Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-03-12
A Shipwreck Scene.
The New York papers give the following particu-
lars of the loss of the ship John Minturn.n

afternoon, and went ashore on Sunday morning, be-
tween and 10 o'clock in the very height of the
storm. She struck with tremendous violence and as
the waves raised her up the second tme she broke in
two, but did entirely separate. The confusion at
the moment of striking was terrible, but when the
worst was known, every effort was made TO do what
could be performed under the circumstances for
the preservation of the lives of those board,
boring in all lty-one souls, including FIVE cabin and
twenty Storage passengers. The masts were cut
away to ease her, but with very little effect, as she
continued TO thump and grind terribly. The yawl boat
was then cut loose from the davits but the surf
so high, before she could be got around, she
swamped and was rendered useless.
The captain, with his wife, son, daughter and SER
want, together with the cabin passengers, took refuge
in the poop cabin, the only place where they could be
sheltered from the violence of the sea, which was
pouring over them. By great exertons the long boat
was cast adrift, and launched over the bows all of
the head rigging having been previously cut away so
that II should not interfere with getting her off Five
OF the crew and of the steerage passengers, a
Portuguese, sprang into her, and long coil Of line
was slowed in the stern sheets. by which it in
tended to carry hauser to the Shore and she showed
Off When near the shore, the under-tow was so
strong it found impossible to carry the line farther
and those in the boat forced either to cut it. or
return TO the Inflated ship.
They chose the former course and landed in safety
having cut off the only chance Of saving those on
board the wreck. In this situation they remained
exposed to the violence of the sea and the cold which
was intense, for ice formed their clothes
were wet. Toward noon, all on board who were
alive, for had already sunk under their terrible
suerngs, went forward to the top gallant forecaste
where they dashed themselves as they best could to
prevent the from washing them off. Capt Stark
and his mate, together with the pilot remained, it is
thought in the poop cabin and about noon, the vessel
broke entirely in amidships, the after part drift
| ing away and they were drowned.
All this time the vessel was so near the shore that
| hal pffO RI hat do hu
boat every soul board might have been saved, but
it was not until near eleven at night that any attempt
was made to reach The vessel by those land. The
top-galant forecastle crowded with the passen-
gers and crew, among them Mrs. Stark, with her son.
a fine manly boy of II or ii years of age, who had
behaved throughout with GOODNESS and courage far
beyond his years, her daughter the female servant
and Mrs. Forbes, the wife of Mr.. Forbes, one of the
cabin passengers. In tie early part of the day. while
struggling to get forward Mrs. Stark was thrown
down by water cask, which had broken adrift, and
one side of her face entirely laid open, but she
uttered no murmurs or complaints, seeming anxious
only for the safety of her husband and beloved chill
dren In the afternoon the forecastle broke tive,
fore and aft and about half Of those lashed TO il
precipitated into the wreck beneath where they met
an instantaneous death. Of the remainder, no one
was saved alive ali having persisted from the combined
effects of the cold and the pouring over them.
Fifteen of the unhappy sufferers, inducing the cap
tain's wife and children and female steerage pas
Senger, with infant, were clustered around the
stump of the f0remast. exposed for nearly twelve
hours to all the fury of the storm. and ten of these
died there before any attempt made to rescue
| them. Mrs Stark, about FIVE minutes before she
breathed her last, turned 10 King, the sailor, and
begged him to save her husband and children, but
they had all gone before her. The female Storage
passenger who had an infant at the breast. died in
| Mr.. Kings arms; and when her body found on
Tuesday, her infant closely clasped to her
breast that it was found impossible to separate hem
and they were thus buried.
1 Between 10 and L at night boat came from the
shore and took off the survivors, viz: the second
mate two of the and four of the steerage pas
sengers, who had lived through that awful scene,
making thirteen only saved out of ffty-one.
When the ship first struck, she was not more than
three lengths from the beach; and the cargo was
washed out of her. she was driven further on, until
| length she close that strong man, unnumbed
by the cold, could readily have swung himself, by
small effort to the beach. In this position the entire
day passed, and no effort was made to save one
of them, the boat have said, not being brought
until near II at night.
The ship has gone to pieces, nothing remaining Of
her except the bottom, which is embedded in the sand
by the weight of the pig lead which formed part Of
the cargo One Of the sides and stern and bow have
drifted away, and living about mile apart from
! each other.
On board this Inflated vessel were Capt. Babcock
| and mate, of the schooner Van Buren,, which was
wrecked at Galveston Bar, both of whom were drown
cd. Thrty-one bodies have been recovered, two of
which were supposed to have been the captain and
mate of the barque Lofty, and among them were the
| wife and children of Capt. Stark. The bodies of
Capt Stark and the pilot have not yet been found.
MANY of them were found dashed to the forecastle OF
the John Mnturn when it drifted on the shore, and
twenty-three are now lying in tavern near the
wreck, where they will be kept until they may pos
sbly be recognized
The most melancholy part of the tale remains to be
told Although the underwriters had surf boats, and
all the necessary for saving the lives OF persons
in distress, the people on Shore who had collected al
the report of the wreck, and the escaped seamen,
showed a most culpable disregard of all the dictates
of humanity and made no attempt TO render aid tc
The efforts of Captain Stark until the time of his
DEATH were constant for the preservation Of his crew
and the more precious lives of his wife and children
who called with all the confidence and earnestness o
children for safety at the hands OF father and hus
band who had no alternative but say that all human
helm was i'm vain Capt. Stark dead before the
ship broke apart At this time his wife and children
dren were forward, and when the ship separated, fell
between the parts, and no sound OF his lie was AFTER
ward heard from them. There was board large
number of cabin passengers, some of whom had a
) laroe amount of vauabes. One man who had on
grde containing gold, in his distress offered 1900
, to any one who would place him ashore. Assist
ance was not to be obtained and the unfortunate man
and his gold persisted together
The conduct of Mr.. Sturgis, the second mate. is
spoken of as in the highest degree to be commended
he having done all in his power for the safety of the
ship and crew. He, only, of all the ships company
aft was saved The OF the ship Cherokee was
not ON board but the steerage passengers made
p of set of vile wretches who, after their escape
numbered the wreck. The trunk of Capt. Stark was
ed and the chronometer stolen, and all the valuable:
upon which they could lay their hands were seized
Their il-gotien wealth will do them little good, as The
underwriters have taken the most efficient measure:
!. | to regain it, and to punish the offenders.