Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-12-11
Five Heroes of the Ocean.
DYING IN An ATTEMPT TO SAVE OTHERs.-
FIRST OFFICER HENRI AND Four SAILORS
OVERWHELMED IN LIFE-BoAT.

OVkkWbELAED II n L OVAL
The steamship Knickerbocker, of the Crom-
well Line. running between this port and New
Orleans, arrived here yesterday and reported
that her first officer and four men bad been
lost in gallant attempt TO rescue distressed
vessel off the Five Fsthom Bank
The Knickerbocker had stormy weather
throughout her trip, and as she ran up the
coast the violence of the wind and waves IN
creased. On Sunday it was blowing gale
from the northeast and heavy sea was run
ming. The gale continued until TUESDAY
The morning of Tuesday broke gloomilv over
a iempest-tossed sea and the snip struggled
nor ward through great waves that broke
over her and chilling air That turned Tue
spray to ice on her rigging At a. m a
schooner was sighted ahead showing signals
Of distress 1t was the schooner Mary d.
Cranmer. bound for Philadelphia. She was
vainly struggling 10 make an offins and every
minute vas being blown nearer the shore IL
was Certain death for every one on ooarn 10
the Indictment weather if the schooner ever
struck the beach.
When the Knickerbocker came up with the
schooner the latter sigDalled thar she wanted
to be towed into port, as she was uhaoIT 70
beat off shore. The steamer lay TO ana Is. j.
Henry the first officer, and four sailors vol
unteered TO make an attempt to get line
from the schOoner to the steamer. 1t was an
extremely perilous undertaking for the wind
had now hauled to the nOrthward and terri
BILE cross sea prevailed. The knicxerbock-
err. liie-bnat was lowered away and First
Officer Henry with his four brave volunteer
John johnson. Georg- Harris, Frederick
johnson and William Hitgaten, started for
the distressed schooner The small life-boat
boz, sxn
waves I'd the spray that hew over the sailors
froze on them in sheets of ice. They pulled
At the oars as only sailors can when life and
death are in the IF brt, and Mr.. Henry steerrd
the boat toward the schooner with the skill
born of life Of experience. Every minute
the violence of the cross sea increased
At last they reached the distressed vessel
and the saiors on board threw them hawser.
Taking the end of the hawser in the boat,
they started on their hazardous return trip to
the steamer. II was a terrible battle with
wind and waves but two thirds of the dis
lance had been accomplished when those who
watched the heroic struggle from the deck of
the Knickerbocker saw great wave seize the
life-boat in its grasp and whirl it over as if it
were a cork or a bit Of driftwood
Then from out the thunder of waters, the
fying spray and the seethiig foam. the sail
DF5 tWtTRtD III tDc VI Two great
waves, still clinging to the boat and irving to
right her great mass of green water
swept over them, hiding them from sight
Again they were seen, riding on huge wave,
but with the boat righted. The sailors were
at the oars again toiing for life. The boat
was full of water and the icy and angry seas
broke over he men again and again. The
hawser of the schooner had been torn from
the boat and the sailors were numbet with
cold and exhausted by their severe work.
Still they struggled on toward the steamer,
where their shipmates. powerless to aid, were
watching what had now become fight for
life.
The wind had shifted to the northwest and
the schooner was borne ff-shore. She at
least was safe. The men in the life-boat
struggled on toward the steamer. They had
accomplished half the remaining distance
when wave with a great foaming
crest curled over them and they
were buried from sight. Once more they
appeared, clinging to the boat 1t was
work of some time to right her now, but Mr..
Henry kept his head through all the terrible
efforts of his men.
After long and painful effort the boat was
rghted again, and again the people on the
struggling toward them, The sailors were
coated with ice, their limbs were numbed
with cold, and the angry seas contested with
tbs m every inch of advance they made toward
the steamer. They had almost reached her
when a great billow lifted the boat and held
it and its occupants for second suspended
over a toaming abvss of water. A line
thrown them from the steamer, but their
hands were frozen and their limbs so numbed
with cold that they could not grasp it, and
then the lfeboat and its crew were hurled
down and swallowed up in the waves.
A boat was lowered from the steamer and
n crew of volunteers manned it. They pulled
to where the life-hoat was being whrled
about by the waves, but the angry seas swept
beyond their grasp the stiffened bodies of the
four sailors and buried them forever in the
sea The body of Mr.. Henry, frozen stiff,
was found entanged in the lifeline of the
capsized boat. With the greatest exertion it
was extricated and taken on the rescuing
boat. Then a wave caught both boats and
hurled them toward the side of the steamer.
The men in the second boat managed by
great exertion to keep their boat off, but the
great seas with final roar of triumph dashed
the lite-boat against the steamers iron sides,
eaking it into kndling wood. After con
siderable difficulty the second boat was got
aboard with its crew in safety. The steamer
brought the body of Mr. Henry to this port.
First Officer b. J. Henry was generally
known as Captain Henry He had been IN
the employ of the Cromwell Line for three
wears aud was formerly captain of one of the
smaller steamers of the line Previous to that
he WAS captain of several large sailing yes
sells belonging to Snow & Burgess He
forty-fv years old and leaves wife and two
sons in his native place. Thomaston, Me.
All speak of HIM as a sailor and gentleman
of great ability and most estmsble qualities.
The men who died with him, John Johnson.
George Harris, Frederick johnson and Will
liam Miigsten, were all Scandinsvians. of
whom nothing is known here except that lhev
were good sailors and died like heroes.
The flags on the two steamers of the Crom-
well Line living at their piers and the flag
over the company's office were flying at half
mast yesterday in honor of the brave men.
Mr.. Seaman agent of the line. said Yesterday
in speaking of the sad affair Captain Henry
and his crew are rs great heroes as any who
have won the applause of the world on the
battlefield. They went to rescue the schoon-
er voluntarily. well knowing that the chances
were greatly against their surviving, bu
scorning to leave tellow-bengs in distress "
-Ner York Tribune. 9th.
Personal.
81 IL H. ~.