The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-07-20
BOAT CAPSIZes
Sixteen of the People on the
Ship Are Drowned
WHEN CRAFT SINKS

The Fatal Accident Was Caused by
the Capsizing of the Pleasure SloOp
in Squall that Struck Her While
Sailing in the Bay at New York
Sunday.
Sixteen persons, five of them wo
men, met death BY drowning in the
waters either surrounding or in the
vicinity of New York Sunday. Ten
of the victims perished after the cap
sizing of the excursion sloOp RoXana,
carrying 22 passengers. which was
struck By sudden squall in lower
New York bay, midway between
Coney Island point and Hoffman is
land. late Sunday afternoon. OF the
survivors one woman, Mrs. c. knud
son, of Brooklyn, is in such serious
condition that she probably will die.
Her two daughters were drowned.
The other drowningS with but one
exception. were swimming accidents.
Stephen Ernest, 2S years old, Of
Brooklyn, was drowned off Coney Is
land while learning to swim.
Chas. Hendricksen, ~ years old, Of
Brooklyn, met death in the same vi
cinity by the upSetting OF a row
boat
William Yaeger, 16year-old boy
of New York, slipped off some rocks
and fell into the Hudson to his death.
Off Bellmore, l.. l., Charles Conn,
32years old, got beyond his depth and
sank.
Giano Rizzo, laborer, 81 years
old, perished while swimming in the
Harlem river.
Lastly Edward Wall, 35 years old,
of East Orange, N. j., was seized with
cramps and drowned in the Morris
canal near Newark.
In the Roxana disaster, the follow
ing perished:
Selma Sameason, New York; Ella
Olsen, Flatbush, l.. l.; Olga and
Eelma Knudson, sister, | l and IA
years old, respectively, Brooklyn;
John Christensen. Brooklyn: Ahra-
ham Hunson, Brooklyn; Abraham
Janison. Brooklyn: Alice EngelsOn.
brooklyn; Peter Spielson, Brooklyn:
John Thompson. Brooklyn.
The captain of the RoXana and the
twelve survivors were picked up with
great difficulty in a rough and choppy
sea by the tug Lamont.
The Royana. with her skipper,
Capt Samuelson, was chartered ut
Eelma Knudson. sisters. l and Il
party Of Swedes from Brooklyn for :.
sail across the bay to Midland beach.
Staten Island and back The first
leg of the voyage WAS made without
mishap and all hands piled ashore TO
make merry. Beer was served and
some Of the survivors. could give but
Il hazy account of the accident.
All afternoon there was a stiff
breeze from the southwest which left
nasty cross sea. Toward 4 o'clock
the Roxana, reeling homeward across
the bay under all the sail good judg-
ment would permit her to carry, slip
ped into squall. She lay over until
the copper plates glistencd in the
sun and as the angle of the deck
steepened to the angry water in her
/ lee, the women screamed and scram-
| bled for the upper rail.
The captain struggled to slack
away his sheet. bnt there was no time
for such measures Of relief. In one
moment the RoXana was bottom NJ
and the form was black with bobbing
! heads. In another moment the RoX-
ana had vanished and one by one the
heads began to follow her.
Fortunately the tug Lamont was
keeping Il sharp lookout. Capt. Kcyes
saw the sloop keel over in the gus!
and fail 10 come back. Instantly be-
headed ior the spot where the Roy
ana had been, but before be could
reach her ten passengers had gre
down. Life lines and buoys Wcra
thrown to those still afloat and, after
a few minutes Of brisk and anxious
work, all in sight were taken aboard
! the Lamont.
The survivors. thoroughly exhaust
ed and half daZed were taken to a
hospital on Staten Island.