The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-06
COAST DANGERS.
Another Wreck on Flat Beach,
Long Island.
THE SOLE SURVIVORS NARRATIVE.
Land Pirates and Their
Peculiarities.


Tho schooner Helen J. Holloway, which went ashore
Flat Beach, about nine miles east OF Fire Island
four O'Clock on Tuesday morning. will in all likeIL
hsod prove total loss. She stands firmly fixed in the
sand, with her head straight 70 the Shore full Of
Her cargo consists OF 800 hosshcads OF sugar
and ten casks OF moasscs and Is insured py the At
lantic Insurance Company The vessel, which
worth probably SIS, Co., mostly owned
by tho Mcssrs Holley, OF Machias. Me. Tho
vessel Is about go tors burden, and is .
neat trim craft The sole survivor OF her crew, Jack
son Beae, OF Machias, is still on the beach opposite
Sayvc, /. l. He Is sturdy looking intelligent
Eastern sailor. Beale says the Holloway eft Cionfuc-
Cos thirteen days before the disaster occurred which
proved fatal to his shipmatcs The weather on the
trip had not been very bad 1t took them seven days
TO reach Hatteras and the remaining portion OF tho
time consumed on the way to the point at which
tho unfortunate vessel struck. The crew OF tho
Helen j. Holloway mostly young men, and
appears the Captain had totally miscalculatcd his
position and this fact the disaster is traced
According Bcae's story tho Captain judged himself
40 miles from Montauk Point at noon on Monday.
HIS intention TO stop Off that point in case thu
weather proved unfavorablo and when all fair to
run down by Block Island and his course to Bos
ton. He had no business and intention OF coming
on the side OF tho island which the vessel struck
Running soundings taken during the day on Mon
day and also at midnight Monday night
and at tho latter time there found to be thirty
three fathoms of water. In consequence OF this dis
covcry precaution taken against danger ahead
for fcares As tho night on, however,
and the stinened, sail taken in, and whom
the schooner struck the she running under
double reefed mainsail and b When about 800 yards
from shore the men on the schooner heard the roar
A.. -
pending danger by an effort to shit her yards The
Captain thought, however, that no was running
AN OUTSIDE sHoAL
and hoped do something toward saving his vessel by
letting so his anchor To accomplish this the mon set
TO work, but had only gotten the side when she
stuck fast Panic must then have seized all on board,
for they hurried to do the last thing they should have
DONE Tho yawl was lowered, and ,hcy all got in tho
Captain taking with him his chronomctcr ana OF
the ships papers jackson Bcale the last man to
step INTO tho yawl, and just as he sat in
the bow, before his comrades had time to
ship their oars, heavy sea struck the boat and
overturned her the breakers Beal says that wheni
first thrown out OF the yaw his feet touched bottom
but strong the breakers that he tossed aud
tumbed and over, until through sheer good Tor
tune ho found himself standing in few inches Of
water, about hundred yards 10 the westward
OF tho ship. II still very dark, and he con-
his ship, which then stood almost broad-
side 70 tho shore, heading 70 tho west
but himself escaped, and Bealc, tho day
broke, found his way nrst to tho government house,
about half milo to the westward There was one
there, however, the custom being to withdraw all the
men APRIL. After while he struggled further
wreckers engaged tho wreck OF the Great Western.
At first Bcalc regarded by the wreckers OF
tho hundreds who lounge about the wreck.
TELLING STORY.
Afcr towering about the entrance to the tent for
time Beale asked II he might dry himself and
have something to eat, telling the men he had just
been wrecked and hts mates all drowned. The men
heard his story with surprise. but tho connrma-
zion OF It in tho presence OF the schooner high up
on tho beach TO the Bcalc was taken in and
kindly treated by the wrcckcrs, aud several
10 the vicinity Of the schooner but found no trace Of
the lost The following are the names OF the
drowncd:-
Lafayette Thompson, unmarried, OF Machias, Me-,
aged about twenty years, captain.
about iorty-Gvc, mate.
Alder. Card, or Dcnisvillc. Me-, cook
Thomas ". Gray and Charles Goliath Of Machiass
MONK on rIIK BODIES
OF tho drowned men have been washed ashore within
miles OF the wreck either side 1t Is probable that
they have been washed away TO tho west, and the
chance Of finding any Of them Is getting slight
each day passes The uncle one OF the was down
the beach yesterday, and he cntertains but slight
hope OF hnding his relatives BODY. This schooner
than two miles ON Fiat Beach, within tho past three
years The skeletons OF three OF these stick up like
grim signals OF distress from tho white sands; the
board for hour they could have swung them.
selves ashore with very little effort from the jbboom
Coast wrocking Company's men took charge
Of the schooners the Atlantic Insurance
Pany but the sea ran so high Yesterday nothing va:
such Of tho ships papers rs might be found. One Of
the nrst things brought on shore was stancys
book Of travels Africa which afforded considerable
amusement 70 the crowd Of idiers about the wreck.
THK SAND PIRATES
OF the Great South Bay regard these wrecks
hours OF the day and night by The hundred,
although their attendance necess'tates sail
across from tho man land Of I'VE six miles,
and there Is place at which they get anything
10 cat except tho wrcckc' tent, where they should
least expect kindly reception. As the work or un-
loading the Great Western progresses these people
gather about the ship. getting In the way OF tho
men who arc removing the cargo so as 10 mako them
drop IT, when II falls a horde OF these beach ravens
tear the package open and distribute IT'S contents an
instant Some attack the carts that convey tho
oranges which were portion OF tho Great Westerns
cargo, and run on with tho boxes IN the
bag basket IN coming 70 the beach, and all carry
them away full OF oranges or anything ssc they can
pick up or value. During the rain storm OF Monday
number OF among the prasicaI visitors 70
the wreck and the risk Of exposing themselves
to the driving storm they stripped themselves Of their
No matter how cold u Is, these people walk into ths
water until IL Is almos. breast high for
They are not content with stealing from the
vessel, they steal from another. Tho other day
while pirate helped himself from box OF oranges
the another pirate helped himself IRON the
pirates pockets When the irst was discovered and
proceeded 10 sneak away with his booty his astonsh-
finding that had been the subject OF tricks
vain as his own ndcscribabc Sometimes the men
the steamer when TOO much pcsiered by the crowds
in their way would throw into The water box OF spoiled
oranges, and the crowd rushed for this they would
pcIt them with other oranges from the ships deck
Hut the pirates instead OF being driven away, turned
about and picked up tho missiles with which
they had been assacd 70 see whether they
worth preserving Tho news Of tho
wreck Of the schooner. when became known
that she was laden with sugar, increased the number
OF these visitors the beach yesterday, and each
one had either empty basket or bag As the cargo
was not touched. however. they were Obliged TO
turn empty handed or remain all night on the sand
hills. IN their boats, TO await future Developments
II would require the services OF entire regiment Of
soldiers 10 successfully prevent the dcpredatons OF
these sravengers OF the beach