The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-01-10
WRECK OF THE ADRIANNA.
Terrible Sufferings of Her Inflated
Crew.
Two Men Frozen to cath and Others
Nearly Perish With the Ceid-Tardy Ac-
tion Of sbe Life Saving Station Crew.

NEWPORT. Jan. 9.-Particulars of the suffer
ings of the crew of the wrecked schooner Adri-
anna have been received. The captain mis-
took the light az Block Island for that OF Point
Judith. The schooner was driving through
the water at great speed when the crv OF
"Breakers ahead" was heard. They were then
in the outer edge of the surf, and the captain
had bat time to call to his men to leap into the
rigging and get there himself when the vessel
struck and the waves Immediately broke across
her, throwing spray which iroze wherever it
struck, nearly up to the crosstrees. The crew
consisted of the captain, mate, cook and one
sailor. The vessel struck at II p. m. The
captain and sailor had warm clothes, but the
mats aud cook were thinly clad. The mate
probably thought it unnecessary 10 lash himself
to the rigging, and becoming chilled he fell
from his position, struck the ice-6led mainsail
and was doubtless instantly killed. The cook
was frozen to death in less than an hour Sever
al islanders saw the wreck about daybreak and
went out to her in yawl. After lowering the
two survivors into the boat they secured the
bodies of the mate and cook. The latter, Frank
Jones of Holly, Pa, bas been buried. The
mate was John Coleman, of Gardner, Me-,
whittier his body has been forwarded.
Another Account.
Last Thursday night the event occurred, but
communication with the island. especially at
this season Of the year, is so extremely difficult
that the full particulars have not been obtain
able until today. The night was bitterly cold
and the wind was blowing perfect gale. The
schooner, under command of Captain G. B.
Nobrega, who was making his first trip as mas
ter, was from Elizabethport, bound for Provi-
ience. After coming through the Sound he
passed Watch Hill all right, whose light he
recognized, but his compass being unreliable
when he got near Block Island and made
Sandy Point light he mistook it for Point Ju-
dith and kept away, leaving the light on his
port hand. instead of hauling up. The schoon-
er was going rapidly along under iib and
double reefed Wansail, when the crew discoy-
cred that there were breakers ahead. The
captain called to his men to leap into the rig
g'ng when the vessel struck, and the waves
were instantly breaking across her and throw
ing the spray, which froze Instantly when
it struck, even to her cross-trees 1t was about
II O'Clock vhsn she struck. The crew, con-
sisting Of the captain, mate, cook and one
sailor, clung to the rigging in despair. They
cried aloud in their agony, but the roar of the
WIND through the rigging and the splashiDg OF
the icy surf was the only response that crested
their ears Lashed to the rigging, drsncbed
throrgh and through with the pitiless surf.
they waited through the long hours until day
light, or rather those who survived did so; for
the mate, who was we'll up in the rigging,
thinking it unnecessary to lash himself, be-
came benumbed, fell and was instantly killed.
The cook, who was insufioiently cad. died of
cold an hour or two after the schooner struck.
Mr.. Irving P. Littlefeld, who lives about
half mile from the scene Of the wreck, dis
covered her at daylight, and, hastily summon
Ing assistance he, with four others, launched
into the Breakers in yawl, and after great ex-
erion reached the stranded vessel, over which
the sea wss breaking. They got into the ri =
ging, which was a sold mass of ice, lowered
the Two survivors ipte their boat aud secured
the body of the mate. Tho cook, who was
frozen IN the rigging. was almost unrecogpiz-
able as human being, having the appearance
OF mass of ice as srge as barrel. The
boats crew were so exhausted that they were
compelled to leave him and make for the
shore, which they reached in safety. The two
Survivors wore assisted to Littleheld's house,
where everything was done to make them
comfortable. Captain Chester e Rose, seeing
that the life saving station men showed no dis
position to board the schooner and save the
body of the unfortunate man in the rigging,
called for volunteers, and, selecting Wm. NJ
Ross, Amazon Lutlefeld, Silas N. Littlefeld,
n. B. Rose and Ira Ii. Littlefeld, launched the
yawl again, and, after great difficulty, and at
the risk Of their lives, succeeded in breaking
the ice around the -sss hessaEr-srd -ssrd Ioosening the
death-grasp irom the rigging. Exhausted aud
half frozen after eDdeavoring to get the body
into the Sawl. these heroic men were compeli-
cd to temporarily desst and go ashore 10 pro.
cure dry clothing and warm their chilled
boaies. After they had been to all this trouble,
aud while they went to a neighboriug house
Tor the above purpose, the station crew launch
ed their large yawl and brought ashore the
body. An inquest was held on the bodies and
that OF the maze, whose name was John Cole
man, who lived in Gardner, Me-, Will be sent
to his irinds. The cook, whose name was
Fsaok Jones of Holly, Penn, was buried from
the church on Sunday. The captain and sail
or will recover, although the formers feet are
snfferiog severely. Those who are acquainted
with this locality think that station ought to
be located between Sandy point and the beach
There is no point on the island where one Is
more needed. The schooner a. present is GO
ing to pieces, and will DO total loss