Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1921-09-24
MEN LEFT CITY TO
FISH AT TOLLEY'S

A number of searching parties are
out today dragging the waters near
the mouth of Severn river with the
hope of recovering the body of George
X Rittenhouse. AZ years old. a marine
engineer, of 2424 Guilford avenue. Bal
timore. who lost his life by drowning
last night. when a small motor launch
containing himself and two compan-
ions crashed into the ferry steamer
Governor Emerson c. Harrington. OF
the Claiborne Annapolis ferry line
The other men B. Wesley Catch. and
Arthur c. Catch. brothers, of Raspe-
/ urg. Baltimore. narrowly escaped "A
like fate
The collision occurred about mid
way letween Greenberry Point light
house and Tolley's reefs off old Bay
Ridge shortly before 8 o'clock All
three of the men were thrown into
the water Members OF the crew of
the Harrington succeeded in rescuing
the Catch brothers. who clung to a
piece of the wreckage of the launch
which was completely demolished and
sunk They were exhausted when
hauled al oard the deck of the ferry
/ oat.
Collision Unavoidable
According to Captain Daniel c. Hig-
gins and other officers of the ferry.
the launch was sighted shortly before
the ferry reached the No z buoy. The
launch was carrying one white light
and was headed out toward the bay,
while the ferry was bound for Anna
polls from Claiborne on her regular
evening run. Officers of the ferry say
that the men on the fishing Loaf ap-
parently became confused when the
boats were close. Capt. Higgins. who
was plotting the ferry, heard one OF
the men on the fishing boat say to the
steersman, Hard aport,"
Launch Crushed And Sunk
Realizing that il the fishing boat
were steered to port 1t would mean a
collision, Capt Higgins says he sig
ing the ferry's speed before the i'm
pact The signal scarcely had been
given, however, before the fishing
boat came about and crashed into the
ferry. The smaller boat was broken
into a mass of wreckage and sank.
At the sound of the crash passen-
gers on the ferry became excited and
tegan scurrying forward to see what
had happened. A boat was quickly
lowered, in charge of First Mate C. NJ.
sailors. These picked up the Catch
5rothers. Then those on the ferry and
the rescued spent about an hour try
ing to find the missing man. The
searchlight of the ferry was played
on every piece of wreckage that was
floating about in the hope that Ritten-
house might be discovered. His body
apparently did not re-appear.
Search Is Fruitless
The search seemed hopeless from
the beginning, however, since one of
the two men who were saved said that
he thought Rittenhouse had been
struck by the guard rail of the ferry
when the impact occurred.
After it was apparent that Ritten-
house could not be saved, and since it
was dark and little could be done to-
ward recovering his fody, the ferry
proceeded to Annapolis. The Catch
brothers were outfitted with dry
clothing by members of the crew and
took an automobile, which they had
left here, for their home in Raspeburg.
The story of the ferry officers is
substantiated by Arthur c. Catch. Mr..
Catch said that in his opinion Mr..
Rittenhouse, who was at the wheel,
misjudged the distance between his
own craft and the ferry. A warning
cry was given. according to Mr.. Catch.
but too late to avoid the collision.
Both he and his brother were ex-
hausted and nervous from their ex-
perience when they left for home.
The boat was owned by Rittenhouse
and kept at Annapolis. The three
men had come down from Baltimore
to go fishing off Tolley's Point.