The New York herald., 1879-03-02
The Steamer AbsrieIdy Sunk in the Atlantic
Alter -Four Days Buiatng
HEROIC EFFORTS OF HER CREW.
Mismanagement of the Life Saving Service at
the Wreck of the D. II. TOck.
OPPORTUNITIES MISSED.
The c. B. Payne Still in the Sand at
Centre Monches.

THE WRECK OF THE d. Il. ToLCK-THE SAVED
BABY, THE SURVIVING sEAMEN AND THE
BODIES OF CAPTAIN SAWYER AND HIS WIFE
BROUGHT TO NEW YoRK-A CHARGE OF MIS-
MANAGEMENT AGAINST THE LIFE SAVING SER
VICE.
LONG BRANCH March l, 1879.
The survivors of the wrecked schooner David H.
Tock, Captain Sawyer, at Barnegat, went to New
York this morning with the bodies Of Captain Saw
yer and his wife. Captain Frank M. Hop
kins brother-in-law of Captain Sawyer. had
charge of the child Genevra. The bodies will
be embalmed and sent to Millbridge. Me-. next Mon
day evening. The survivors of the crew and Captain
Hopkins make serious charges against the manage
ment of the life saving stations
Captain Hopkins says:-I made all possible inquiry
and investigation regarding the efforts made to save
the crew of the wrecked vessel. From all state
ments by all parties there was great
error in the management of the life
saving crew. and in two distinct
they missed good opportunities to save the lives of
all on board. find that the life made no effort
to launch their surfboat in the morning, the most
favorable time to have made the attempt as it was
dead low water. and by Mr.. Peerson's statement it
very smooth under the lea of the wreck and any
ordinary boat could have landed alongside with safety
AT the time the attempts were made with the surf
pOatS accOruH5 TO tne statements every one QueS
toned there moro and surf than when they
did launch thesn Passing through the worst surf in
their first attempt but failing to reach the vessel by
error of Judgment in not getting far enough to
windward before starting from the shore the current
being strong and the wind fresh from the SOUTH
they could not pull to windward after pulling to the
leeward of the vessel. They compelled to re-
turn ashore. haul the boat back, down the
beach, to the very same place the first
start made from, not profting at
all by their first attempt. On their second trip,
by mismanagement, their captain, B. F. Martin,
keeper OF the lite saving station No. 49, was partially
thrown overheard by his steering oar, the boat
failing on the second trip, as in the first, by
the surf In neither attempt did the
surf boat ship much water. 1t shows
that the surf boat lived safely throughout ali the mis-
management, being times side to the surf and
only failed to reach the vessel by not being tar enough
to windward on the start. From all accounts the
surf was worse when the attempt was made than at
daybreak.
INCOMPETENT MANAGEMENT.
Tire vessel went ashore at three A. NJ and at day
brea1 there were but two men i'll sight on the beach,
a,co riding to the positive statement of the mate. An
interval of three and one-half hours passed
ano the apparatus was not at the wreck.
There were two life saving stations less than three
miles from the wreck. and at daybreak both the
crews of these stations ought to have
been at the wreck with all their APP
pfiances. From the statements of the mate
it appears that the life buoy passed back forth
four times from the wreck to the shore and at no
time there any "tail block attached the line
hauled the life buoy off to the vessel
several times that they could have hauled
OF the hauling line board of the wreck and
or spars. and thus have formed an endless com.
nlunication with the shore. that the peo-
ple on shore could have the line passed
that they had the lines Of three stations
within six miles of the wreck that they succeeded
III throwing line into the hands of the and
reason exists why they could not have sent them the
ttl block, - its resistance would have been more
Ife hIn hat taf1h htae facf
board and the distance the vessel from the
snore they could have passed every of the crew
OPPORTUNITIES.
This shows they lost their opportunity in the
morning to launch their surf boat; that they neg
1ccted or failed to send the tail block. and that when
the surf boat was attempted she utterly misman-
aged, thus losing three distinct chances of saving
lives. In this | make no exaggerated statement.
but from personal view of the wreck. found the
wreck not over TWO hundred yards from the beach.
and that the vessel had never moved from the time
she struck because the line on board of her had not
Stacked Except for the personal energy of the first
mate neither the child nor any of the crew would
have been saved. He made almost superhuman ex-
ertlons to save the child and Captain and wife.
TOO MUCH POLITICS.
From conversation with the intelligent inhab-
tants of Barnesat earD that ninety per cent of all
the Life Service crews composed of republicans
and it is very difficult for man not voting the re-
publican ticket to get position in the service. no
matter how good man he may be. 1t is matter
easily ascertained and the attempt should be made
to do so, for If this is fact IT necessarily shows
that not mans ability. but politics, places him in
the service.
ERROR LIGHT.
The second mate says that he and the captain
light which they called Barnegat Light, and altered
their in accordance with it. short tine
aterward the vessel struck. Shortly after striking
when the first mate came deck, he discovered the
true Barnegat Light about six miles north
and said to the captain There is Barnegat
Light" The Captain replied. Glow. for Gods
SAKE, can be- ! saw Barnegat Light
first seen by tine Captain evidently the light of
7he patrolinan ON the beach.
THE DEAD.
The lost seaman, June. belonped 10 Rass Island
Lake Erie; was twenty-eight years Old single, and
Don was from Taunton Mass, twenty.two
years Old oid' slgle, ana had been on
j. Sawyer. twentyeight years old. a native
of MDridge Me-, and hal been captain since
1873. HIS WIFE Ida, was twenty -four years old and
native of Prospect Harbor. Me-. and was daughter
OF Captain Allen. sailing from Prospect Harbor.
rnE tSvEsr1GAIIoS
= Lieutenant Thomas u. Walker, who has been sent
bere by General superintendent kinbal TO investi-
gate into charges against the Life Saving crews will
proceed with the inquiry Monday. and intends to
make 1T thorough and bring out all the facts.
loss OF THE ENGLISH STEAMER ABERFELDY,
ABANDONED AT SEA on THE VOYAGE PROM
PHILADELPHIA TO IPSWICH, ENGLAND, AFTER
FOUR DAYS FIGHT WITH THE SEA FOR
LrFE-A THRILLING NARRATIVE OF HEROIC
ESDEAvoR
HALIFAX, ". s., March 1, 1879.
Captain sandwell and the crew of the steamship
bocrfeldy, Of Hartlepool England. previously re-
ported abandoned at sea- reached here late last night
from Port Midway, Queens county The
vessel was on voyage from Philade-
phia for Ipswich England The captain re-
ports:-on Thursday February 20, experienced
fresh gales. with cloudy weather and passing show
ers and shipped water forward. by half past ten A.
NJ. the wind had increased TO strong gale, with
heavy head sea, and shipped water forward
heavily. Reduced the engine 10 half speed.
We were then in latitude - deg. 80 min. north,
longitude 60 deg 20 min. Toward night the gale in
creased, the ship laborng heavily and shipped
water both fore and aft. AT midnight the gale was