Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-01-22
The ln.e Cal miey Of the L.xi.s ..~.

the living dead sufe from the Lexington As
at present known, four living persons, and seven
dead bodies have been recovered from the wreck,
| cut of one hundred and thirty-one souls known to
have been on board leaving hundred and twenty
yet to be accounted for. When the ice clears away
| from the shores Of the soand, doubtless great
number Of bodies will be fouad. A great number OF
trunks and boxes have been washed ashore ON Long
Island, nearly all of which have been broken open
aud plundered
The inoues, as to the cause of the fire, still
| tinues The testimony which we give today, is the
most interesting of any as it pictures to in the
rghtul colors Of TRUTH the fearful scenes on board
the boat that awful night Captain Hilliard is to be
examined today. His testimony will be highly
| interesting Yesterday was elected the following:
| Joseph J. Comstock sXamined-Is the master of
| the Massachuset $ Was present when the loss Of
the Lexin ston yep red at the Office OF the
| papy They concluded on sending a boat, as
as practicable, to the scene OF disaster. l was
uuested TO go her. She to leave at eight A. M.
the next morning. l considered the expedition to
be under my command, although the steamer
under the command of Captain Peck. My orders
vere to her with suitable crew, boats and pro-
visions and repair TO the scene OF disaster We
had about ii men, all told. We encountered great
difficulty in getting through the ice. Spoke every
vessel before we cot to Sands Point, endeavoring
learn something OF the fate of the passengers.
Went as close possible to the shore, and made
careful search, and kept a good lookout over the
water We first landed at Eaton Neck, As miles
from New York. The only information we could
gain was, that some vessel had burned on Monday
night. When first seer, the fire was six or eight
miles off, and bearing n. L. by T.. Twelve hours
after, the wind shifted. From this information,
felt confident that part Of the property could
have iosted 10 the shore there. We then steered
E Is miles, and landed again, with four Be-
fore landed saw several men on the beach, near
Old Field Point. Before l got on shore, the men
had left the beach The first thing saw, was the
body Of Philo Epson, covered with cotton bag
ging. A memorandum book lay on his breast, which
had been examined: his name was o.. the outside;
bu. inside, the writing was iliegble. lie had on a
"life preserver,' and rope attached to handker.
chief round his body The clothes were much frozen,
but the pockets and dress had not been overhsuled
The keeper of the light house picked up the body.
The man told me he found the body at the waters
edge, at cay break the same morning A Coroner
had been sent for, but witness does not think any
in quest was held the body. According to the
information gather at this place, learned that the
fire seen the previous light at half past1, r. M,
bearing w n w. AT II o'clock while still bum
ing, she bore n N w. The last that Of
her was between 2 aad 3 A. NJ. she then bore
the north, little westerly. 1t until after
o'clock. No efforts had been made from the shore
to assist the burning boat left a man there and
proceeded TO Bridgeport. From thence went over
land to Southport, to see Manchester. the pilot He
said that hearing the first alarm of fire, he was at
the wheel, and opeRed the door and looked alt, but
could see indication of aay fire. He stepped out
twelve sixteen feet 10 scuttle in the deck and
there he look ed down into the engine ana saw
a great smoke, with little fire He stepped back
to the wheel house and hauled the boats head to the
| land the south shore OF Long Island. While in the
act Of doing so, Capt. Childs came and ordered him
to make for the land. He replied that Re doing
So and the Captain laid hold of the wheel to assist
Another man at the wheel also, while the Pilot
was on the lookout. The Captain seemed TO be
out Of breath, and came in a great hurry. AT the
time the three hauling at the wheel, some hing
carried away, but what was he did not tell
The smoke and fire came out Of the promenade
deck with such rapidity that they were obliged to
renquish their posts, all three He did not say how
| long but supposed IL was shortly after the com
men Tlent OF the se. Saw nothing Of the captain
after leaving the house. The pilot Immediately be-
gan to clear away the iifeboat, which dashed
the starboar d side of the prone deck; while do
ing So he ordered a rope from the foreeastle to be
| made fast to the bow OF the boat. This vas ne,
and the told To make II fast, TO Keep the boat
clear Of the wheel He supposed that the orders
were obeyed lie then threw his pesjacket and coat
into the boat and with some assistance got the boat
over. The steamer was ge;ng very fast, and the
lifeboat was carried under the wheel The pilot
thought the rope parted not made fast TO the
forecastle. lie knew at that time that the qgarter
boats were fast, and now he Of opinion that the
lifeboat useless. unless TO some one overheard
previously, who might clutch her when she rose
The lifeboat was hing fire when got over the
bow. The pilot retreated TO the forecasle, and
hat he could not get under the promenade deck and
he supposed that about twenty ave orthirty people
we're the forecastle. One was Dir Hoyt, Of Boz
ton; Mr. Van Colt, of Stonington; VIM. Nichols, a
negro and some others, whose names do not recol-
| lect They were mostly hremen, deck hands, and
| walters. He saw chance Of saving the boat, and
advised the opening OF the baggage crates the hsav
ing out the baggage, and makinga raft. THIS
was followed, but they Of no use ms the crates
rolled over like casks in the wat r. Everybody on
| the forecastle was cool and collected.
| By a Juror-1h he steamer was underweigh all the
time, until something seen to fall into one Of the
| valves, when il stopped all Of sudden. He said
nothing Of getting to the steering apparatus an. The
deck was becoming very hot; and SEINE were
ployed in passing water to enable them 10 stand.
| he specie boxes were used 10 get water with the
people having thrown the money overheard, IN their
anxiety TO get at something that would hold water.
lie tried get under the promenade deck Ca get the
| buckets. but was cut off by the fire. ! think the
buc had been got out and used orelse the fire could
not have got to the wheel house before the captain.
That ~ my private opinion.
By the Coroner-Ihey got the waser from the head
pump; and ext they knocked of the bulwarks, and
attempted 20 make a raft oi them. bat without sue
cess The fire continued 10 gain them, ard 10
break out through the deck, from he cabin, which
was on FIRE below. They hal therefore, to clear. and
get cut on the nigbt-beads, at which time the ere
was blazing ten feet high ION the fore settle
think the pilat said he got the stage raft they
had been building and from that O. bale % cotton.
where another person was. Another person jumped
| from a boat, and te knocked the first man 90. The
pilot hauled the back. lie left the bale OF cotton
and gst in tbs guard Of the boat.
| About 3 A. NJ the pilot says that the boat sunk
| he saw the time by his watch by the moon lie got
| peice Of the balwark, with which he managed TO
/ paddle along. The next day he was picked up by
sloop. The pilot says he was entirely senseless
/ when taken Oft.
After had see the pilot, went back toBridgerort
and from there wrote the result Of my mission to