The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1907-07-05
LOST In A FOG.
Mr.. and Mrs. w. Masuad Picked
Up Half Unconscious In
GASOLINE LAUNCH.

Thcy Lost Their Bearings in a FOa
and Driftcd About For Thirt,
Hours at Seattle Supply OF Gas,
oline Gave Out When They Wcrt
Far From Shore, and They Had
About Given Up All Hope.
After giving themselves up for lost
when they found that their tiny gas.
oline launch had drifted out into the
open ocean in the sudden fog that
that swept over the Long Island
shore on Sunday evening, William
Masuad, manager Of the Alhambra
Theatre, of Harlem, N. Y, and his
w1fo were picked up late Monday
night IN a scmi-conScious condition
by the Canarsie-Bergen Beach ferry
boat Helen and Frank McAvoy.
fOr hours after the gasoline supply
OF the tiny Capitola had been eX-
hausted they were buffeted about by
waves tina threatened to fill her with
every sweep. There was not a NOR
sci of food on the little craft. nor
any protection from the spray and
night chill. A single bottle of water
was soon exhausted.
When daylight came and no land
was to be seen, the occupants of the
launch practically gave up hope, and
gradually sank into a stupor in the
bottom of the launch. Then the re-
turning tide caught up the little
craft and slowly swept it back into
the beaten track.
When the launch was sighted by
the captain Of the Helen and Frank
McAVoy there was no sign Of life on
board, and 1T was not until the latter
craft was actually picked up that the
presence Of the Theatrical manager
and his wife vas discovered. They
were revived to full consciousness
with difficulty and cared for by the
crew.
Mr.. and Mrs. Masuad started out
on an aimless cruise off Bergen Beach
Sunday afternoon. They intended to
go to Rockaway Beach for dinner,
and took no supplies from the beach
cottage, which they have rented for
the summer. When some distance off
shore they came across James McIn-
tyre, OF Mcintyre and Heath OF "Ham
Tree fame, who had q party of
friends in his launch, the Random.
Mcintyre saw the fog rolling in
and advised Masuad. who did not
know the coast, to keep the Capitola
close to the Random. The fog set
tied down over the two launches and
for a time they kept together head
ing for Rockaway Point.
In some II they became sep
grated. After an cratic course Nc
Intyre, in the Random finally made
shore at 4 O'Clock in the morning.
AhOIlt tho con,n ft,,rn tho uocplinn
on the Capitola gave out and Mastud
was forced to let her drift. When
daylight came and land was nowhere
in sight, he decided that he had
turned around in the fog and steamed
out to sea during the night.
According to the threatical man,
he and MS wife lost consciousness
during the agonizing day, and long
before they had. drifted back in sight
of the coast they had given up hope.
They did not know that the tide had
carried them back over their cratic
course of Sunday night, o did they
think OF putting out distress signals.
The Helen and Frank took them to
Canarsie, where they spent Monday
night. They were taken to their
Bergen Beach cottage Tuesday, and
their physician says in a few days
they will be none the worst for their
thirty-hOur drifting experience.
When Mr.. Mcintyre discovered
that the CapitOla had not reached
shore he was much alarmed for their
safety, and at Bergen Beach it was
feared that they had been run down
by Il larger craft. Mrs. Masuad is
a sister of Percy G.. Williams, well
known on the vaudeville stage.
This is one Of the ncar-tragedios
OF as remarkable fog as ever swept
ovcr Coney Island and the adjoining
beaches. 1t blew in from the sea,
completely ~blanketing n bright sun in
less time than it takes to tell 1t. So
thich was the fog that great drops of
water fell from the sky as the thicker
banks were driven inland.