Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-08-21
The Great Storm i'm Chesapeake Bav


SEVEN PERSONS DROwNED-A THRILLING STORY
OF SHIPwRECK-TwO BOYS SEE THEIR FATHER
AND MOTHER DROwN-SEvENTEEN HOURS ON A
GALLRY IN THE STORM.
By the storm on the bay last Monday seven
persons are thus far known to have been
drowned and long list OF dlsmantled and
wrecked vessels are reported. The force of the
wind has not been eQualed since the great Octo-
ping will involve loss of thousands of dollars
There were large number of arrivals in Dol t
OF vessels from the lower bay, which were Kept
@ ana small craf wSeS UI Or
damaged, came up In tow of tugs. The steamer
Helen brought to the city two boys, William
and Eugene Donnelly, aged 20 and IA resp"c-
lively, the sole survivors of six persons belong
ing to the schooner John c. Henry, of Philadel-
phia, Captain William Donnelly, bound from
Philadelphia to City Point. James river, which
Smiths point and the Great WicOmico.
THE BOYS EXPERIENCE
as related by themselves to a Gazette represen-
tative was thrilling and their escape is all the
more remarkable When it is known that their
father, the captain OF the schooner, his Wife
ana the two Seamen were all drowned. The
boys state that when they arrived below
get very heavy and about noon assumed the
appearance OF hurricane. The schooner was
heavily laden and according to the boys de-
scrlpt1On was nearly unSeawOrthy from age.
About 1890, when the storm was at its height,
the schooner was suddenly struck by huge
wave, which tore over her with tremendous
ing her totally at the mercy OF the waves As
she slowly r1ghted second wave struck and
capsized her and In an instant all on board
were battling for their lives. Captain Will
liams, who appears to have remained per-
fectly cool, was last seen by his sons, shouting
some directions to them as they were swept
away from the vicinity Of the schooner, whose
The captain was seen to lash his wife to the
rigging and then make an attempt to go to the
assistance OF his sons. The latter had been
SWEPT AWAY BY THE WAVES,
but being Sk1llful swimmers struck out for the
schooner, which, after desperate efforts they
succeeded in reaching. Their father In the
meanwhile lost sight Of them and thinking they
hold on the rigging and endeaSored to is swim sH to
where he last saw them. He had gone but
short distance when he was overwhelmed by an
not seen again. Meanwhile the position of
those on the wreck became momentarlly more
perilous and the half drowned boys were COM
PEELED to see their mother swept away without
bered on the cooks galley and from this slight
elevation witnessed the deaths of those who
were struggling in the water. Shortly after
torn from the schooner and carre
Off by the waves. AS they swept past the stern
OF the vessel they discovered the two seamen
cliDgfng to the wreck, who upon seeing them
mace mad dash to reach the galley but fOrtu-
nately for the boys failed, as the house could
not have supported any additional weight Both
men sank from exhaustion when within few
feet OF the boys and were undoubtedly lost.
THE LADS CLUNG TO THEIR RAFT
until a. M, Tuesday, when they were res
cued by the Sea Bird of Hungars, Northumber-
land county, Va, and taken into Hungars
They were given passage on the steamer
Helen to this city, as stated. In speaking Of
their experience while floating on their raft all
Monday night the boys became greatly ex-
cited. During the afternoon they passed an
unknown schooner the crew OF which With
heal tless inhumanity made no effort to rescue
them. Captain Raynor and the officers of the
made up a purse to pay their expenses to
Philadelphia, where they have relatives. Mr.
j. A. Shriver, OF the Ericsson line, also furn-
ished them with passes and they left for home
yesterday afternoon. Captain Donnelly re-
sided at the corner Of Thompson aud Birch
streets in Philadelphia. The two seamen who
were drowned were known as "Bul" and "Jake'
and were also natives OF Philadelphia. Bait
Gazette, today.