The New York herald., 1877-03-06
THE SQUAN BEACH WRECK
Theories as to the Cause of
Destruction.
THE CAPTAINS BODY FOUND
No Lookout on the Beach Until
Eight O'Clock.
A Il O Il AL LO S s.
HE CAPTAINS BODY FOUND
T o T AL LO S S.
[sx TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD. !

souAs BEAcH, N j., March s, 1877
The body of Captain wicks of the wrecked schooner
Margaret and Lucy found yesterday. 1t had been
washed ashore two miles to the northward OF Squan
Inlet which twelve miles north of the place where
lhe vessel was stranded boy, while walking along
tho beach. noticed tho body as It being buneted
che waves and hc distance into the
secure 1t and bring It ashore The boy experienced
great difficulty in accomplishing his object, as
tho man was heavily clad and the clothes
wcro made OF extraordinary weight by their
forty hours soaking. Besides this, a largo
amount OF sand had found Its way between the gar
ments and the body. BY cutting hole through tho
coats and Shirt the burden relieved OF quantity
OF tho sand, and after half hours labor the remains
wore landed They subsequently taken in charge
OF by tho undertaken and this morning forwarded
TO Blue Point L. l., the birthplace of the drowned
man, whore his brothors and sisters reside Captain
Wicks was about Afty-six years Of age
ONE STILL MISSING
The body Of another OF the was also found yes
terday and placed under tho care of Justice OF the
Pcaco Chadwick at whose house lie the romans OF the
1vc which noated ashore on Saturday morning Tho
bodies which havo been found bear bruises to speak
Of SO is not probable that any OF tho took the
rigging after tho vessel struck Their natural appear
would indicate that they were either washed
overheard or attempted to hang on to the wreck or
parts Of II until assistance No sailor II is
sidercd, would have riskcd voluntary swim to the
shore in that tcmpestuous One is still miss.
ing, the schooner having had crew of eight men.
John S. Piper, who at first presumed to be the
captain OF the Margaret Lucy has recognized
as the mate None OF the other bodies have been posi-
lively identified. Excepting the captain. all will DO
buried at public expense in tho Woodlawn Cemetery
at Squan, unless any OF them for by relatives
or friends
WHAT CAUSED HER DESTRUCTION.
Two theories TO the cause and manner of the
schooncr's loss advocated The lile-savng stations
on the New Jersey beach are situated about five miles
apart covering the entire coast from Sandy Hook
Cape May. Between the hours OF eight O'Clock In the
evening and six in the morning the of SIX men
and keeper OF each station patrol thor districts IN
turns o two time. The purpose OF this is koepa
lookout for vessels in dstsess and they supposed,
In times Of storms, TO keep up this watch continually
day and night The theory which advanced 10
mo by Inspector Havens Is that the Margaret and Lucy
had gotten down the beach distance below where
shc struck, had sprung aleak and account of the
severe stress OF weather, had put round for Sandy
Hook In her up the beach she had struck the bar
accidentally, or had been bcachcd owing TO the rapid
gain OF water. Tho grounds Tor this opinion that
a number of ohor vessels put back for New York
Friday night, bong unable to weather tue gale, and
u
thrcc-mascd schooner seen by OF the crew Of
Station No. Is ten lpes below No. ID heading up the
beach.
CAPTAIN MLLER's THEORY
The other theory, which is that of Captain Charles
T.. Miller, the representative OF the schooner's New
YORK agent seems at the present time to be the more
plausible Captain Miller Is OF the opinion that tho
schooner beating down the coast in the face OF tho
.southerIy gale, and far in and grounded
On her tack toward tho shore. In support OF this,
Captain Miller agrees with the evidence oi the watch
man Miller which was published in to-day's HERALn
q
house TO 90 on his beat hc travelled porthward, and
while going in that direction he was confronted with
the green and red side lights oil the schooner which
his gaze appeared about on parallel He also
assorted that the vessel was then aground as ho
could hardly have been tho case unless the
schooner had struck hard while
tack to the southward and westward. That would
have her head had she been trying to beat down
tho coast Had sho ashore while running north
ward tho watchman would have been unable to
both her sidc lights from stern position Again, the
number and warmth OF tho garments ON the body of
the captain 10 show that the schooner sailing
on the wind. Moreover, 1t Is claimed had the captain
had tho intention OF bcacng his craft hc would have
dvcsted himself of all superuous clothing preparatory
swim Tor the shore. which would have been bis
policy after the schooner had been run aground. The
Waterman Miller iurthcr AYERS that when he returned
70 the wreck, after notifying the station, he saw no
the green light Of tho starboard side,
and white light somo distance from tho
struck while her port tack into shore time af-
ter her grounding she would have slowed starboard
DrOauSlue 10 the snoro, WHO IN tho
white light IN the cabin would have been visible from
the shore through the skyight and thus at the
same time as the green light.
SENTRY on DUTY TILL EIGHT O'CLOCK.
1t will never DO known at what time the vessel
struck Tho darkness OF Friday night wonderfully
thick ana 1t came on eaviy; yet there patrol
man on duty along the beach until eight O'Clock.
When waIchman Miller did start on his beat the
was last aground, and there evidence to show
how long she had been in her faal position. Captain
Miller speaks IN the highest terms OF Captain Wicks
ability as seaman and says that the latter had al
ways been sailor by occupation.
PERFECr
more complete wreck than that OF tho Margaret
and Lucy can scarcely be imagined Fragments OF her
hull spurs rigging and canvass, often small ones
hand and seldom larger than mans body are strcwn
Tor many mics along the beach, good portion of her
btarboard side and the larger part ot her bottom with
The trunk standing, however. washed ashore
Her hull had evidently sccn rough usage during It's
fifteen years OF service, and was almost entirely demol
ishod by tho powerful waves she lay aground that
night within quarter oi milo Of the shore ON which
body OF mon is paid TO stand by to such unfor-
tunatcs as she. Tho appearance OF tho bits OF
and gear found on the beach give evidence OF having
recently boen IN terrible gale. Not the slightest rem
uant Of the luckless vessels cargo can be found.