The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-07-11
ACAPTAINs SAD STORY.
The Peculiar Manner In Which He Lost His Wife
and Four Children.

The schooner Robert Newell belongs to one OF
the Egg Harbor ports on the Jersey coast,and has
been trading In the inland waters of North Caro-
lima bringing naval stores to Wilmington ana
and Newburn from the landings in Pamlico and
Albemarle Sounds. She is owned by her MASTER
whose name she bears. She cast anchor at the
foot Of South street yesterday and presently her
yaWl boat came ashore. manned by the captain
and one man, and bringingin addition TO the TWO
living, FIVE dead bodies, They were teose OF the
wife, two sons and two baby daughters Of the cap
tain all OF whom had died under circumstances
80 peculiar that added interest is given thereby to
a tragic event. Perhaps the captains story, told
in his own way most nearly expresses the rough
eloquence Of his grief which no written version
can do more than approximate. When he landed
the bodies cantained In four cofins were placed
In wagon to be carried TO the depot for shipment
TO the desolate home near Egg HNrbor This sad
duty having been attended to, Captain Newell
told his story ~ sailed for the North Carolina
coast last fall and traded in oysters for spell,
running into Norfolk and York rlVer,an going TO
Baltimore once. took my two sons with me,
Joseph, him that lays thar In that box he was
16, as a hand, aud FrVnk, who was II, as cook. In
February my wife came down with the twins and
met me in Norfolk and had a state room built
in the cabin, and then went down to Whining
ton, where had charter to carry eighteen thous-
and feet of lumber TO Newbern and ten thousand
barrels of pitch to Wilmington. On the Sd OF
June got a freight to Baltimore and passed into
the Chesapeake on the 10th. 1t blew pretty stiff
and came To anchor on Frying Pan Shoals. The
twins, Fannie and Julie, years old within
week were playln' on top Of the afterhouse. l
was forward, a-payin' out cable and helpin' to
stow the jib, when hears scream from mother.
went rushin' aft There was the two little ones
a gOin' down and hOatin' out with the tide. The
boat was on the daVlts, swung inboard, and there
was no chance to get her out, so Joe and went
overheard at the same minute But we was too
late The little ones were gone. We had hard
work getting back to the schooner, but we did,
and then we got out the boat, and the next morn
ing we found the bodies Of them both, one in the
wreck of a bark on the Virginia shore and the
other on the beach.
II had them buried at Hampton, near Fortress
Monroe, and then went to Baltimore One day
during the next week Frank was helping Joe
send new throat halyard block aloft. Joe was
at the crosstrees and Frank on deck, - The block
got loose from the boys hand and it struck Frank
fair on the head, fraCturing the skull He died
on the 18th. Then mother and Joe both got the
typhoid and died, one on the Goth, the other on
the 2lst You see there was five inside of two
weeks. l went to Hampton and got the two ba.
bies l took the other three with me and I've
just got here to day, Yes, sir, it is pretty rough.
There was six of us, but I'm all that's left, I'm
going to bury them all down home, live not far
from Leeds Landing and have little house and
a few acres there" The afternoon train bore the
bereaved ooasting captains sad burthen to It's last
resting.place where the inteIment will probably
take place to day ~ wanted to bring 'em back
don't you see p he said. "My Oldest child has a
little grave down there. I'll put them all to-
gether. Philadelphia TtmeS I'd,