New-York tribune., 1922-04-01
IL on Lost Dry
Launch Arrive
Safe i'm Port
Little Craft, Believed Blown
TO Sea or Attacked by
Rum Runners, Fought
Storm for Twenty Hours
FindsRefuge in Northport
Phone Call From Customs
Official Aboard Ends
Wide Search for Shin

Two hours after the Coast Guard
cutter Manhattan had been sent out
from the Battery to search for the
prohibition launch Surveyor, reported
missing with six customs officials,
three customs guards and crew of
three since Thursday morning, the
Surveyor put into Northport, on tho
northeast extremity of long Island, at
noon yesterday, with all hands safe.
Tho little cabin launch with its pas
senscrs had been buffetcd by a stiff
gallo for more than twenty hours. Be
cause Of the rain, slcct and fog in
the Sound it was unable to reach Bay
Vile, where the American yacht Edith.
with cargo Of liquor aboard, was to
have been turned over to the Federal
officials by the Sheriff of Nassau
County and brought to one Of the army
base piers OF South Brooklyn.
As it was, tho Surveyor found itself
yesterday morning nearly fifteen miles
beyond tho object Of it's quest. With
the nearest place of refuge the harbor
of Northport.
A telephone call from William X.
Sanders, Deputy Surveyor of Customs,
IN charge OF the party on the Surveyor.
was received by Surveyor Thomas
Whittle at the Custom House about /
o'clock Yesterday afternoon, announc
ing that all were none the worse for
their experience in the storm, save that
they were hungry and "prcttv we'll
tagged out" The message relieved a
growing anxiety that the launch had
been disabled in the gale and blown
out to sea or that liquor smugglcrs
might have intercepted the expedition
The little launch. which in normal
weather would have made the run to
Bayville and return with the liuuor
ma by putting into Northrort, after tho
fog had raised 4 little, under her own
power
Ham Is Only Food
ham which Acting Donuty Sur
vcyor John n, NcGil. ono of the pas
sengors, had purchased to take home
alter the Surveyor had returned. en-
abled those in the party who were not
seasic} to stavc off hunger
" hen Informed by Surveyor Whittle
that the cutter Manhattan, with an
other customs party aboard, would re-
Ieve the storm tossed launch on the
mission to Bayville most of the party
on the Surveyor returned to the CITY
on the Long Island train which left
Northport at p. m. The crew, con-
s1sting of Captain Gascagni. a negro
sailor by the name of johnson and an
engineer, remained on the launch to
return to Manhattan when the weather
cleared.
Radio messages had been broad =
casted Thursday night and yesterday
morning by the Naval Communications
once at the request Of the local Gus
toms officials. seeking information as
to the whereabouts of the prohibition
launch. but the telephone call from Mr..
Sanders, at Northport, brought first
news of Che party. Prior to this call
wives and relatives Of the missing men
had besleged the office of the Surveyor
OF the Port with anxious inquiries
Boat Lost in Fog
Mr. Sanders said the speed boat be-
came lost in the fog Thursday after
noon and that night came on them
before they could regain their bear
ings. He said The launch crept along.
the coast during the night until thev
saw light, which they thought was
Oyster Bay, but turned out to be
Huntington Harbor. They left Hunt
lngton Harbor and made their way
from cove to cove until they reached
Northport. Arriving there they FASTENED