A Bather's Singular Experience.

Bush Advocate, Volume XI, Issue 869, 9 December 1893, Page 5

A Bather's Singular Experience.

Louis .Norton, a New Haven merchant, ■was washed ashore at Atlantic City, New Jersey lately. Some officials were -walking along tho boach near the pier at 11.30 p.m., wtieti they heard a cry for help and caw a manSstrngglirjg in the surf under tha pier. Hhoj- rushed into the water, and with considerable difficulty dragged the man ashore. He fainted as soon as they reach od the -Strand. Next morning he said he left home to go bathing. He went to the cove and there took a email boat and rowed out beyona the lighthouse. Near the breakwater be undressed, leaped overboard, and swam around the boat several times. Another boat was approaching, but he paid no attention to it.- When he was some distance from his boat the two men in the second craft steered close to his boat, and • coAiethe two fast. One of them sprang in »nd taok his clothes. Norton says he swam to his boat aa qaiokly as passible, and had just placed his hand on the rail when one of the men stiuck him upon the head with an oar,' stunning him. When he recovered consciousness, he found himself onboard a small fmit sohooner. He was bound hand and foot. The two men had returned his clothes, but had robbed him of money and 'valuables amounting to about 400dols. Norton says he was kept continually bound, exoept his hands were released at intervals that he might eat. On the afternoon of the seoond day the schooner was ■anchored, and the men lowered tneir small boat and rowed away, leaving him bound apoo the deck. While the men were absent Norton freed his hands, out the rope which ran to the anchor, and managed to run the schooner before the wind. He was soon out of sight of land, and kept watah in *opa of signalling a passing ship. Several times he saw craft in the distance, but owing to the slowness of his boat he could not run ■alos* to them. There wag plenty to eat and drink on board the sohooner. His head troubled him, owing to the blow whioh he bad received and the heat'and constant exposure. On the Tuesday he caught the forerunner of the Btorm, and his little traatraced rapidly through the water. Everything went well with him that night, but with aanriso the wind had increased. Several times during the trip he sighted vessels, but could not get near enough to make himself understood.; - On Thursday morning the atorm reached its height, and the boat capsized. He , dung to the overturned ■craft, bat. was finally swept away. He succeeded, however, in grasping a picas of planking and clung to it, working himself 'towards land when the tide rose. Norton telegraphed to his uncle, a drygoods -merchant of New Haven, and conversed with Ibis friend over the long-distance telephone. He is of medium height and slightly built, and appears to have suffered considerable ■exposure to the wind and sun.