The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-06-09

Of0eHc9u1mI Sh1pWreck-.L0 Loss OF the ScOOn.
er Euphemia, and five of her Crew.
On Saturday, May 2sth the crew of
the Schooner Commencement. which
was beached during the late gale de-.
scribed some floating wreck IN Lake
Michigan off Black Lake. One of
them, on going to the mast head. made
1t out to be vessel, and thought he
saw aman omit. Although thelakewas
still rough, the Commencement's yawl
was Immediately manned and started
out as soon as she could be ready ;
Vinke and Bosma's fishing boat and
the Swallow, of Mr.. p Root, followed.
which returning to the shore, took the
yawl in tow. On reaching the wreck
it proved to be Schooner Euphemia,
Capt. Claussen, which left here loaded
with lumber Thursday morning. Only
one man was on her, being the sole sur
vlvor of a crew of six persons. The
sailor who was rescued was in a most
pitiable state, and could not have sur
vived another night. He was badly
bruised, his limbs were very. much swoi-
len, and he was nearly exhausted with
cold and starvation. He was brought
to Holland at once, and is now slowly
recovering.
He related to us the following par
ticulars Capt. Claussen brought the
schooner, which he has but Just pur-
chased, from Detroit, having shipped
his crew at that port. The persons on
board were Capt. Frederick Claussen
Mate,-Grifin, three sailors and a
cook one Swede, named john,
another also named John, and the res
-cued man, Peter Hammitt. The cook
belonged in Detroit, and his mother is
q blind woman, depending upon her
daughter for support. They loaded
deep with lumber, nearly all on deck
and cleared from Black Lake at about
9 o'clock Thursday morning. 1t soon
commenced blowing gale form N. n.
w. Between 8 and p. NJ, the wind
shifted to S. E. and E. About IL P. NJ
they reefed their sails, and at l A. NJ
of Friday they got in all the canvas,
and wore ship. At about 4 A. NJ. saw
land. They had lost the center board
chain so that the center board was
down to full depth and they could no,
get it up. About A. M, the vessel
capsized, and lay about five minutes on
her beams ends, when her masts broke
away, and came alongside and she
went over bottom up. When she first
capsized, the crew hung to the weather
side, except the cook and another who
were washed off by the sea, but caught
pieces of lumber and floated of. As
she went over bottom up, the captain
and Hammitt caught in the fore rig
ging and held on, and the two remain
ing men got on the keel. They did no,
stay long but caught pieces of lumber
and he saw them still floating. for an
hour or more He thinks one of them
was still in sight, as late as l O'Clock
p. NJ. The main boom fell on Capt
Claussen's thigh and left arm, and in
lured him very much, perhaps break
ing his thigh, though he could not tell
Hammitt got him out as well as hi
could, and lashed him fast. He dice
at Hammitt's side, about three hour,
after receiving the injuries Some time
after he was dead, the main-mast wa,
thrown round by the sea and crushed
him, and not long after, the lashing
gave way, and his body was washed
away.
AT night they were near shore. 4
black boat, with three men in it cam,
to the wreck, and commenced plumber
ing it, taking off the main-sail and som,
ropes. Fl. begged them to take him OF
but they rowed away and left him with
out replying.
Saturday morning, boat, he think
the same, came to her again, he say
the wreck was near dock or pier, ant
they again commenced plundering, ant
again left him to perish. The wrecl
drifted off, and at about 10 A. NJ. h
was rescued as first stated, having beel
exposed to the sea and storm, withou
food about thirty hours.
We can hardly believe there are be
ings in human form who would refus
torescue fellow-being from death
and hope it will prove otherwise. Blu
if this is true, and the villains are found
their case ought to be summarily trio,
in Judge Lynch's court.