The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1859-05-31
TERRIBLE sHIPWREcK.


near Wexford, Ireland, on Thursday, April Is
She had 375 passengers and a crew of 90 men,
Seventeen OF the former are reported saved, and
three Of the latter The rest were drowned. The
Wexford Constitution gives the following details
of the terrible disaster:
She left the Mersey with fair and full breeze,
and everything seemed to be going on well up to q
late hour when, almost in a moment, the hopes Of
the living freight were blighted, the ship struck
and nothing but death and desolation lay before
them Many OF the passengers and portion of
the crew had retired to their respective berths,
at early hour but a large number more cheer
fully inclined had congregatcd together in the
saloons, and were singing and dancing up to
late hour, there being both fiddler and piper on
board. AS the night advanced, however, the
breeze freshened into stong gale, before which
the gallant ship flew as it were towards her des-
tination and most of the remaining passengers
turned in. BY some means, which at present we
have been unable to ascertain with accuracy the
captain, when nearing Teskar, seems to have lost
his reckoning, and mistaken lis position, for a
little past midnight the ship was driven on to a
sandbank some seven miles off Ballyconsigar,
near the Blackwater the sea making a clear
breech over her and sweeping the deck The pas
sen9ers rashed in crowds to the deck, most of them
but partially dressed, and many with only their
night clothes on. For short time wild scene Of
gradually subsidized as the calm orders of the cap
tain were obeyed by the crew, and something like
order was re-establishcd. The pumps were quick
ly manned, and it was found that the vessel was
fast making water, but the caI tain in hopes
that if the weather moderated he should be able in
the morning to land all his passengers by means
of his boats In this, however, he Was doomed to
be disappointed, as the gale continued with in
crease fury during the whole Of the day. In the
Of Z tbo ,4o
launch the iifeboats, but they were stove in and
their crews drowned In this fearful state of
pense they remained until towards evening, when
the ship, which had till then remained firm on
the bank, slipped off by the stern into deep water
and commenced rapidly to fill. The whale boat
was then launched, and number of the crew and
passengers rushed into her. The captain, in the
hope of being again driven on the bank, let go
the best bower anchor, but all his exertions were
ruitless and though more than forty men were
working at the pumps, the water gained upon
them SO fast that in less than hour she sank.
The heart rendny scenes that must have occurred
dufing that hour are fearful to think of, but are
known only to God, for beyond those in the boat
not soul was saved The captain, first and
sccoud mates remained on the sinking ship, the
only officer on the boat being the third mate,
Stephen Kelly, who succeeded in reaching the
shore in conn any with eighteen others of the
their passage from the We sell
On the beach at Ballyconigar, however, were
found the lfel1ss remains of several of the unfor
tunate Passengers, which removed to the
boathousc there to await an inquest
One of the first bo lies rescued from the waves
that of lady, apl arently about 40 years of
age, who, in life must have been handsome wo-
man. and evidently moving in a respectable sphere
of life Here however, we blush t, record it, we
Ior r,o, tb.t; :C
hardly credible that any person in this age of
civilization could be found guilty of it. The body
of this lady when found by the coast guard was
stripped of all its clothes, with the exception of
body linen. and it was asccrt;aned that this dia-
bolical act had been committed by one of the same
sex, a woman residing in the village of Blackwater,
who had their desecrated the dead body and made
off with the clothes. On the arrival of the con
stabulary, however, body of whom, under the
command of sub-inspector Strain and head consta-
BILE Harding, left here early in the morning this
brute in human shape made to give up her
plumber, and it is to be hoped that she will meet
with the just reward such inhuman conduct de-
serves I he dress Of this unfortunate lady con-
s;s:e / ola black silk jacket, with snail white
spots a black satin skirt two fine flannel skirts,
linen corset, white cotton stockings and slippers
Two large and handsome gold earrings were also
found with the body to which was attached an
Near the spot where this body was discovered
there was afterwards found the body of young
man, apparently about twenty-five years of age,
black haired and dressed in black with life belt
attached and, according to the statement of the
third mate and some of the sailors, the of the
lady above mentioned, who it is reported to have
been the widow of an American captain, and to
have had with her daughter about sixteen or
seventeen years old.
The next body come to was that ola gentleman
of middle age, dressed in luck, whose person
was found silver lever watch, pocket book con-
tanning letters and private memoranda and some
few pounds in gold and silver, but nothing leading
to Identification. Near to this body was also
found that Of male infant of about months old,
and that Of young of about twenty, par
tally clothed, with black stuff and flannel skirt,
black stockings, &c, With the exception Of a fine
linen skirt, and a barrel with an Shannon"
painted thereon) containing potatoes and other
provisions, evidently .he property of a steerage
passenger, nothing else was discovered near the
spot-the nearest point to the of this awful
catastrophe. and we resumed our search along the
cost towards Wexford
From Curracleo to the Raven Point the shore
was strewn with pieces of the wreck, including
doors and pannels from the saloons and cabins,
beautifully painted and gilded, handsome carved
chairs and couches patent line seats beds and
bedding, the cabin skylights and other fittings,
with the remains of two shattered life seats, first
attempted to be launched.