Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-11-28
The Steamship Indian Disaster.

ed at $780, 600
The Steamship Indian Disaster.
-Four of the crew of the il-fated steamer In
dian were picked up by schooner, after bay-
ing 1oated about five miles from the wreck
and arrived in Boston last Friday evening.
John Bennett, the lamplighter of the steamer.
states that the disaster occurred on the morn
ing of the 2lst, the captain having been de.
celVed Ill his soundings, and supposing they
were off Sable Island. There were on board
eight cabin passengers all of whom are saved.
thirty Storage passengers, most of whom were
Germans and Hnngarans, and a crew of seven
ty-seven men. The shock at the outset was not
heavy, and felt much like grating upon the
rock. In moment, all hands rushed upon
deck, many of the passengers in their night
clothes, and great confusion ensued Attempts
were Immediately made to lower the boats.
One capszed and another swamped. Three
boats were lowered with success, and left the
vessel with passengers. In one of these boats
were placed number of the ladies the sec
ond mate, with some of the crew, were in an
other boat the third boat contained Mr., Ben
picked up at a considerable distance from the
ship, in spite of their efforts to keep near her
and render every assistance in their power.
They left thirty people collected together on
the poop of the steamer, and II on the fore
part of the vessel, as she lay cut in twain,
with the raging waters breaking between them.
Dispatches from Halifax, dated 18th, state
that the ship Gladiator had arrived at Halifax
with the survivors of the wreck. T,ceat, seq
en- dead bodies had been recovered from the
wreck, or washed ashore. The ship was to-
tally broken in pieces, only small part of her
stern being visible. The cargo is either lost
or ruined. Complaints are made of the rob.
berry and plumber of passengers and their bag
gage by the natives. The mails Hhave been
forwarded via Windsor, N. S., in the care of
the purser.
When the Indian struck on the ledge she
tore off her bottom, filling instantly The en-.
gineers opened the satery valves, preventing
an explosion of the boilers.
The boats were lowered in their order-one
two, three-when, with sudden crash, the
ship broke amidships. AT this time the steer
age passengers, made arush and sunk boats one
and two, drowning the engineer, several of the
crew and passengers, including two women and
children. Boat 4, under the command of ID
officer Smith, was blown off 80 miles, Boat
five, six and seven were sunk by damage
The shore boat, with three ladies, accompa-
MED by their husband, beat about at sea for
nine hours in a high sea, waether' very cold
and sleet falling, but finally landed safely
The plate, stores, and everything was lost or
stolen. 1t is impossible to obtain complete
list Of the passengers.
Later Despatch.
ST JOINS, N. B., Nov. 27.-The wrecked
Stpampr Indian had tpto1 of
board. Of this number twenty-six, including
two women, were drowned. The news of the
wreck was brought to Halifax by two schoonf
ers which passed within six hundred yards of
her but were unable to render assistance. The
steamer was first supposed to be the Osprey,
but it was afterwards known to be the In
dian. 1t caused great excitement, and the
war steamer Gladiator was despatched to
the scene of the wreck, the Mayor of Hall
fax went in her. The Gladiator is command.
ed by Capt. Hickey, who recently towed dis
abled American ship eight hundred miles into
port Marie Joseph is a settlement Of few
houses, at the head of small bay, land-locked
by low rocky shores and islands The waters
are full of reefs A larger island than the
rest, named Barren Island having on it one
fisherman's hut, lies off the entrance of the
harbor. A ledge runs from the extremity of
the island long way seward On this reef
the Indian went ashore. Soon after she struck
it became evident she would soon go to pieces,
and the boats were lowered and crowded by
the forward passengers. The cabin passen-
gers, eight in number, including three young
married ladies, were calm and selfpossessed.
The ladies were Mrs. Street, Mrs. Patterson,
and Mrs. Medium, who, with their husbands,
were saved. Their boat was exposed for nine
hours in gale and heavy sea. About half an
hour after the vessel struck, heavy roller
came in, and lifting the ship about six feet,
let her full on the rock when she broke across
the paddle boxes into two parts. Several per-
sens on the bow were rescued by passing rope
over the chasm between the two parts. An
aged Irshman who had considerable sum of
money with him, had for week previous
been insane from fear of being wrecked. He
would frequently pack up his apparel and offer
money to be put ON shore, prophesying that
the ship would never reach Portland. After
the bow fell over he was seen sitting on the
forecastle deck ladder with his satchel in his
hand and apparently unconscious of the at
tempts made to save him. He was drowned
as he had fretted The twenty-seven who
were drowned mostly lost their lives when the
ship broke.
Arrangements are being made in Halifax to
assist the destitute passengers. A young
wesleyan missionary WIZ distinguished HlIu-
self in attempting to rescue others is himself
left destitute. The steward says that through
out the day the whole of the passengers and
crew left, were taken off by boats belonging
to the place; and throughout the night the
natives sought to reward themselves by visit
ing the wreck and carrying of all the silver
plate with all the clothing belonging to the
passengers and crew. Every effort was made
that night to get boats crew, but not man
could be found to go. The magistrates are
endeavoring to trace the guilty parties
boats crew went out on Thursday to see if
any of the wreck remained and found only
single plate of the vessel there.
The emperor has arrived here from Hall
fax with the purser of the Indian, the mails,
and about twenty of the passengers.
Overland Mail.
ST. LOUIS, Nov. 26.-The overland mail
brings San Francisco dates of the fourth inst,
Three thousand passengers had arrived at San
Francisco from Panama and the north during