The New York herald., 1870-04-23
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.
Burning at Sea Of the Ship Thomas
Freeman.
Tsmpests and Thundsrbolts-A Night Of Hor-
rors-The Crew and Officers, with the Cap
tain's Wife and Daughter, Rescued
from Q Terrible Fate.

Yet another terrible story of the peris OF the deep
IL to be told 1t follows quickly the sad mystery Of
the steamship City OF Boston. with that OF the ship
Crest OF the Wave and the misfortunss Of other
noble vessels whose builders and owners thought
were stanch enough to Withstand the bunet.
ings Of a. angry seas a. King Neptune
could command on the broad Atlantic. The
terrors OF the latest ocean horror are not only
the kissing OF hurricanes, the mountainous pillows
and the drenching storm. but to these 10 added the
dreaded lightning nash, which strikes the sturdlest
mariner with despair IL was the fate Of the ship
Thomas Freeman, q noble craft, built In Bath. Me-,
but sailing from the port Of New Orleans bound to
Cronstads, Russia to meet all these disasters. ana
ON the 18th inst to be burned to the waters
edge in mid-ocean. being struck BY light.
ning which perforated her side %
was constructed OF tissue paper. The horrors
OF night on board burning ship hundreds
OF miles from shore. with hurricane blowing
ana naught else but the ships boats to save crew
OF twenty-three, including wife and daughter, may
be told feebly In words, out the anguish and misery
OF their souls will never be kaown. Fortunately, by
the kind hand OF Providence, az they were commit
ting their lives to the tiny crafts OF their vessel noe
iuly provisoned, they were saved by the brig
Omega bound from port In Cuba to New York.
TAR INCEPTION OF THE VOYAGE
The Thomas Freeman. laden with 5000 bales OF
cotton, left New Orleans bound to Cronstadt Russia
on the 5th OF April Captain Charles owen Of Bath,
Me-, was in command having hts wie ana
daughter on board; his son, Charles w. owen, nrss
oflcer; James amen, second 0f1cer, and Mr. Per-
kins, third officer, together with seventeen sesmen,
making in all twenty-three persons. The voyage
promised to be a delightful one. On the 9th
inst. anchor was cast at the Southwest Pass, and
waiting for favorable weather remained there until
the 9th inst, when, with joyous songs ancnor was
weighed and all san bent towards the port Of their
weather. ensued untl the 18th inst, all on board
meanwhile working c0utentedly aud anticipating
happy termination OF the cruise
Monday, the 18th inst when IN latitude 81 north,
| longitude 70 wesh the wind came out strong rom
squay. AT three O'Clock r. M. all hands called
10 fur topgalant sails aud double reef the topsails.
which was done speedily. Fifteen minutes after
| wards 1t became terribly dark and threatening In
the west; most OF the lower sails were then fured.
| Hall an hour later the wind changed suddenly to
the west-northwest and 1t blew perfect hurricane,
yet under close san the vessel was kept before 1t and
rolling waves making clear breaches over her decks
and sweeping every portable thing away.
TERRIBLE vISirANr.
Steering by the wind, as the compass gave no d.
rectons Whatever, but constantly whirns around.
and tho otncers expecting every minute to be en-
| gulfed, another terror came upon them. Thunder
bolts tore the tlacEened sky, ana sheet lightning
| ever and anon made the rigging ablaze II was
early IN the afternoon. but the darkness was equal
| 10 night Flash after flash came and disappeared,
UNTIL when hoping that their craft might be spared
this last innction brighter ash than all rent wide
| the heavens and in an instant ali on board
| WERE KNOCKED sENsELEss.
| 1t was critical moment. Rising from stunned
condition, the officers yet half crazed looked about
ana found to their JOY that nasts were al stand.
| what poos cOnsOlation So soon as the crew could
coMmaad m str strength enonga she PUMP scatt!es wero
| the hold was full Of smoke-that tine
SHIP WAS ON FIRE.
From fore and at came the smoSe, and blanched
| cheeks Knew that the danger OF the heavy seas,
which washed the decks from stem to stern, was
In q Wn Unyv
lie or deatA--an earnest struggle 10 conquer In the
iaceoi overwneming disadvantages
THE CAPTAINS kFFOKfS
Captain owen lett his wife and daughter In the
cabin when his services were first required upon
no ears that his vessel would be wrecked, because
lie knew the stanch craft. Yet when the smoke
seams and his worst fears were fully realized.
he ordered ns the snip s, TO head .,,n northnorh,
nortRward. At six p. NJ 1t was moderate
and clear and in the lulI an examination was
| lightning could be found. although subsequently It
was discovered that the 'thunderbolt' mad gone
sqaare the pumps were soundea but NO
water was found at this time All matches and open.
ings were battened down TO keep out the air and all
| sail made to reach the land.
| A NIGHT OF TERROR.
Atten p M. the wind again sarleked from the north
northwest and the hope OF the few sails lmpelling
| the burning ship toward land was gone. They must
be urled, and were In little while thereafter the
upper deck began TO heat and the lead In tue soup.
pers to melt. Two hours more and the demoniac
danes Kissed and sent their forked tongues
| from every part OF the vessel Miss owen
young lady of nineteen, stood the ordeal nobly.
while the crew listened respectfully to the
orders from their superors. Smoke all around
Binding, suflocating, with tempest raging ana
the seas now and then breaking over an lliiated
vessel One O'Clock A. Nj, finding that no means
| conld be used 10 save The ship, all hanos were
| called to
GET READY THE BOATS.
| This was speedily done and oil provsioned.
| Courageousy ali preparations were made 10 leave
u expectation Of the fire burning through the deck
or beng swamped by tile turbulent sea, few arti-
secured, and little hard tack for the men Daylight
was earnestly looked for, aud 1t came at last with
increased seas. Az eight A. NJ, 10Th INST iho wind
fire the boats yet remained alongside, hoping against
hope for some favorable change.
AS with heavy hearts the word was about to be
given to shove snn into the bitter and trust to
| merciiul God l0r protection ana safety, Captain
Owen discovered sail TO the southwest OF hts craft
steering norlhward, and Immediately jumped on
signs union oown at the peak and also at the man-
masthead. AT half.psst ten A. M. deliverance was
distress bore down to the burning craft and saved
| them. The vessel proved TO be the
BRIG OMEGA,
from Cientuegoa Captain Kerr, and yesterday even.
Ing arrived IN TINS port her destination, with the
crew ana o1cers, all well, OF the Inflated ship.
| GOING DOWN.
One hour after their rescue the fire, smoudering so
port SIDE aoaIt tae main rigging, aud IN the twink.
ing 0i an EYE & tue s, ship: fore and ID. alt was
and edged Its way al ng the masts steathy and
deathly thirty nne hundred bales OF cotton In full
blaze sent their wicked darts OF nre upward and
| around. First fell the mizzenmast then came the
| fore and manmast, and then the hull was sheet OF
name, and at four T. III. or the 10th Inst, latitude
35 2 longitude "a "a. the Omega, VITA their rescued
| crew, sailed away, yet not without regretful sigh
| Tor the loss OF one OF the best ships al0at
SEEN BY THE STEAMSHIP DACfAN.
Captain james Laird OF the steamship Dacian, Of
the Anchor Line hence from the Mediterranean and
consigned to Messrs. Henderson Brothers. reports
that on the 2oth tue day after the rescue In lati
tude 81 q north aud longitude 10 10 wesL 240 miles
southeast OF Sandy Hook, he fell In with q burning
In small boats, but after remaining two hours
this being at hallpast nine p. M-and, not discover.
| ing any one on the wreck, steamed away. 1t muss
| nave been the last or The ship Thomas Freeman.
THE SHIP FREEMAN-HER OFFICERS
Inc snip lhomaS freeman was built In Bath. Me-
IN 1900 she was OF oak and fastened with copper
ana IRON. Her length on deck was 1871 feet n feet