National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-11-17
last IN the Lake.


Peter \. Thorum, sailor, aud the
only survivor Of the crew Of the schooner
I.evant, which WIS wrecked on Lake
Michigan. has arrived in Chicago, and
gives the following account of the terri
bic disaster
The Leyant lcft Chicago aud proceed
I'd Ia Manistee. whore she took on board
= cargo Of shingles The schooner WAS
owned by Mr. Owens Of Chicago, aud
was considered sufficiently scaworthy for
the lumber trade The captain WIS
Patrick Lyons OF Toronto, aud the mate,
Robert Brown of Chicago, Besides
these and the steward, German named
Kloss living in Chicago, there were four
sailors Bll Shills, Peter Brmt, man
whom We called Charlie, and myself
in I'll seven persons on board.
All day saturday the wind had been
very still from the south-southwest, but
after dark II Increased 10 furious gale.
At about . O'Clock at night, when We
were about midway between Shcho} gan
and Port Washington squat STRUCK
the schooner, which WAS Natcr-loggcd
and capsiled in an instant. The men,
who were all on deck working the ship,
ran for the side, and all hands climbed
up and dashed themselves Ia the rigging.
The sen was running very high, and the
water was ice cold. For two hours VT
kept in the rigging, aud Mt II O'Clock We
sighted Il vessel to the leeward, not more
that $50 feet away. All hands set up a
loud cry of distress, but it did not seem
to be heard, rs the vessel passed on with
out noticing MS
About II O'Clock, the mate, Brown.
became delrious, and letting go his hold,
dropped down into the water, and was
drowned. although he was still fastened
to the rigging. About an hour later
Captain Lyons and Bill Shills both lost
their senses. and were washed overheard
and drowned, their bodies hanging to
the wreck. At about four o'clock in the
morning, Kloss the steward lost his sem
SEES and WAS drowned, leaving only three
Of us alive. Twice during the night pro-
pellers passed within mailing distance of
us, but the noise of the gale was SO loud
that they couldn't hear our cries for
help, and they passed on and left Us.
A little after daylight the schooner ID.
p. Dobbins hove in sight This time
our cry of distress was heard and they
made preparations to lower the boat. BY
this time Charlie and Brant, though still
alive, had both lost their senses. II APP
pears the Dobbns' boat had been stove
in, and she stood past us about mile,
III order to tx it up, and en- put about
and came back to MS. When abreast OF
the wreck her boat was lowered III charge
of the mate, John Bolin, and they pulled
over to us. 1t was found that Charlie and
Brant We're unable to help themselves
and so Bolin threw IA line t. me- and |
tried to tie it around Charlie, but he got
entangled in the rigging and was drown
ed before ouI faces and in spite of all we
could do. ] then managed to get the
line united from Charities body, got 1t
around myself. cut loose from the rig
glng, and was hauled into the boat near
ly dead with cold and fatigue.
After several fruitless efforts to get
the line to Brant, who was out of his
head, he hung there and stared at us
with set and CLASSY eyes. Bolm finally
made lasso, threw it over his head, and
hauled him into the boat. 1t WIS no
use. Poor Braut was SO far gone that he
died in the boat in ten or fifteen min
utes, and before We got back to the
Dobbin. | want to say something about
the skill and experience displayed by
John Bolin in his efforts to save the
survivors He is IA brave sailor and a
noble hearted man. | also want to men,
ton the kind treatment and care which |
received from the captain of the Dobbjn
after ! was taken ON board Brant's
body WAS taken into Milwaukee and lett
with the authorities. Shills and Charlie
were both married men, and lived in
Chicago