New-York tribune., 1909-06-28
THRONGS AT ISLAND
MANY SLEPT ON BEACH.
Bather Drozcned IN Spite Of Heroic
Attempts at Rescue.

Coney Island became vast dormitory for an
army of two hundred and fifty thousand men,
women and children from early Saturday night
until the rose Yesterday morning When the
sleepless began their pilgrimage to this breathing
spot in search of cool nights rest it was thought
that they composed the ordinary run OF Saturday
night visitors the island. bent on pleasure only
Instead Of going the amusement centres. how
ever by far the greater part OF the crowd started
for the beaches where they scooped out beds in the
sand laid down their wraps and were soon enjoy
ing the sensation of a cool. airy sleep, unconhned
by tenement walls and untroubled by the rattling
end Earring of traffic.
The thousands came on every surface and ee-
waited line that runs between New York City and
the island. They arrived sngly. in tvos and threes
and whole families Little children toddled along
beside their elders: old men and aged women
plOdded wearily onward. all in the quest OF relleI
from the wearing heat that made their narrow East
Side homes veritable infernos of discomfort The
sight on the smooth sands of the stretches beside
the ocean bore resemblance to the religious devo-
tions of army of Moslems as they knelt on the
ground, spread their blankets and finally settled
into motionless rest To guard their slumoers
captain Palmer Of the Conev Island police station,
detailed more than fifty painclothes men. and
these patrolled the beach all through the night
This marked the last of the heat wave, FOR "11ei
the sleepers awoke il thing of the past
In full sight OF the swarm Of humanity at Coney
Island man named David Matter. a tailor. of
No SO State street. Brooklyn, swan far out was
seized with cramps and drowned before aid could
reach him Matter vas twenty-eight years ola
and apparently strong swimmer. He went out
beyond the life lines in spite of the heavy sea
that was running. While than a hundred
yards from the lines he suddenly threw his hands
above his head and called for help On the beach
at the time Captain Tom Riley OF the life
guards Riley dashed into the surf on the instant
and in few minutes was within reaching distance
of the drowning He got grip on the mans
collar. While he struggling with the ex-
hausted swimmer a giant wrenched him from
his grasp and carried him out to sea Riley made
frantic efforts to again get to the man, but the
current that ran outside the shoals too swift
and Matter was swept beneath the surface and
disappeared. His body had not been recovered up
TO a late hour last night.
II was estimated that fully fifty thousand people
were bathing during the day Many rescues were
recorded, mostly of women and children. who were
swept off their feet by the strong undertov.
Every resort running to capacity yesterday,
and the people seemed to he so much relieved at
the moderate temperature and absence Of humidity
that they entered into the spirit of things with
renewed zest and made tour Of every place that
held out the slightest promise Of entertainment
The big hotels on Coney Island and in the vicinity,
from Manhattan Beach far west as Bath Beach.
have taken on a new delight. and the army Of
pleasure bent folk were in a happy frame of mind
Conev Island came into her again last night