The New York herald., 1879-02-28
THE BARNEGAT WRECK.

DETAILS OF TIE STRANDING OF THE DAVID II.
ToLcK-FIvE LIVES Losr-wHAT THE LIFE
SAVING CREW ACCOMPLISHED.
LONG BEACH. n. j., Feb. q. 1879.
The stranding Of the schooner David II. Tolck.
below Barnegat signal Office, yesterday morning has
been attended by the loss of five lives. When the
HERALD's report left here last night it supposed
the entire crew had been saved as the signal corps
observer at Barnegat reported at four p Nj. six per-
saved and this generally is the number of a
schooner's crew. The brother of Captain Sawyers
wife also received despatch announcing the safety of
his sister and her husband and thus the statement
of First Mate Peterson credited to Captain Saw
yer. As soon the wreck discovered the crews
of stations 49, 10 and 20. seventeen in ALL were
called together and when the vessel positively
located every effort was made by the life saving
to render aid to the mperilled who could
be seen clinging in the rigging 1t was with great
difficulty that boat got to the Of the
wreck and when it arrived there the surfmen found
it so foggy and the and wind high that it
could not be launched Preparations were then
made to fire the mortar. AT first the coast guard
had difficulty to find place where the did
not reach. and tnen by wet flying sand which
covered the shot line in spite Of every effort to pro-
tect it. To keep the shot line dry free and unsnared
is necessary for its efficient flight toward the wreck.
This shot line, exposed, Immediately
soaked by rain and spray clogged by the drifting sand
and The wind blew with such fearful violence
that it nearly impossible to look to windward
account of the flying sand. Finally the mortar
planted and shotted. and line went spinning the
wind and spray and landed athwart the vessel
Again and again the mortar loaded and fred each
time the line flying accurately the stranded ship
the vessels could not haul the life line and
breeches buoy in, owing the force of the wind and
the strong current The water now swelled up i'm
hear md Ia daek of ha wrp
every side The crew were all in the fore rigging
and no one of them in a position to haul upon
break up her matches ana pieces of her decks having
been washed ashore.
LAUNCHING THE LIFEBoAr.
Knowing that if anything was to be done to
the imperilled crew 1t must be done Immediately,
the captain of station No y called on his crew to
before the wind caught her. turning her several
times. She finally brought up against piece of the
wreck and stove In the meantime Captain
Grimm, Of Station 49, shot light line. to the
vessel the crew succeeding in making it taut.
breeches buoy was then hastily rugged. and soon
the beach. The hawser slackening. the man
haned through the icy surf, still clinging to the
child. both reaching shore apparently dead This
First Mate Peterson and the little three yearold
daughter of Captain Sawyer. Man and child were
difficulty resuscitatei. The single life
then rigged but it was some time before the
hausted crew were able to climb down the rigging
and reach it. Four times the car went out and each
time it brought to shore sailor. On the fifth
"trip the line broke, and two sailors, named Frank
June and Richard Gorton, who were in IL pre-
ciptated into the surgng sea and drowned. 1t was
now nightfall. and though again communication was
made with the wreck none of the crew came off.
rescued sailor told tine lite saving that the only
living person the vessel the captain; that he
was iashed to the rigging and probably dead by
this time. The survivors also stated that the cap
tain's wife dead; that she was lashed to the
rigging and that other of the eleven persons had
been washed overheard in the morning. As boat
could live in the the concluded
to wait in sight of the vessel till morning 1t
alive from the wreck through the raging sea. but
thinking there might be possibility OF this tho
crews scattered in various directions up and down
the beach. carrying lanterns with them. I.
TWO BODIES FOUND.
At midnight the bodies of Frank June and Henry
johnson, sailors, were found near Barnegat signal
Office During the night the wind veered to the west,
and by daybreak the sea had gone down. Launching
their boat the crew Station 10 succeeded board
ing the vessel at seven O'Clock. There CHASTITY
sight met them. The dead bodies of Captain Sawyer
and his wife Ida were lashed and frozen to the
rigging The bodies were brought to the shore. the
brother of Mrs. Sawyer arriving just as they
brought into the station. His grief terrible to
witness. The little orphaned daughter lies in a crti
cal condition.
Captain j. T. SAWYER.
Mrs IDA SAWYER Captains wife).
FRANK june sailor.
RICHARD GoRToS, sailor.
HENRY JOHNSON, sailor.
FRANK PETERSON. first mate.
EMELE CLAnKsoS. second mato.
EDWIN PATLoCK. cook.
ALFRED CoCHEHAS, sailor.
LOUIS EVERETT. sailor.
GENEVA SAWYER Captain child.
No blame is attached to the life saving crews.
'They worked maniully, the customs officer said to
q reporter of the HERALD. "it impossible to
render assistance when first discovered. The fog was
so dense and the sea so rough at that time that no
boat could get to her ON account OF her uncertain
location no use could be made of the other appli-
of the station houses"
The vessel is fast breaking up. None of her cargo
will be saved.
The wrecking steamer Relief has been ordered
home. and Captain Young. OF the Coast Wrecking
Company. has returned to New York.
The cargo is insured in tho North American 1nsur-
ance Company, of philadelphia, for Si3.UUO The
vessel is fully insured in Eastern companies.
TESTIMONY OF EYE WITNESSES AND OLD SEA-
FARING MES-wuY ALL on BOARD WE'RE NOT
SAVED.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE HER,LD.l
BARsEcAr. N. j.. Feb. q. 1879.
According TO the reports which have been brought
from Long Beach. this evening. the wrecked
schooner is still visible from tho shore.
The night is clear and beautiful aud her
masts are darkiy defined in the moonlight
The hull listed over to the southward during the
night and although the wind to-day blew of shore.
smoothing the somewhat. the waves
still breaking heavily through her shrouds
and she Is gradually going TO pieces.
I have several trustworthy eyo-witncsscs and
have obtained from them certain statements which
suggest that the of the life saving stations In
this vicinity may not have done their entire duty in
their efforts to life. John q. W. Havcns,
the superintendent Of tins life saving district, cams
down on the afternoon train from Long Branch.
having been unable TO cross the Barncgat Inlet
account Of the high sea, and was Tins compelled to
make long detour IN order TO reach this point
VIEWS or LIEUTENANT WALKER
Lieutenant Walker, Assistant Inspector Of the
Revenue Marine arrived at tile same time. He re-
ceved telegram from Washington, this afternoon,
to proceed thithcg and make thorough and rigid
investigation ci the circumstances Of the wreck, cs-
pecally In reference 10 the conduct OF the surtmcn
aud the efforts made to prevent the drowning OF
those who were board the schooner, He says
that II there any dclinqucnts they will be imne-
diatcly dismissed the service
AN OLD sEArAEfNG MANS FroRY.
Captain J. ID. Pharo, an old sailor, says that tho
that vessel in distress reached this vilnge
short time after she struck This hc believes to- have