A Pleasure Party Drowned

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 33, 3 September 1887, Page 3

A Pleasure Party Drowned

The Times' New York special or July 10th says: The sloop ' Mystery , : with a party of excursionists on board was capsized off Barren Island at half-past six o'clock last" -evening. ' The squall struck her, and over she went. . ;Men, 7 worsen, an 4 children were thrown but -into the water. Soirie clung, to the sloop* but only a few. s A tugboat was not far from the Mystery; when she capsized, and Captain Eohd. directed her-head toward the unfortunate excursionists. The tug had difficulty in getting near the sloop. Two of the passengers fastened lines to their waists and sprang overboard, and brought on the tug a woman and two girls, who were unconscious. Three struggling women and two men were also rescued... The wind. blew so hard that the tug was unable to do- more, and the upset sloop ; and the rest ' of the ill-fated passengers, numbering over 20 were hurried out to sea by the rushing tide. .■';;.?ThV:' : tug...:h^aded-'.for Canarsie „w|iari /about .' three miles away. . On Canarsie wharf were nearly two thousand women and children and men. Some had come across from Rockaway to catch the train for the city, but more were there to enjoy the music of the band, . and sit at tables and drink, beer. All were jolly. As the tug came close to the. pier the band struck up a lively air, and the merry crowd welcomed the .newcomers with a shout. A man sprang ashore from the tug boat "For God's sake stop the music," he cried. "There are dead on board !" The music ceased, and the crowd grew still. Two women, cryingaridwringingtheirhands were helped from the tug. On the forward deck couldbe seen the bbdiesqf the womem and the two girls stretched side by side, their white dresses clinging to them like shrouds The women and children on the wharf cried in sympathy ; and - where music and laughter' had been a moment before were tears and wailing. One of the rescued persons said there . were from thirty to thirQr five persons, mostly women and children,, on the yacht when she capsized. Of this number only the five mentioned are known to have been saved.