New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-08-05
Power Boat, Without Lights, Is
Cut in Two in the Della
ware River.
ONE-ARMED MAN RESCUED
Clings to Board Until Help
Comes-One Victim Too
Weak to Grasp Rope
Thrown to Him.
4, Telesrarh % The Trlbune

men. cruising in motor boat without
nautical lights, paid toll with their
lives in a collision with a freight packet
In the Delaware River, one mile below
burlington early to-day. 4 one-armed
companion of the trio was rescued.
The dead men. all residents OF Bris-
tol. Penn, were John Scugen, thirty
five years old. who owned the launch'
George Van Dine. jr., thirty years old
and Robert Hethington, forty-elght
years old. The survivor is Charles Iy-
Ter. ir, Of Burlington
TYLER and the pilot and watch on the
freighter agree that the smaller boat
the Nancy was displaying no lamps
when she was cut in two under the bow
OF the packet John W. Garrett. OF The
Trenton Transportation Company
We, and dazed. Tyler appeared at
the Burlington City Hall about an hour
after the accident. and gave the local
authorities the FIRST tidings Tyler had
met the men by chance At Burling-
ton hotel and had accepted an invita-
ZION TO accompany them on the idiaI
triu down the river. and so slight had
been his acquaintance with hi~ com
lannon's prior 20 the accident that he
did not know their names or residence
nor the name Of the launch.
Identity of Tyler's companions was
not made positive until this afternoon
None Of the men had been home last
night. the families Of each thinking
they were spending the evening al the
home of one OF the others. Graphing
parties from burlington. Bristol and
Beverly began the work Of searching
for the bodies this afternoon as soon as
the approximate spot where the acci-
( dent occurred was established by the
officers Of the freighter and by Tyler.
I-p TO late hour no bodies had been
! recovered.
TYLER when seen at the home OF MS
parents. No. 43 Penn street, Burling-
ton. suffering from Il sprained arm and
! back and a splintered rib. told Of the
accident. He said he knew Scugen, the
owner Of the boat, only by sight, ana,
meeting him early last evening. ac-
cepted an invitation TO take short
pleasure trip down the river.
"Scugen. steering the. launch. was
about three feet in front Of me when
we first saw the lights and the big
black hulk OF the freight boat. said
! TYLER. He threw the wheel over 20
! Try to get 10y the big boat. but the next
! instant il seemed We were struck amid
ships. distinctly remember seeing
the bow OF the Garrett cut through the
gunwale Of the launch.
The next / remember ] WAS strus-
Cling in the water. clutching big
: board with my one hand. l hung on
and yelled for help. and the men came
I in a Hfeboat and got me. was
/ brought here and put ashore"
Tyler denies the men aboard the
launch were intoxicated, although he
admits they had drinks at Burlington
/ and later at the Beverly Hotel.
/ Captain George Van Sandt. in COM
mand Of the freighter Garrett. said:
! Il was in my cabin. and rushed on
deck when ! heard the clang Of bells
| in the engine room and the order FOR a
quick stop. | met the watch and asked
what the matter was. a little boat
ran right under our boz and her men
/ are out there IN the water" he shouted.
/ Il at once ordered lifeboat lowered,
with William Hess, second engineer, in
| charge heard a man calling for
/ help right near the side Of my boat.
and, grabbing a life line. ] threw il in
/ the direction OF the voice and called 10
him 10 grab il. I'll never forget his
answer My hands are under water
and the line is on my back. | can't
reach it, Was his weak response.
/ Il called 10 him TO keep cool and try
( to get the line, but l got no further re-
ply, excepting a choking sound ] sup
pose the poor fellow was in the last
stages of drowning when my line
reached him, and did not have the
strength 10 reach for the rope that
would have saved his life.
"1n the mean time Engineer Hess
/ had directed the lifebOat toward IL
voice in the direction Of the New Jer-
sey shore. Near 10y nc heard another
man crying: I've got only one arm and
can't hold on much longer! Save me
( quick
! Hess steered toward the crippled
man. and his crew found Tyler cling
/ ing TO the bottom board of the launch.
/ They lifted him into the lifeboat and
steered again toward the man crying
/ out of the darkness fifty yards away.
Hess says they were almost upon HIN
and were calling words OF encourage
ment to the drowning man, when the
cries ceased, and, although they
( searched the vicinity of the accident
for half an hour, they could find Eu
signs of the three missing men"