Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-10-09

ne fssvshse rssssss sssssks ~ she Brss r.
}. nasryass--Bus I'VE ssslescrsw Alive.


}. nasryasn- Eat I'VE sfSser crew Alive.
New Yosk Herald,
when the health officers Al the Hospital
ehip 10 the lower bay went ABOARD
Sha brig r.. ]. Mcrryman. which arrived
yesterday morning, they beheId scene OF
DIRE confusion, and were told n tale OF an
almost UNPARALLELED combination OF disas-
Ter and suffering from storm and sickness.
Locking haggard and pale, Capt,ia Hopp-
child greeted the officers excIfedly and then
took them below decks into the presence Of
tro emscioted men. who were ali that were
left OF the vessels original crew.
"whst do you mean by saying these are
all that 81 lcft OF the briggs crew." asked
one OF the clHctrs as the Captain began bis
recital. Here ron are yourself. aud here
are At least score Of other men,"
sAflLgss AND SEAMLESS BEFORE HrsgI-
CANE.
Eleven tanned but worn-out-look,ng
sailors stood grouped around the Captain
and the officers. and 10 explain their pre-
scrce m well NJ his own aboard the vessel
the Captain said that they had picked up
the brig at sea. The Captain and crew OF
eleven were from the bark Frederick
Seaiia. owned a. Stettin. and last
seen in New York In May. 1888.
She sailed from Stcttin on July nth,
with q cargo OF salt for Charleston.
sc. On september 18th. while In latitude
zoe north and longitude $40 wesf. the Scala
encountered a hurricane which tore every
sail into ribbons, and finally wrenched
every spar from is fastenngs aud swept
them away. Thus disabled the good ship
WIS NJ The mercy OF the gale. Under bare
poles. however, she was stored before the
wind and kept from further injury. But
the storm had not ahatel when the awful
news was received from the carpenter that
a leak had been discovered. Although
tired on, from their cxertions to keep the
vessel righted. all hands that could be
spared were placed at the pumps. Work.
ing night and day soon exhausted the men.
and u seemed that they would perish. The
water gained inch by inch day by day.
AsAIL! A SAIL!
when all hope was abandoned on Sep
fember 2ist the cry was raised that sail bad
been sighted. Filled with new life The
men made desperate effort at the pumps
and kept ahoat until the sail was close at
hand. They raised signals OF distress, but
they received no reply. Mystified al not
being recognized. bu. yet determined not
to be passed unnoticed. Captain I1oppehild
with several Of his most tTusty men pat oil
In q boat. Coming up with the newly-dis-
covered vessel. they discovered her TO be
The brig y. J. MoTryman. Haihng the YES
eel. they were again astounded at receiving
no answer. Not man was 10 be seen on
deck. A man had stood at the wheel, but
be disappeared on beholding the approach
ing boats crew.
ABOARD A CHARNAL-UOUsE.
Graphing rope that hung over the side
OF the brig Captain Hoppchild drew his
boat close 10 the vessel. Followed by all
his men except one. whom he left behind |
10 look after the boat. the Captain clam |
bered on deck. Everything was in dis |
order. The man who had stood at the |
wheel had swooned. A pail OF water was |
dashed into bis face and he revived only |
10 tell that the vessel was floating charnel- |
house. and then to fall back dead.
Hastily searching through the crew OF the |
brig the captain and his men discovered |
that out OF the crew OF the brig ony two
men remained. The Others had died OF
fever. Filled with horror at having come
into such danger, the lonc-tried seamen
almost despaired. Behind them was death
from drowning or slow starvation by taking
10 their open boats. Before them seemingly
was even a worse fate. They accepted the
chances 81 the latter.
Sending his men back 10 the bark after
their companions, Captain Hoppchild then
lent his attention TO the two surviving men
whom he had discovered. and after few
minutes treatment he had them on their
feet. They were tie steward and a seaman,
who had been exhausted from oyerwork
md short rati0ns. When the crew of the
bark reached The brig they were sent back
Tor all the provisions thy could obtain, and
he bark Was then abasdopLd. The bark
'ank on the following day,
sArE IN SE~ YORK nay.
The Merrymsn is owned by K. A. Rob
rtson 4 Co., Of No. Old slip, this clty'
he left Boston in charge OF Captain G.. q.
Sickerson, on MAY 18th, for Sierra Leone,
IN the west coast OF Africa, arriving there
N June 18th. She then saiied for Beth
irst, whence she departed on August 10th,
With a cargo OF hides consigned to John 5.
Brooks, Of Boston. Besides the cap
ain she carried two mates and five
men before the mast. Soon after leaving
Bathurst fever broke out among the crew
which soon decimated their numbers 10 !
ucb an extent that they ilad TO do double
uiy in order TO manage her. When the
aptain aud mates died they were without
navigator, aud sailed aimlessly about
three were left. Strange TO say.
be two men fingered until the newly.found
aptain aud crew brought the brig into
Jew York bay.
CLAIM FOR SALVAGE.
"As tragic as tins story appears" said
to Herald reporter yesier-
ay. "it is We; not without it, humorous
base. Notwithstanding that II Captain
Ioppchid had not found the crewless brig
G would have certainly never been heard
rom, he has now entered libel in the
United States Court for salvage against K.
|. Robertson & Co. for picking up the
rig"
Captain Hoppchild makes his claim for
alvaee through Funch, Edge Co., his
gents.
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