The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-01-22
COLUMBUS HORROR!
Still Searching for the Bodies Of the
Victims.
A Narrowing and Heartrending StOr5
of the Wreck,
With a List Of the Survivors, and
How They We're Saved.

the steamer Columbus. There has been
q deplorsble lack of system in regard IN
the disposal of the bodies picked up al
various points along the coast. Stray bo-
dies of victims have been recovered by
various crafts plying through Vineyard
sound, and taken to widely separated
points. 1t is reported that several bodies
were picked up by q schooner, and
landed at Edgsrtown, Woods Hall and
Vineyard Haven. It ia positively known
there are now eleven bodies at Vineyard
haven, but the number st other points
cannot te sscertsined at present OWN
to the fact that there is no regular com.
municstion between these various
ports. At daylight this morning several
nevspsper corr espoL dents chartered the
tug Nellie for q cruise off Gay Head.
With the objec. of boarding the wreck and
making landing at Gay Head, which
latter point has not yet been visited.
Several gentlemen who Lost relatives by
the disaster accepted an Invitation TO &C
company the Nellie. At 8 o'clock the
weather moderated sufficiently to war
rant the tug in venturing into the sound,
and within two hours the n ellie steamed
within sighting distance of the wrecked
steamer. Upon approaching closer it
was sscertsined that about fifty feet
Of the bow and deck were out OF
water, the bow resting upon the rocks
slowed around point or two into deep
ifthree bodies we're hanging to the rattl-
jngs of the mizen rigging. By the time
the Ne,lieIsl within canon shot distance
oh
the wind began blowing ferceig from
the north northeast, and 1t was found
impossible to approach within quarter
of mile of the City of Co umbus, ow>
ing TO the fact that the ledge forming
DEVILS Bridge extended that distance to
the eastward of the wreck. The Nellie
skirted the buoy on the east and rsn
within an eighth of mile of the VIII srf,
landing at Gay Headlight The sea was
running go high that the tug could not
approach the wharf. and q yswl was
launched, il which some CORE pondents
and visitors set OFT for Cav Head. 1t
was only with great difficulty that
the party landed, as waves about
twenty feet high dashed over the wharf.
The party proceeded to the lighthouse,
where it was ascertsined that ten persons
landed safely from the wreck, all of
whom were alive and under the circum-
stances doing we'll. They are William
Spsulding, Boston, purser; Henry COL
Inns, Taunton, second assistant engineer;
John Hines, Boston, fireman; Thomas
Butler, Prince Edward Island, fremsn;
William n. Mcdonald, Boston, quar-
termsster; Thomas O'Lesry. seamaa;
Michael Kennedy and Edward A..
O'Brien, st. Johns, N. F., walters; j.
NJ. Brown and J. Tibbe.a, passengers.
Purser SpsuldiDg was found in she resi-
dence of the keeper of the light house,
his head bsndsged and wearing the
clothes in which he swan from the wreck
to the lifebost. The officers and seamen
relate their experience to correspond
ents and visitors, when guided by
native hslf>breeds they started
of to various points in the vicinity where
the bodies were placed after they were
picked up by natives along the beach.
The first place visited was the meeting
house, q delapidsted and storm-beaten
church in one OF the widest places on the
coast. There they found FIVE bodies, four
men and one woman. As the party en-
tered the building and beheld the out
stretched forms upon the floor, Mr.. Bel
yes, of Lynn, cried out, "Tnat is my
dear niece, ALICE" and be knelt before
the PROSTATE and 0isfgrred remains,
weeping convulsively. The remains
were horribly mangled and covered with
blood from head to loot. Another body,
that Of George Kellogg, was iden titled By
a relative pre- sent. The remainder were
One of them was thst Of
q passenger who died in the lifeboat while
on the way ftom the wreck to land,
kellogg, who left the vessel in q boat
with Qusrteimsster Macdonald, and
worked at the oars until he dropped dead
from exhaustion and exposure. The
party then proceeded to the beach, where
it WAS reported that number Of bodies |
were lying. As one Of the natives lifted |
} tsrpsulin from the frat victim, Rev. |
Mr.. Dunnipg, of Lawrence, recognized
,is brother.in.lsw, Henry Bstchelder.
The reverend gentleman was overcome
With emotion and wept hystericsIly. The
Until they reached cabin guarded by
Mrs. Belyes were found, horribly mutt
sted from contact with the wrecksee
md rocks. The body of Mrs. Atkinson
vs.. also found, the hands full Of hair,
which had evidently been torn from her
head in the agony of death. There
we're i've other bodies in the but,
our men and one woman, unidentified.
The party proceeded along the beach |
back to Gay Head light. Along this
stretch were nine corpses, sll more or
ess disfgured, and the faces wearing a
lsunting look Of horror. None were ideu-
lied. Later they were removed to places
# shelter along the coast. The natives
efused TO ALLOW the removal of the
'odies ill the expenses Of recovery we're
,sid. The bodies of Mrs. BeIyes, Mrs.
Atkinson, Kellogg and Bstchslder were
onveye1 in an oxcsrt and put aboard
be tug. Purser Spaulding, after de-
cribing how he and the second steward
vent through the cabin, arousinp the
passengers, said the vessel keeled over 40
ST on the port side that all the state
ooms on that side were submerged. On
be weather side of the deck weie three
r four passengers. When the shin
ghted snd settled there was terrible
Gene Of coAfusion on deck. Men
nd women, some with children
q thei: arms, clsmored ND 10
be deco, clinglng frsnticslly to every
projection; they crowded upon
sch other so fast that they could not be
ounted as they rushed upon deck, only
, be met by some monstrous wave and
Eept off into the ses. The grosns, yells,
nd curees commanded with the f1rv ofl