Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-08-22
UNDER THE BLACK FLAG.
A Mysterious Schooner Sunk of tho
Jersey ShOre-Chased by an Unknown
Steamer

|
Mysterious Schooner Sunk OF tn.
Jersey ShOre-Chased by an Unknown
Steamer.
Ataatic CitySDecia1to PhiladeEphia Press. 18th
An unknown schooner, which appeared
to be pursued by a steamer. and wbicf
| carried a black flag, sank suddenly. and
apparently, with all hands on board, of
Beach Haven, on Friday evening. The
! Whole affair is mysterious, and until to
day remained unknown to anY except the
inhabitants of the little village of Beach
Haven, an isolated fishing village on Long
Beach, about thirteen miles north of At
| lantic City.
There is no regular signal service sta.
| tlon at Beach Haven, the telegraph office
being in charge of Frank Taylor, relia-
ble operator who is employed by the in
haDltants and the guests at the summer
hotels, OF which there are one or two, to
remain during the season. Mr.. Taylor
stated this morning to the CORRESPONDENT
of the Press that on Friday evening last.
ABOUT 1Ye O'Clock, during the prevalence
OF the great storm, caused by Thursdays
| northeaster, schooner, of several hum
dred IONS burden and flying a black fac
was seen beating into the shore about two
miles north of the Beach Haven Life
Saving Station. Further in the offing a
steamer was seen apparently in pursuit of
| the schooner. The latter seemed much dis
tressed, and suddenly sunk with all on
board.
The eye-witnesses of this singular &C.
currence were DR.. Edgar Holden, we'll
known physician of Newark, n. j., who
has been visitor at Beach Haven for five
or six summers, the doctors wife. chill
dren and cOachman. The whole village
mas been III an uprOar over the affair ever
since, but, singular to say, have cOmmu-
nlcated nothing to the outside world. nor
is 1t even known that the life-saving crews
on Long Beach have made any search
for the possible survivors. DIR. HOlden's
statement, which. he corroborated this
morning in person, and for which his family
and the coachman Vouch, is as follows:
Il had been cunning for marsh fowl
during the afternoon of Friday, the storm
having cleared overhead, although the
waves were running mountain high. NV
wife and family had been driven out to
meet me at point some two miles north
OF Beach Haven. just opposite the Life
Saving Station, which is not manned this
summer, we saw a rakish-lOOking. two
masted schooner, carrying a black flag,
making straight towards us, and appa-
rently pursued by a steamer. The
schooner labOred heavily, and shook about
great deal in the heavy sea.
My attention was attracted particu-
larly by the black flag, which rose clear
against the horizon as an enormous wave
lifted the schooner until her entire hull
and deck, filled apparently with men.
were IN bold relief. | watched her sink
into the trough, and when | looked again
she was nowhere to be seen. The steamer
which was still some distance to the
south, came directly to the spot where we
last saw the schooner, steamed carefully
all around it and then came to a dead
stop.
"She remained there, apparently mo-
tIonless, for half hour. / sighted at her
down my gun barrel, and am sure she did
not move during that time. She then
steamed TO the north and out to sea.
could not see her launch any boats or
make search for the crew of the schooner.
though 1t is natural to suppose she did
So"
DR.. Holden is still in Beach Haven. a
place, by the way, which has been for
some years a resort for Jay Cooke and his
family and other Philadelphians, and is
well known there and in Newark.
FRANK Taylor, the telegraph operator.
sald thls morning: ''There is no doubt IN
the world of the correctness of DIR. Hol-
denis version of this mysterious affair
Feople here have been wild ever since the
Doctors return Friday evening. When he
returned DR.. Holden was himself consid-
eraOly excited, and said: The schooner
undoubtedly went down right before my
eyes,
''The people here have been after me
ever since for news, asking if the crew
were all drowned, and if nothing has
come ashore. Last evening some fisher
men reported finding two barrels washed
ashore on the beach off which the doctor
saw the schooner sink, but L have not
seen the barrels"
DIR. HOlden's coachman said: 81 was
terribly excited while we were watching
the steamer chasing the schooner. and
when the schooner went down | iumped
off my box. Big Pete says he found a
piece OF the stern of foreign built boat
on the beach Saturday night. with part of
Spanish word on it, but he has told sew
eral different stories about it. Another
guest at the hotel saw the steamer stop
ana then go out to sea again.
II never felt as bad in my life as did
TO see the schooner roll over and go down
IN the flash OF an eye, and no sign of a
soul saved OF her crew. There's some
mystery about the whole business-the
steamers chasing the schooner, and her
trying to get away and flying black flag.
100. The sea was terrible, although the
sun was shining. l guess the steamer
reached the place where the schooner
went down in about ten minutes after
she disappeared"
MI Taylor says he has no information
OF the name of either vessel. No black
nag is known in marine codes save the
n c4r l.fIr 4