The New York herald., 1877-03-05
The Schooner Margaret and Lucy Goes
10 Pieces on Squan Beach.
THE ENTIRE CREW PERISH.
Five Bodies OF the Victims Found Upon
the Shore.
FAINT EVIDENCES FOR IDENTIFICATION.
What a Life-Savings Station
Man Saw.
[.Y TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD ]

[Bx TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.
SQuAN BEACH, n. j., March 4, 1871
most appalling calamity has 10 he recorded among
tho thrilling annals Of maritime disasters. A vessel
goes ashore aud becomes wreck on Squan Beach. on
the New Jersey coast aud no !s near enough At
hand TO preserve tho no OF single occupant OF the
vessel who can give TO the world the story Of the
crafts troubles and end. II Is known that schooner
oil Life Saving Station No. 10 on the night OF
Friday last and II Is also known that she Was secn
only for time She soon was lost to sight aud
very long after her disappearaSce tho bodies Of five
men were washed up the sandy coast OF Now Jersey
to be taken In charge by pubic Official whose duty
1t was to inquire into Of their DEATH Little
moro than this could be learned last night, when
HERALD reporter cndeavorcd 10 ascertain the facts
concerning the Of what is believed - have been
tho schooner Margaret and Lucy. loaded with Peruvian
guano.
So lar as could be gathered, the facts are as fol-
Iows:-On Friday night. after eight O'CLOCK,
when tn, sentry OF Life Saving Station No. l3.
William Miller by name had left the station house 10
parole his beat along Squan Beach, just north Of
Cranberry Inlet he noticed about quarter Of mile
from tho shore dark object, which he at
once concluded vessel Miller, seeing that the
vessel II such it was, approaching too nearshore,
set of his hand signal give notice OF the proximity
OF DANGER He received reply signal from the vessel
he says and Immediately started for the station TO
muster tho crew, which was onduty, prepared 70 lend
a helping hand 10 Inc distressed mariners. Miller
Obliged 10 cover as much space as
miles before he reached the house where the crew
we're IN waiting, and by the timo he, with the other
life savers the necessary apparatus had returned
TO the spot from where the signal had been scen
an hour had been consumed.
DIsAPPEARANCE or THE VESSEL.
On his return vessel was visible through the black
night The rain descending, the sky was
full OF angry clouds and the night filled
with darkness Eager eyes attempted to penetrate
the darkness in the direction where an unfortunate
vessel was supposed TO be, but object was t0 DO
disccrnod Probably tho ship had passed on out OF
the danger, thought the surfmen. At any rate they
decided await the break OF morning before trying
TO learn II a vessel had been stranded.
GONE TO PIECES.
With the morning light came the revelation that
craft oil kind had run on the sh0ro and there
Miller had been on the watch very small portion Of
the vessels remains could he seen Part Of her bow,
with the bowspit still attached. and portions OF nor
forward rigging and chains firm IN the sand but
the hull which had parted just forward OF the forcmast,
had been torn away from the imbedded bow and had
drted, aitcrward found, several miles to the
norhward OF the scene or the srandng. At the time
the schooneror such 1t IS now believed 20 have been
was first seen by tho patr0man Miller only double
recfing wind from tho sou,h heast was blowing along
Sauan Beach coast and 1t is not probable tnat such
wind could havc caused the vessel 70 be thrown on ~
the shore.
other evidence which is given below Will so to show
one. Vessels Of any kind are seldom or never known
sail close into shore as was this schooner when
Beach at thc tide which the schooner struck was
not over eight feet In depth on the outer
S as. to
miles north OF the scene Of the wreck, which would
seem TO indicate that the schooner had hosted It AS
signal OF distress some time before she struck on
Squan Beach. What her cause OF distress was Will
perhaps never be KIown, as not one OF the lives on
BODIES WASHED ASHORE.
How many persons the Inflated schooner carried has
not as VET been ascertalucd though five bodies
washed ashore within eight miles OF the place where
the vessel went to pieces None of those bodies could
bc positively identified by any article which they wore
carried, excepting perhaps one seaman, III whose
pocket was found q letter poslmarkcd Brussels,
in German addressed TO John Bcncheck, No.
"a James street, New York city,"
ON this man were also found the address Of "Kate
Meyers Wioughby, Ohio,' and several advertising
cards Of different retail firms IN New York The body
that OF man about twenty-five years oi age, with
light complexion, whiskcrs, mustache and hair, and
wearing dark blue flannel shirt.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BODIES.
The other bodies are supposed TO be those Of the
captain. mate, steward and boy All found wear
ing long rubber bosts, except Bcnebeck He
the appearance OF man OF about fifty years oil age,
with small head ana short neck, dark hair tngcd
medium height.
The presumed mate was fine looking man OF abou,
forty five years, with grayish mustache and hair and
light blue eyes, and he clad IN mixed shirt with
stripes OF black across the chest
The people along the beach are Of the opinion that
the schooner carried larger complement OF mcne han
tho number found, and opne that more bodies Will be
found later. These bodies were washed up the Leach
about one and half miles from II, and tho furthesl
about eight miics.
DISPOSITION OF THE BODIES.
| Tho remains taken charge by William Chad.
his :. Point Pleasant to be cared Tor until the
Coroner assumes charge Of thcm
coMPLErE WRECK.
Tho vessel IS OF course complete wreck Alter heI
bow had become fast IN the sand she must have dis
solved the time that Watchman Miller was In search
OF his Her keel and OF one side drtcd nearly
and was found tho beach Lie Saving
station No. TO- Portions OF her rigging and were
also found at various places along the shore As te
| doubt that shc was the schooner Margaret Lucy
though where she was from and 10 what point she
was bound no one could conjecture remnant OF hel
stern board was picked up on the beach, und though
several letters Of the had been soaked OFT those
which remained served W the probability tha
the suppositlon is correct one. c. W. Maxson, agent
tho underwriters found package OF letters on tht
John l.. Piper. These dated from far back a!
February 1875, AID some addressed to ths
schooner Addic Balsde al several ponts--T,atmorc
were directed Scare OF Abbial 4 Abbott, s:
south street., New York" and others Z
Those oil later date, however, directed to th,
schooner Margaret Il Lucy. These letters datcs
at kockpor. Me-, and we're signed some by tho Will
al the person addressed and Others by tho daughter
Piper IS supposed TO have been the captain of the
lucky schooner. quantity Of empty bags have conn
ashore branded
.'Warrantcd Peruvian guano. Imported into tb
United States by Hobson, Hartado Co., agents TO
the consigncc Of the Peruvian government"
LATER DETAILS.
Captain Charles 4. Miller, representing Abcl Abbot
OF No. SO South street. New York, arrived here las
night aud to day has been pursuing ali investigation
| concerning the loss OF the schooner Margaret an
Lucy. The result OF his inquiries corroboralcs the Us
sentia PARTICULARS given above relative To the srandin
OF tie weasel. Tho Margaret and Lucy was thrc
masted schooner OF about 400 tons register, built I'll
and was owned principally in MlddIctown
Conn. Her Captain. bcrJamin Wicks puI