The New York herald., 1877-12-28
THE HURON.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 81, 1871.

WASHINGTON, Dec. II, lo1I
Lieutenant Walter Walton assistant inspector OF the
llfo saving service on The North Carolina coast. In
obedience TO orders from Superintendent Kmeal has
made thorough Investigation OF all the circum-
stances in relation 10 the wreck Of tho United States
ship Huron and that the samo might have moro
legal character tho statements he received are made
under oath.
TmR TESTIMONY A FISHERMAN
He has enc report OF all the testimony taken.
from which u appears that The Huron's position IN
the breakers hrst discovered on shore by Evan
o'Neil, fisherman Of Nag's Head, who had loft his
homo, three quarters OF mile distant, At Ave minutes
past the morning 10 shoot wild iowl, and within
thirty minutes uterw he arrived the beach and
vessels running nghts-the green tstarboard)
aud the white (masthcadj lights only. He spoke TO
his companion, Mr.. Brothers, and said, "rhere Is
vessel on The reef or coming ashore o'Ncil then
drove up beach north 10 keep abreast OF The III
cdgc Of bar she finally struck and stopped abreast
Tillelts fish camp, about three-quariers oil mile
norlh OF Jockeys Ridge. Then were heard shouts
board the stranded vessel O'Neil
said no thought there were women aboard. He then
saw three rockets 30 up. followed by cosion sig-
80 that even the light rigging well tho men
coula be plainly socn- Heard the steam whistle and
also The engine at work. as he judged. backing the
men. The ship was lying broadsde to q soA wind;
also in heavy breakers and rolling heavily. Heard u
mast then over The weather side, apd the boat
with Tho men Ia her WINS lost 10 sight. The shouting
nearly hour from the time the snip struck until tho
forcmast fell, fifteen minutes after which the signal
ling ceased and all was darkness.
A FATAL DELAY
II was not lii this moment that O'Neill proce eeded
to inform others OF the disaster He first went home,
about mile distnu. In an OF CART ana disposed his
decoy geese after which he proceeded 10 HIS brothers.
On his way there he called Caleb Barker, and ancr
ward his brother, Pharaoh O'Ncil to whom he dis
posed OF ms team, and thon walked back home, ate
his breakfast aud did not roturn 10 the wreck until
after sunrise O'Neili knew where the keeper OF Life
Saving station No. lived; believed him 10 be at
home, only two and a half miles distant; had good
boat, Tree wind 10 go aud return INSIDE OF Roanoke
Island. would have reached Keeper Meeken's IN
entysnnutes, and yet remainet silent aud Indl1er-
ent during three long hours OF anguish and suffering
COLD FLOODED CONDUCT or o'NELL
The scene being enacted on board the iiated ship
beggars desc ription. On his return TO the beach
oNeill claimed 10 have saved ono man, who was very
the eage OF the surf; but this Is doubtful, as
the evidence goes 10 show that Evan 0NcilPs con-
duct the beach such as 10 cause general COM
mcnI One OF the fishermen remarked, Look at
Evan O'Neill; wouldn't you think he would try to
save some OF these menf On the contrary, no
seemed to be examining or inspecting iragments OF
drilt stun It washed up. he had very little say,
and kept apart IRON the crowd and OF tho twentytwo
Witnesses who were subsequently examined was tho
only who objected and was not until threatened
with arrest that his appearance was secured Accord
Ing to his own testimony he did al he could, when
stand on the beach and with others pull
the rope made last to mon possessing more soul and
courage thAn be.
RoBBING THE DEAD OF MONEY AND TRtNKErS
Lieutenant Waton gives ir detail account OF the
efforts OF the lie saving as soon they were APP
prised OF the disaster, and OF number oi people v-
on the shore, 10 save the unfortunate victims, anu
concludes by saying-'It Is shocking to record that
out bodies found (about twelve OF whom
we're offcersl not single trinkst, suOn MS would be
deemed relic Ny The relatives Of the dead. was found
on the bodies Watches ana chains, money and even
finger rings had been stripped of BY those who irst
found the bodies as they were washed up. Good
de enco 1ound IN The ol Lieutenant simmons,
whose third and fourth fingers Of the LETT hand had
been scratched and gouged by mo body robDers in
their haste TO secure their ill-gotten Loot