The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-07-31
FISHERMEN DROWN OFF
new JERSEY COAST
Boats Crowded With Pleasure
Seekers Run For Shelter
HEROIsM OF THE LIFEsAvERs
Men Row Through Rough Sea and
Pick Up Those CIinging to
Wreck, Transferring Is to Yacht
Violet to Avoid Swamping.

Anglesea, N. J.-Eight men were
drowned here by the capsizing of two
yachts on the Hereford Inlet bar, one
mile of shore. The yachts we're com
ing in from the fishing banks, and
were crowded with fishermen, most
OF whom were from Philadelphia.
Seven lost their lives from the auxil-
larry sloop yacht Nora, which plies
for hire, and one from the Alvin B.,
small sloop, owned by e. L. Hall
man, a lawyer, Of Pottsville, Pa.
Mailman was entertaining twelve
friends on the craft, which was
turned completely over by a terrific
wave
Bodies of the following persons
were recovered: Frederick Fisher,
ST., Philadelphia; Herbert Hammell
Lansdale, Pa; Walter Snyder, Phila-
delphia; John Fogarty, Hayerford,
Pa; J.. Starkey, Philadelphia; Jerry
Donohue, Philadelphia; unknown
man.
The body of Samuel Lodner, of
Woodbury., N j., was not found.
The waves were breaking over it
when the Nora came running in, and
the yacht was riding on the crest of a
billow when gust of wind threw her
on her beam ends Instantly wave
strained the craft, and the mast
snapped close to the deck The Nora
then turned turtle and all on board
were caught under the yacht
That man was saved was due to
Captain Henry S. Ludlum, of the
Hereford Inlet life saving station,
who assembled a volunteer crew and
put out to the rescue.
1t was half an hour, however, be-
fore the lifeboat reached the spot.
All that time a score Of men were
making desperate struggle for life.
They were gathered around the over
turned yacht, and were constantly
being carried away by the seas. The
battle was marked by many heroic
deeds. One of these was the saving
of the one boy in the fishing party.
He was being swept away when
caught by two men and dragged to
the side of the Nora Then half a.
dozen men, gathering around, sue
cceded in pushing the half-insensible
lad out of the water until he lay
face downward across the keel. He
was held there until he was taken Off
by Ludlum and his crew.
The lifeboat arrived in the nick Of
time. Four men were picked up
when floating away from the Nora.
They had held on until all their
strength was gone, and then with
help almost at hand they were lifted
by wave and swept toward land to
seemingly inevitable death. All four
were unconscious when dragged into
the boat, and they lay in heap until
other Tescues had been effected
The waves were so high on the bar
that it was with great difficulty that
Ludlum steered the lifeboat to the
yacht After several vain attempts
he succeeded in running close to the
overturned craft on the lee side, and
then began the work of taking in tine
fishermen Fifteen had been pulled
over the gunwale when new diff
guilty presented itself The lifeboat
was overburdened and was in immi-
nent danger of being swamped, yet
there were ten men still in the water.
Ludlum was filled with fear lest
the attempt at rescue might end in a
second and greater tragedy, when he
saw the sloop yacht Violet coming
out Then, with the ten men holding
to the gunwales, Ludlum slowly
steered the lifeboat toward the yacht.
Two of the men were torn away by
the waves, but they were rescued
again with boathooks. The Violet
was splendidly handled by Captain
Lilley and two youths. She is only
twenty-five feet over all, but with
several reefs managed to stand up in
the storm Taking advantage of a
Iull in the wind, the lifeboat was
dashed to the side of the Violet, and
then as both boats rose and fell
eighteen men were slowed away in
the yacht The lines were cut, and
while the Violet ran to an anchorage
Ludlum drove the lifeboat toward
the pier.
Thousands of persons watched the
rescue from the shore, among whom
was Mayor Weaver, of Philadelphia.