Daily Republican., 1881-10-17
A TERRIBLE STORY OF A WRECK.
I've Days Lashed to . Wrecked
NcnOOuer at Cane Hntteras.

1--we Days L0sheO 10 q wrecked
schooner At Cape Hatteras.
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
II 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 ofCape Hattefas 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 terrible
shock rs the vessel struck on the reef
with a violence teat Instantly extin-
guishei 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 little
coothiug, took refuge on deck. The life
boat was launched, butswamped before
it could leave the vessels side, and two
Seamrn who were in it were lost.
The vessel swung round, with its
broaIside 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 Il 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 j could be made fast. They made
several other attempts, but without
success. The vessel lay about 800 yards
from the beach and the sailors We're too
much benumbed by the cold and eX-
posture to help themselves. Capt. Hun
ter, who rad 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, clinging to the spar. In
this position the survivors of the family
remained all day, while the crews Of
Nos. II and Is were making Intellectual
efforts to save them.
Some time after the CAPTAIN became
exhausted, dropped from the boWAprit,
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 her and
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 bowsprit, and here she hung tor
an hour or more before she was seen and
recovered. At last about s O'Clock Oh
the second morning, a life beat from the
shore reached the wreck, and Mrs.
Hunter, her child, the steward, and ;
seamen were taken ashore, where the
child lied 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 McCuue, Uf Charleston, ana
Joseph Middeion, Of Philadelphia
were washed ashore thai day. the
Lancaster went to pieces soon aILtr he
rescue Mrs. Hunter remained ut the
Iite-saviug Station No, lSuntil TREND
Of the family, who had been telesraphcd
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.