Daily Republican., 1881-10-17
A TERRIBLE STORY OF A WRECK.
I've bays Lashed to . Wrecked
schooner At Cape Hatteras.

ScnOOucT - S0po h0SstE6ss
| PHILADELPHIA Oct. 15.-The thrill
ing details of the loss of the schooner
Thomas j. Lancaster, which went to
pieces Oct. 5, on the North Carolina
coast, near Body Island Light reached
this city to-day. The Lancaster sailed
from Boston, Sept. 81, loaded with ice
for savannah. She was new, stanch
vessel and ratedA1 by the underwriters,
Her captain, George l.. Hunter who was
Al years old, was an experienced sea-
man and an able commander. He had
with HIM in this voyage his wife and
three chiIdra', all g rs--Edna, $ years
old; George & years Old and a baby 10
months. All went well until the night
of Dct, i, when UfCape Hatteras a fear
tul storm arose The caDtain, after re-
naming on deck until after midnight, re
tired, leaving the vesse in charge of First
Officer, NJ. Carlton, and three hours at
terwards was awakened by q terrible
shock rs the vessel struck on the reef
with a violence teat Instantly extin-
guishel every light Oh board. The crew
was driven out of the forecastle by the
water and the captains family, after
cropping about in the dark for a little
coothiug, took refuge on deck. The life
boat was launched, but utsWamped before
it could leave the vessels side, and two
seamen who were in it were lost.
The vessel swung round, with its
broauside to The waves, and no attempt
was made to launch another boat For
two hours the survivors maintained an
unsteady position on the deck, over
which the water was constantly break
ing. About ) o'clock wave struck
Mrs. Hunter and tore the baby from her
arms. The same wave carried OIL the
oldest girl, and the Captain sprang into
the sea after his children. After half
an hours batting with the waves he
succeeded in getting back to the ship,
but without the children, who were
never seen again until their bodies were
washed up on the beach.
Some time after daylight the life
saving crew from Station No. ~ reached
the wreck and fired a line over the veS-
sell but the current carried IL away be-
fore il could he made fast, They made
several other attempts, but without
success. The vessel lay about 800 yards
much benumbed by the cold and eX
posurp to help themselves. Capt. Hun
ter, who had mad two ribs broken in his
effort to save Edna, had his wife dashed
III the rigging about 20 feet above the
deck, and his remaining daughter tied
on tho bowsprit. He then crawled out
ana lay by her, csinging TO the spar. In
this position the survivors OF the family
remained all day, while TIE crews Of
Nos. II and Is were making inet1ectual
efforts to save them.
Some time after the Captain became
exhausted, dropped from the bowNprit,
and was carried away by the waves.
The little girl left alonein the storm and
darkness, cried piteously for her moth
er, and MIS- Hunter begged the stew ard
who was attending Eer, to unite herand
let her 90 to her child, but he refused
Early in the morning the little one lost
her hold and fell through the ropes so
that she hung, head downward, held
only by the lashings which tied her feet
to the boWsprir, and here she hung Tor
an hour or more before she was seen and
recovered. At last about s o'clock on
the second morning, Il life bL at from the
shore reached the wreck, and Mrs.
Hunter, her child, the steward, and 3
seamen were taken ashore, where the
! child died from exhaustion half an hour
later These were all the Survivors,
The bodies of Capt. Hunter, his two
children, First officer Callton and three
seameI.-!lenry Street, ot New York;
Frank McCune, Uf Charleston, and
Joseph Middleton, of Phi!adhlphia-
were washed ashore thai day. The
Lancaster went to pieces soon after he
rescue Mrs. Hunter remained ut the
Iite-saviug Station No, lSuntiI friend
Of the family, who had been telegraphcd
for, reached the spot, which was not
until a week after The wreck, although
he made all possible haste, travelling
more than 100 miles i'll an open canoe
for want of better conveyance. He
found Mrs. Hunter seriously i'll, but
brought her to this city, arriving here
today. The bodies of Capt. Hunter,
his children, and the drowned sailors
were all buried on the beach.