Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1871-01-14
The Nick Wall Horror.


lsu nigh, from below, among ~noa-is
one OF the passengers Of tie Nick Wall,
give the following dsisils OF The sccijeIt
to that boat on sunday night, which re-
suited IN Ihe dsslh Of over one unJred
passengers. The Wall struck the snag
at hsli.p ten on The night named and
sunk IN less than ten minu'es in forty
feet of water. Her hurricane roof falling
in from the immense weight thereon
made prisoners of The cabin passengers,
I thereby preventing their escape. MIR.
Montehulchsr. the passengers mentioned,
aIaies ihst al the time named eight or ten
passengers were sitting about the s,ovo
when they felt the shock. lie then ran
out OF ,he door Of the cabin. and ~ss
about Ia return when the cabin csved in.
dashlng barrels, rlouehs. wagons and 9th.
er articles into the csbin, where every
body had rushed who could GET out Of
their slate-ruoms. Mr.. Mon,ehutcher's
lurlher statement is as follows - wss
thrown against the smoSesiack on stat
board side vas twice pulled back by
some one caught me BY The feet. IN The
struggle 10 save himself, and puIled ny
shoe. off finally managed 10 gain the
hurricane deck. and then saw no earthly
chance for escape. ,s the rool ~ss by ilns
time crowded. and every one was seekIpg
for something on which To hosL The
boa, was By this lime under the water
nothing remained out bit the hurricane
roof and the pilot house. The wreck
was sIill Roaiine down the river, ard wo
did not know whst moment she would
sink. Women uere screaming for hns-
bands and children. and children fur par.
enis. Jus,ss We thought all hopes were
gone we saw the lights Of boat coming
up the river. and every one iha, could
shouted for assistance. James Vend'r-
worst. assistant pilot. lighted $ riree of
paper in the piIo, house. showing u ss u
signal OF distress. In about fifteen min.
ute. the friendly boat hosied alongside
and made last 10 the wreck. when stag
ing was thrown oct and all that were sblo
90, on board The Seminole. After she
came alongside Vsndeovors, and Richard
Dill. the porter Of the ilI.fsieJ steamer. cut
through the hurricane roof and found Mrs.
Roe. the captains vile, wedged in among
LOT OF barrels. boxes, &c. She was
brought into the cabin Of The Seminole.
and sfer great eIeIilons sho~rd sIens of
life and 10 now doing well. Tie dead
we're then brovgh, in. The scene beg.
gsrs de. crip,ion. There were about TWEEN.
ly.fve killed, bot ! cannot tell ho~ many
were wounded. Mr.. Taylor. from soms
part OF Missouri. who was ioomine with
nc. is smong The dead. He had r'ti'ed
about hve minutes before the scciden,
happened. gentleman. with his dsush.
Ter aud son in Law, the Last Two Iusi maj
ried. a'e among the dead. They intended
10 ge, OF about one mile below the wreck.
The Nick VIII lies aground sboo, -four
miles below Worihon Point. where she
struck. The number Of lives lost by the
accident cannot he ascerialbed. Sky or
more deck passengers wen, on board 81
this place. Sevefsl OF these. in the midst
Of the terror of the scene. leaped over
board and sere drowned. Many were
taken from The wsIeI BY life boats. The
Seminole passengers cay that CapiaIn
Montgomery came up to the wreck and
touched i, so lightly aud gently that ihsrs
was no, the slightest psrc,p'ibls shock.
The ll'ebosts Immediately surround.
ed the Nick Wall. The steamer P.rs.
gon passed The wreck Of ,he MEX Wsll
about two hours sfer the accident occur.
red, and the captain. officers and crew
rendered the unfortons,e people taken
from tie wreck errey pos'iblc kindness.
Those going down the river were taken
by the Paragon TO their deslinsiion.
In cr,r'csiIne Mrs. Roo sn axe hsd to
be used 10 co, through the hurricane roof.
She wa. str tex ~lIh the axe. but no, se-
ro,-ly wounitd. Seventy smigr,nts and
twenty cabin passengers bo.rdec the Nick
Wsll here. She had on bosrd $50 souls.
The di'a-ier is The most sppsllIns one
that has occurred since The explosion OF
the Sultana in 1868. Among ths lost
va. a bridal party that got en- here
Correspondent Boston Times.