The New York herald., 1872-09-01
LETTER FROM MIR. c. L. STONE.
he Story Of Mr.. Adams as Told
to the Coroner.
no Experiences Of a Deck
Hand.
|ow tho Pilot Escaped on a Cork
Mattress.

NIwPORT, R. l., August 81, 1872.
rhe terrible steamboat disaster or Watch Hill
sterday morning continues the subject Of COM
ent and sorrow all along the coast OF Long
land Sound. No such gloom of sadness has been
st over the local community for whole genera
On, and the numerous summer resorts which
pound all along the shore, and which but q short
me ago were the scenes Of mirth and enjoyment,
re now shrouded in mourning Where
verything all the season has been gay
nd festive there is nothing now but
loom and sadness, and the only thoughts
ppermost In the minds of the summer tourists
re those Of sympathy for the suffering passengers
the ill.fsted Metis. Bellevue avenue, the FASH
enable dnve Of charming Newport, has for the
bsst few days worn solemn and sombre aspect
compared with its wonted brilliancy, and in the
hotels politics and kindred topics have been for
rotten in the midst Of the terrible calamity which
has appalled, the community. The same is true OF
Westerly, Stonington, New London, Providence
md all the cities and towns where friends and rea-
lives OF the unfortunate victims reside.
SCENES NEAR THE POINT OF DISASTER.
The immediate scene OF the disaster has to-day
been visited by hundreds from distant sections of
the country. Some came to crafty morbid curl
osity, but the majority friends and relatives
Oi those on board, anxiousy inquiring the fate Of
lot the alarmed and the excited were realized, but
|generally tidngs we're Of cheering character, for
many who were at first believed to have
found watery grave have since been heard from
as saved In one way or another.
HOW MANY WE'RE LosT2
Together with the bodies already recovered and
the passengers now missing the loss Of life will not
exceed fifty. This is sad record enough, but it is
only about one-half the number first reported and
believed to have been lost. Twenty-three bodies
have been recovered, all told, and about as many
more are missing and possibly may never be heard
from.
LIFE PREsERvERs FASTENING DEATH.
1t is singular fact that the majority Of those
who were drowned were provided with life pre-
servers and 1t is believed that they acted, in many
cases. against rather than in favor OF the terrified
passengers. Becoming excited and exhausted,
after punging or being swept into the sea, the poor
victims probably gave up to the heavy breakers
and the preservcrs worked from the head and
shoulders down to the middle or lower part Of the
body, thus causing the head to fall under the water
and produce instant drowning. Several bodies re-
covered had the life preservers tangled about the
seet and legs and the corpses were floating per-
pendicularly with the head downward. II among
those now missing there are any who had life pre-
servers securely attached to them the chances are
shat their. bodies may yet be found, but II they
were not provided with preservers, or If they nave
become detached by the action OF the heavy sea
since the disaster. it Is more than likely they will
never be seen again.
now THE COLLISION OCCURRED
There Is little to be told OF the manner OF the col,
iision except what has already been disclosed in
che HERALD's copious dispatches. The schooner
that collided with the Inflated steamer WAS the
Ncttie Cushing Of Thomaston, Me-, and she is now
tying on New London. In the whole course or nv
perambuations through the seashore towns which
thickly dot the Connecticut and Rhode Island coasts
lave found but little difference OF opinion In re.
gard to the point as to whose shoulders shall bear
thc blame OF the disaster; for somebody or some
bodies must be at fault somewhere "There never
was an accident in the world" said an old polemic
on the cars to-day (which wasn't caused by careless
ness and that careessness should always be placed
where 1t belongs" agreed with him OF course, as
indeed who would not under the circumstances
Pursuing my intcrroeatories further, not only
directed to him. but to others who have sailed the
seas over" aud are perfectly acquainted with all
the circumstances which govern navigation on the
br,ny deep, ] have found an almost unanimous ex
preston Of opinion that the death, or as one man
called It. "deuberate MURDER" Of forty OF nlty