Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-30
HUNT FOR LOST MEN
Long Search for the Five Miss
ing BaItimoreans.
ALONG AN ICE-BOUND SHORE
Seamen on the Tug Baltimore Have
Absolutely No Clue.
EVERY EFFORT TO BE MADE
Capt. Gunby Believes the Bodies Are
in Kent County Waters-May
Have to Wait.


correspondent of the Sun aboard the tug
Baltimore sent from Annapolis last night
the following dispatch:
Hopeful, but by no means confident, the
searching party aboard the new tug Balti-
more of the harbor board under the direc-
ton of City Councilman John Betz, jr., of
the sixth ward, arrived here tonight and
will begin early tomorrow morning deter
mined search for clue to the fate of the
five men of East Baltimore who have not
been heard from since they started out from
Millers shore, ten days ago, in a sixteen
foot rowboat.
Mr.. Joseph Lorber, son of one Of the
missing men, is in the party. He and City
Councilman Betz expect success and believe
there is a possibility of locating the bodies
If the men were drowned. Capt. Joseph
Gunby and his six men, while entertaining
little hopes of success in the quest, are de-
termined to spare no pains.
Capt. Gunby Is a man of experience in
the rescue business. He has made a study
of the changes in the wind since the men
started on their trip to Bay Shore Park,
and he has mapped out his course of search.
He believes the strong winds from the
north and northwest have driven the boat
over to the Kent county shore. There he
will look for the boat in the foes of ice.
Tonight, as he made his way down the bay.
Capt. .Gunby recalled the case of nine men
who persisted in the ice at the mouth Of the
Severn river, off Annapolis, many years ago.
When the boat from which they had fallen
had been located buoy was placed there,
and at the bottom four months later. at
the close of the winter. the bodies were
found. The hope of finding the five Balti-
moreans, If they were frozen or drowned,
is based on the repetition Of such an Incl
dent. Capt Gunby has more than once par
ticipated in successful searches for bodies
of drowned men.
Heavy Ice in the Bay.
All the way down from Baltimore the
tug met heavy ice and the report received
from the iceboat Annapolis as she passed
tonight was that the Ice on the Kent
shore is heavier than it has been this win
ter. Anticipating heavy ice, strong ice
cutting prov was placed on the tug be-
fore she left SINNERS drydock this after
noon. 1t was after pm. before the tug
started from Baltimore, and it was almost
dark when she reached point near Bay
Shore Park While it was light it was pos
sible to see many odd things in the ice,
such as barrels and old boxes that had
been thrown over If the tug gets near
the boat of the missing men there is no
doubt that the keen eyes of the searchers,
with their strong field glasses will be able
to discern it. Although he had never seen
the boat young Mr.. Lorber thinks he will
be able to identify it.
Mr.. Betz has decided not to give up the
search until some satisfactory results have
been achieved or it has been established
beyond doubt that there is no possibility Of
getting any clue to the mystery.
The tug may spend two or three days
more on the bay. A stretch of about forty
miles along the eastern shore near Chester
river is to be thoroughly secured. If a
single oar is found. the searchers will circle
around for miles to see where the other
fell. After the boat has been located, If
the water is shallow and the ice not too
thick, a drag of the bottom may be at
tempted, but it is more than probable that
the place will be well recorded with refer
actual drag for the bodies will begin after
the ice gets out of the bay.
To Offer Reward.
Mr. William Hofmeister, who lives on the
Belair road, has started a movement to
raise fund to offer a reward for the re-
covery of the bodies. He was formerly
2432 East Fayette street, and is a warm
friend of the family. He interested sew
eral friends, and tour of the neighborhood
and Highlandtown was made. In one night
they collected about $50.
The members of the canvassing party
the men where he is employed and try to
interest them in the task of raising money.
Some of the men are employed in factories
where hundreds of men work, and their
efforts have met with success. These men
secured a colleague on each floor to talk up
the cause among his fellow workers
1t was said last night by subscriber
to the fund and a neighbor of the Lorber
fund had now reached nearly $3.50. The
committee of volunteers debated whether
the fund should be used to equip searching
parties or offered as reward for the find
ing of the bodies. The latter method was
the one that met with unanimous approval.
According to statement made last night,
the fund is to be utilized on the following
plan: If one person finds all of the bodies,
he or she will receive the full amount col
lected If one person discovers one body,
he or she will receive one-ifth Of the re-