Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-08-23

Official Dispatches ef Commando
Merry

THE LOST TALLAPOOSA.
Official Dispatches Of Commander
| Merry.
Commander Merry, who was in command of the
| TallapooSa, sent the following telegrams from
Woods Holl to the Navy department to-day:
~ have sent 102 men, in charge of their officer, to
the navy yard. Boston. as the most convenient
place, retaining IL men."
TWO SLEEPY LANDsMRN.
Another dispatch states: ~ have to report that
William ODonaldson and William E. Jones, lands
men, are missing. They were seen by men on board
the Gate City, and they are supposed to have re-
| mained on board asleep"
THE YANTIC AT THE SCENE OF THE WRECK.
Commander Wildes, in command Of the Yantic,
which was ordered to the scene Of the disaster tele
graphs the department to-day from Woods Holl as
| follows:
"Iantic arrived at Vineyard Haven last night
| and Woods Holl this morning. Have ordered The
ana am send remaining men to the Wabash and the
| officers home VIII then proceed to wreck and
order Triana to Newport with public property
| A COURT OF INQUIRY TO BE ORDERED.
In accordance with the usual custom In such
cases as soon as practicable the Navy department
Will order court OF inquiry to investigate the dis
aster to the Tallapoosa. The court will probably
most convenient place. II the report of the court
warrants 1t a courtmartial viii be ordered, as is
| usual In such cases.
| PROPOSITION TO RECOVER THE FREIGHT
Mr.. Townsend, Of Boston, VINO has divers and
Wrecktng vessel near the scene OF the disaster to
the Tallapoosa, has proposed to the naval author-
ties in this city by telegraph to commence at once
the work OF recovering the freight and other prop
erty @ on It the @ submerged steamer: The Acting Sec
| retary OF the Navy has communicated with Com
| mander Wilde, who is now at Vineyard Haven,
and directed him to confer with the agents of Mr..
Townsend in regard to raising the Tallapoosa, and
| the recovery Of the property. 1t is a question
whether an attempt to raise the vessel would be
Fuller Details of the Disaster.
The statements of the officers and members Of
| the crew Of the U. S. steamer Tallapoosa, which
collided with sloOp and sank OF Of Cottage City
| on the Massachusetts coast on Thursday night
full account of which appeared In yesterdays STAR
throws additional light on the causes of the dis
| aster. Lieut. William H. Everett, executive off,
Ger; Ensign William B. Whittlesey and Mate Hugh
kuhl, with 100 men from the wrecked TalIapooSa
arrived in Boston and proceeded to the navy yard
where they go upon waiting orders Lieut. Everett
says he believes the TallapOoSa did act in man.
ner to avoid the line of water which the schooner
would cover. He was not on deck at the time of
the collision, but from the conversation he has
since had he feels convinced the steamer was in
the right "The two vessels" he says "Were COM
Ing In diametricay opposite directions, head on.
The schooner should have kept straight along and
the steamer should have passed to one side OF her
but 1t would seem as though the officers In charge
OF the schooner were afraid we would not alter our
proper course. Now, 1t Is perfectly easy thing to
avoid fixed point, but when that point keeps
poppiLg around thee Is no telling what to do. The
very way the schooner struck us would indicate
that she had changed her course, coming as she
side"
The statement OF Others OF the Talapoosa, how
ever, would tend to show that different set OF
movements were followed. The general opinion
among the sailors is that the schooner was going
a n o. ftNf o1lnv&o
OF passing astern or cross her bows The Tallapoo-
sa chose the latter course, and in endeavOring to
sailor, who claims to have been In the plot-house
at the time OF the disaster: 'The captain, naviga-
tor, and mate saw the light OF the Schooner, but
finally the captain exclaimed, well, do something
turn her one way or the other and then we
struck"
NO CONFUSION ONLY HASTE.
There was no confusion, only great degree OF
haste Some 20 or 30 men took to the water instead
OF to the boats All this happened in little over
five minutes. The Tallapoosa had already begun
pletely submerged Not one OF the head officers
had left the craft Capt Merry, Lieut. Everett,
Engineer 1owne. Master Mechanics Steever and
Walker and four sailors took to the rigglngs,
missing that the depth of water was not sufficient
to submerge the maintop. Ensign Whittlesey and
Mate Gallagher clung to the ridge rope.
"THE LAST OF BLACK"
OF the four men reported lost, only two are
known to have perished. Surgeon Clarence E.
Black at the time of the disaster was below in the
ward room The carpenters mate, being injured
In the hand when the mast fell, hurried to have
the surgeon attend to the wound. AS he was so
doing, the cry of "Abandon ship" rang out The
two men hastened on deck; the surgeon made his
way aft to the hurricane deck. Here he stood
under the awning, which was spread, holding fast
to Settee. He did not seem to realize his perilous
position, and when Lieutenant Everett. perceiving
MIN, called out that he had better provide himself
"Where are they9" The lieutenant pointed them
Ing by heard the fated officer remark to himself,
swell, guess this is the last of Black" and almost
Immediately Inn the vessel sank; 1t is supposed that
the awning prevented the officer from clearing him
sell from the wreck, and he was drowned.
THE OTHER VICTIMS.
the second man lost was colored saloon hand
named George Foster, belonging in Norfolk, Va He
had quickly seized life-preserver, and rushing to
hand, over the stern. His body struck upon one OF
the monkey rails and he was probably instantly
killed for the preserver foated, but the body was
not TO be seen. The other two missing men, Wm
ODonnell, seaman, OF Boston, and w. L. JONES'
landsnan, OF Wilmington, are confidently believed
Io nave slowed themselves away ON the Gate City.
PAYMAsTER TIFFANY's EXPERIENCE.
Paymaster Tiffany said he was asleep in his berth
when the collision occurred. He reached the deck
just In time to dive through stern port the ship
settled into the water: He swan to the steam
his conversation 1t would appear that the officers
OF the Talapoosa on deck at the time of the COLI
sion disputed the Claim OF the schoOners captain
that he did not change his course. .
THE MASTER MECHANICS ACCOUNT.
Master Mechanic Steever was in charge Of the
engine at the time OF the disaster. He says: "We
were going to 10 knots an hour, our regular rate
being 3 to14. We kept at this rate until two min
uteS after the collision. The two bells rang and
Stacked speed. Immediately the water began to
pour into the room, and was obliged to rush out.
1t was exactly lilo O'clock p. IN. when we were
struck. went to the rigging with the captain and
OtherS. Tne boats made off for the schooner, each
looking after himself Capt Merry hailed them,
and finally the Whaleboat returned for u.s. and
afterward the barge for the captain and lieutenant.
poosa attempted to cross the schooner's bow and
got run down. The TallapoOSa was splendid
boat"
NOTICE TO MARINERS
The lighthouse inspector for that district issues
the following notice to mariners: "NOtice is hereby
given that nun buoy is placed over the wreck Of
the United states steamer TallapOOSa, In 81 faith
0ms OF water, about 319 miles to the eastward Of
East Chop light. Vineyard sound, east buoy, on
Hedge Fence shoal, bearing n. half e. The wreck
has one mast and the smokeStack out of water and
the sound"
Conditions on which Butler will With.
draw.
Boston dispatch to New York Sun.
1t is stated here, on pretty good authority, that
just before Gen. Butler left home on his speech
making tour he was asked, on behalf OF the demo-
cratlc national committee; upon what conditions he
would consent to withdraw his name as candi-
In 9 Caf tn