Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-08-02

| HIGHLANDS, N. j., July 81.
Intelligence was received here this morn
ing that the schooner yacht Mary Craig. from
Philadelphia, upset uear the government
dock at Sandy Hook during the storm last
evening. Six ladies aud young man were
drowned. One lady was recovered. The
others are supposed to be in the cabin of the
yacht. Seven of the yachts party, who were
found clinging to the rigging after she cap
sized, were rescued by tug. The names of
those lost were: Mrs. T. II. Stevens and
her two daughters, Miss NJ. Stevens and
Mrs. Askin, two sisters Miss Emma and
Miss Bessie Merritt, Miss Maud f. Rettew
and MIR. Chester Clark. Mrs. Stevens body
has been recovered. The party left Phila-
delphis on Tuesday, the 21th instant, for an
IL days run along the Atlsnic coast as for
as Newport. Mr. T. NJ. Stevens, his wife,
two daughtess and a few of their friends ar
ranged for the trip, but Mr.. Stevens, who is
the manager of the Union Mutual Aid AS
sociatlon, was unable TO get off at the last
moment on account of an unexpected press
OF business. The party was to have visited
Cape May, Atlantic City, Newport and per-
| haps other places further up the coast and
would have returned TO Philadelphia today
week. Miss Nj. Stevens was the book-keeper
in her fathers office. Mrs. Cora Askin, her
sister, was the wife OF the late treasurer
of the McCaull's Opera House in Philadelphia.
The Craig was hired by the party upon rep
| TT senta ions of friends thas she was y stanch
craft and her master thorough sailor. The
Misses Merit lived on North Twentieth
street, Philadelphia, and were in comfortable
circumstances. Miss Maud Rettew was
young lady friend of the Merritts. Young
Chester Clark WAS telegraph operator. At
ter the survivors had spent night of anguish
in Ordinance Officer Sinclair's headquartor RS,
on the point of the hook, many of them re-
| qurlug the constant attendance of Drs. An
drews and Phillips of the Highlands, who
had been summoned as soon as the disaster
became known on shore, an effort was made
by volunteer crew of fishermen to reach the
upturned yacht. This was at early daybreak.
Several efforts were made, but a storm which
set in at five o'clock, made the breakers up
heave so that it was perilous to launch the
biggest of the life saving boats which were at
| hand 1t was some time after o'clock when
a plan was devised to send for the tug A. +.
Stewart lying near the Highlands, SO that
she might graprle the wreck and haul it close
in shore. The Stewart responded and by
o'clock the yacht Craig was abreast about
| 100 Yards of the govcrnment dock. Then the
government employees, with axes, broke into
! the lower cabin. There ghastiy sight met
| their view. Clasped in each others arms
were NJ S. Mamie Stevens and Mrs. Eva +.
Askin of No. 1888 ,Judson street. They were
sisters, aged "a and 81 years respectively
| Their golden tresses were matted to-
gether, aud their bodies entw ined. Brought
| to the stone dock it was Gliiicult to separate,
even IN death, the beings who loved one
another so much in life. The next sight that
greeted those on the sad errand was the body
| II
way, and which was later identified AS Miss
Emma Merritt OF SCI North Twentieth street.
In her hands wer, clssped the bow of
violin, as if she had been entertaining her
! friends with music when that awful squal
came that brought death to the merry party.
Miss Merritt was % years of age The next
task OF the hoatmen was the removing of the
body of woman whose hair had turned
toward being silvered, and whose face looked
beautiful even in death. 1t was the body of
Mrs. +. Hood Stevens of 1888 Judson street,
aged SO, and the mother of the two young
ladies whose bodies were first recovered. The
next body taken out was that of Chester
Clerk, % years of age. None of the survi-
vors knew the residence of Clark, except that
he was the chief operator of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company at the Broad and Market
street depot, and his companionable ways
were so pleasant that he was made one of the
Joyous party. Two more persons were now
among the missing, but, searched through
and through, the little cabin, which was 10
feet by s, failed to disclose any more bodies
Maurice Bulky. one of the survivors who
accomps MED Officer Sinclairs men, and who,
| it is said, was the betrothed of Miss Rebecca
Merritt of SCI North Twentieth street,
one of the ill-fated young ladies penned
in the cabin when the yacht capsized, insisted
on further search being made, and with the
use Of axes some of the debris of the cabin
was removed. Buried under the mass was
found another fragile form. 1t was that of
Miss Maude Rettew, aged 20 years, of 1907
North Twelfth street. The unfortunate
young lady's face was terribly. bruised, the
only one of the party whose body had the
| least mutilaton. All these bodies were ten
derly brought to the shore, and in wagons
were removed to the pier of the Sandy Hook
/ boat. A thorough search was made through
the cabin and hold of the upturned yacht for
| the other missing body, that of Miss Rebecca
Merritt, but in vain. 1t is supposed that
Miss Merritt, who was being assisted down
the companion way as the squall broke on
the tiny craft fell into the sea as
the yacht went over and was lost.
All this was accomplished with a lack
of that excitement which, in a crowded city,
| Is bOuOu 10 atteHu N tnrllIlUB event, 1Or SANDY
Hook is rather a lonely place, with only the
station and boat landing to ordinarily enlven
it. The bodies were laid in railroad car
quite reverently, and yet with no funeral
sembance, for no appliances other than
those of common transit were at hand. Cor
oner Morris had won in the race of the coun-
ty coroners for the case, and he took charge
of the remains. They were conveyed to a
room back of his undertaking store in Long
Branch, where they were formally viewed by
the village jury whom he impaneled. Then
they were decently cared for bu, kept out of
public sight for the night. The inquest will
be held on Monday.
| LONG BRANCH, ". j., Aug. /.
The body of Miss Bessie Merritt was re-
covered from the schooner yacht Mary Craig
about noon today. The bodies of Mrs and
Miss Stevens, Mics Emma Merritt. Miss
| Maud Z. Retten, Mrs. Cora Z. Askin and
Sir Chester Clark were taken to Philadelphia
this morning.
| GLOUCESTER, Mass, July 81.
The 7.l5 train on the New York, Wood
Haven & Rockaway railroad was crossing
trestle over Jamaica Bay when the storm
came up, and was almos: blown from the
track. Passengers were demoralized for
several minutes and the excitement was in
| tensifed by the bowsprit of an unknown
schooner, which had been driven from her
anchorage, running between the cars, doing
| con adorable damage, The schooner's how