantime swimming as hard
as possible, though he made little head
way toward the beach, as the current
was running parallel TO II and carried
him along. Exhausted, he finally sank.
but retaining his presence of mind
when he felt the bottom. on his hands
and knees he crawled toward what he
felt to be the highest ground. When
want of breath forced him again TO
the top of the water. he found that by
barely touching the bottom with his
toes, he could keep his head out, and
thus he managed to get safely ashore.
His wife and the others he saw dur
ing his moments above water swept
helplessly down the current. only their
arms above the tide in a last and
mute appeal for the assistance that
could not be given.
The Rescued.
Others who were saved are NJ. Sim
kowitz. who. as he was being swept
along with the others, was caught by
Mrs. Kapland, who in turn was caught
by Sam Friedman, and who pulled the
two to a place of safety higher up the
beach.
Ben Cooley, a boy, was rescued from
an equally perilous position by Dan
Schwarz. A man named Orrenstein
made a heroic effort TO save the Horo-
WITT and Silverstein girls. but with the
blind instinct of drowning persons
they chung TO the man in such way
that they could not be managed, and
Orrenstein was forced to let them go
in order TO save himself An equally
heroic, but futile effort was made to
save the Kronstadt girls by Jacob
Jaconsohn and Mrs. Bobolaski.
The cries Of the bathers and OF their
would-be rcscuers We're heard by those