The sun., 1919-08-25
STEAMER CUTS
LAUNCH IN TWO
IN BAY, TWO DIE
Mr.. and Mrs. r. Olmstead of
Elizabeth, Disappear
After Mishap.
RESCUES ARE DELAYED
Lieut.. Loeser, Owner of Boat,
Says Ship Disregarded
His Lights.

A motor launch with Ave passengers
was run down in the darkness Saturday
night about a mile of Midland Beach.
Staten Island, by the Point Comfort,
steamboat running to Keansburg, N. j.
The hull of the launch was halved. A
lifebost put out by the steamboat reached
the scene twenty-five minutes later ana
rescued three of the victims who were
clInging to pieces of wreckage. Mr.. and
Mrs Rudolph Olmstead of "a Fourth
street, Elizabeth. n. j., had been
drowned. 1t was believed After cruis-
ing near the wreck for nearly an hour
hone of Receiving the bodies was aban-
doned.
The Point Comfort with the rescued
party aboard, completed its trip to
Keansburg and returned to the Battery.
An ambulance from the Broad Street
Hospital met the survivors at the pier.
Mrs. Jennie Schaefer, rs. of rs Stanhope
street, Brooklyn. WAS In serious condi-
ton. The others. Miss Marie Olmstead,
10. and Lieut.. Hugo Loeser. owner Of
the motorboat, were able to discuss the
accident Miss Olmstead was not in
formed that her parents had not been
rescued, She supposed they were also
IN the hospital.
h6o
Lieut.. Loeser Is stationed at East
View Hospital No. IS, and has been
making his home at the residence Of the
Olmsteads in Elizabeth. The party had
made a trip to Great Kills, Staten ISL
and, to visit some friends and were re-
turning when the accident happened
Lieut.. Loeser said his lights were set as
usual and should have been discerned
easily by the steamboat.
When he was about a mile off shore,
Lieut.. Loeser said he sighted the steam
boat. then nearly a mile behind, heading
toward keansburg. He laid his course
accordingly, supposing the larger craft
would pass him at a considerable dis
lance. He gave no further thought to
the steamboat, he said, expecting to be
warned by whistle blasts when she APP
preached. The first intimation that the
launch was in danger was the sound OF
the steamboats, engines.
Lieut.. Loeser seized the wheel and
tried to avert the disaster. but 1t was
too late. The next moment the craft
was divided by the steamboats, PROV, and
all were thrown into the water.
ct think my head struck something
when l went overheard" the Lieutenant
said, Il went down and down. till.
am sure, I touched bottom. When
came up | heard Mrs. Schaefers voice
She told me she was afloat on a piece o.
wreckage. Then 1 called to Miss Ohm.
stead. She said she was holding to g
board, but she did not think she could
keep up much longer. l shouted. but
could get no answer from Mr.. and Mrs
Olmstead. They must have been injured
and have gone down at once.
In Water Half Hour.
I'VE must have been in the wateI
twenty-five or thirty minutes. The boat:
which came to our rescue we're in bac
condition. with oarlocks gone. I can
rot understand how we were run dowr
under the circumstar ces with our lights
burning and our position plainly visible
from the Point Comfort. The steamboa
did not signal US as she approached"
Lieut.. Logger said the rescue worl
was made more difficult because of tn
few lights showing on the steamer. Th'
captain did not use the searchlight, h
said. and the rescuers worked practi
cally in darkness. The ship was com
msnded by Capt. James J. Cross OF 81
South Sixth street, Jersey City
Miss Olmstead had recovered suff
to her home. She was then INFORMED
that her parents probably had been lost
Lieut.. Loeser was taken to Army Bias
Hospital No S. Mrs. Schaefer was still
10 i'll to be moved. Aside from shocl
and immersion she is suffering from
fra ctured ankle.