The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-24
II ARE NOW MISSING
IN CANOE DISASTER
Ensign Fitzgerald's Uniform
Found and He Is Given
Up as Drowned.

The number Of missing canoeists Of
tho party that was wrecked of the
Rockaway Shoals on Wednesday night
has risen from fifteen to seventeen. The
waters for miles about the scene Of the
catastrophe were scanned yesterday by
police patrol boats and q swarm Of small
craft from Sheepshead Bay. but the only
body found Is that Of Mrs Thomas Cor
ley, which was recovered on Rockaway
Beach on Thursday morning.
The two additional persons reported
missing yesterday were H. Houtuna and
youth whose last name Is Cohen Sur
vivors said they were sure these two
were lost, but neither the members OF
the Sheepshead Bay Canoe Club. which
had charge Of the fatal excursion. nor
the police were able to ascertain their
full names and addresses.
1t was party in which many indi-
vid1als and groups were unknown to
the other picnickers. except possibly BY
their last names, and as no list was
made up before the moonlight, expedi-
ton started 1t Is impossible to record
the casualties except as relatives or
missing or as bodies may be found.
FttsGeralA's Uniform Found.
As a good many Of the excursonists
changed from street to bathing clothes
at the Sheepshead Bay Canoe Club, a
search OF lockers there has helped to
identify some Of those who have not
been seen since Wednesday night. One
Of the first lockers opened yesterday
contained the uniform Of Ensign Ed
ward Fitzgerald. the former newspaper
man. listed among the missing. His
brother silently carried the uniform
away
About ten canoes have drifted ashore
along Rockaway Beach. few Of which
have been claimed by their owners. A
canoe not yet found belonged to Henry
J. Christofer. IS years old. son of Henry
Christoffer of 81 Amersfort place
Brooklyn. and a graduate Of Public
School 1872 The boy had expected to
take young woman with him on the
picnic. but as she was Ill he went alone.
At the clubhouse he took into his canoe
Irving Halstead OF SO Kenilworth place
Halstead was rescued. He doesn't know
what happened to Christofer.
Hyman Sturman. IS years old, Of
600h East Sixteenth street, Manhattan.
listed as missing. was a senior at Stuy.
vesant High School.
Miss Margaret Mcdonald Of As4 Third
street. Brooklyn. one OF the missing
girls. was a member Of st. Francis
Xavier Church.
Telephone Girl . Victim.
Miss Olga Best. also missing, WAS the
only child OF Mr.. and Mrs. Frank Best
OF 156 Madison street. Brooklyn. She
was a telepf one operator at the Prospect
place exchange and was excused from
work on Wednesday evening so che
might 90 on the outing John Tufts of
zOl FRANKLIN avenue, also among the
missing. called for her at her home.
Mr.. Best asked him II he thought the
trip would be safe. Tufts replied that
he and his friends had been canoeing to
Rockaway Point for years and there was
no danger. The .Bests are crushed by
tho tragedy. Mr.. Bests brother was
killed in action with the British in
France and a sister was killed in a Yep
pelin raid on London.
Miss Agnes MCGOWAN, one of the girls
supposed to have slipped from the Rock
away bell buoy. where she and five
others chung for several hours. was 10
years old, a member OF st, Patrick's
Church and an employee Of the Kaiser
Silk Company.
Young Tufts also found refuge on the
buoy. but was too exhausted to hold on.
He had been in swimming race be-
fore the party left Sheepshead Bay. He
was a member of st. Lucy's Church and
was employed by the Chemical on Color
Daily. a trade paper.