Idler disaster

The Idler disaster refers to the sinking on Lake Erie of the luxury racing yacht Idler on July 7, 1900, during a storm. The ocean-going luxury racing yacht had once been an America's Cup competitor. Purchased by James Corrigan in 1899, she was completely refurbished.

Corrigan, his brother, and their families took the yacht on a pleasure cruise across Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair beginning June 30, 1900. All three male passengers and one women disembarked at Port Huron, Michigan, as the vessel returned to Cleveland, Ohio. While northwest of Cleveland, the captain spotted a storm coming from the northwest. Little was done to prepare the ship for the squall. Struck by severe wind, the Idler went onto her starboard beam end (side) twice. Open skylights in the deck allowed water to pour in, and she sank within a few minutes. Six of the seven passengers drowned, all of them women. James Corrigan lost his wife, three daughters, a grand-daughter, and a niece. The sinking captured headlines in nearly all regional newspapers in the American Midwest.

An initial search of the wreck recovered three bodies. The remains of an infant were recovered from the ship after it was towed into the harbor at Cleveland and refloated. The remaining two bodies were found over the next two months.

James Corrigan blamed Captain Charles J. Holmes for failing to take in sail prior to the storm. Local vesselmen disputed the captain and mate's claim that the storm was severe, and believed Holmes to have been negligent.

A Cuyahoga County coroner's inquest was hindered by the departure of most of the crew for their home in Norway. The coroner held "accidental death" in one of the six deaths, and did not issue a ruling in the other five. A federal grand jury indicted Holmes on charges of manslaughter, but the case was nolled after none of the witnesses could be induced to return to Cuyahoga County.

The Idler was refloated and given to a new owner. She sank again in 1904 after ice swept her into Lake Erie, and she was dismantled.