New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-09
FIVE HEROES OF THE OCEAN.
DYING IN AN ATTEMPT TO SAVE OTHERS.

DYING IN AN ATTEMPT TO SAVE orHERa
FIRST OFFICER HENPy AND FOUR SAILORS OVER
wmELMED IN LIpr-BOAr.
Tho steamship Knickerhocker, of tho Cromwell
Line. running between this port and New-(,rlssns.
arrived here yesterday and reported that her fires
officer and four men had been lost in gallant st-
tempt to rescue distressed vessel off the Five
Fathnm Bank.
The Knickerbocker hsd stormy weather through
out her trip. aud she ran mp the coast the vio-
lence of the wind and waves increased. On Sunday
it was blowing . gale from the northeast and
heavy sea running The gale continued until
Tuesday. The morning Of Tuesday broke gloomily
over tempest tossed ssa and the ship struggled
northward through great waves that br'ke over
her aud chilling air that turned the spray to tcs
on Der rigging. At r. IN. a schooner was sgised
ahead showing signals of Distress IL WAS the
schooner Mary ID. Cranmer bound for Philadelphia.
She was vainlv struggling TO make sn of1ng and
every minute was beng blown nearer the shore IL
was certain death for every on board in tue in
element weather if the schooner ever struck the
beach.
When the Knickerbocker came mp with the
schooner the latter signaed that she wanted to oe
towed into port as she was unable 10 peat ON
shore The steamer lay to and Is. j. Henry, tho
first officer anil four sailors volunteered to make
an attempt TO get line from the schooner to the
steamer 1t was an extremely perilons undertake
ing for the wind had now hauied to the n"rthwar0
and a terrible cross sea prevailed. Ihe knicker.
lockers life-boat was lowered away ana Firss
Officer Henry with his four brave volnnteers john
johnson, George Harris. Frederick Johnson ana
William Mitgaten. started for tue dstresseo
schooner The snail life-boat was tossed about 'ke
a cork bv the great waves and the spray that lew
fhat n
T,.ey pulled at the oars as only sailors can whec
life and death are In the effort, and Mr. Henry
seered the boat toward the schooner with the skill
horn of a life of experience Every minute the vio-
lence of the cross increased
AZ last they reached the distressed vessel and the
sailors on board threw them hawser. IaSn9 the
end of tho hawser in the boat they starter on sne
hazardous return trip 70 tile steamer. IL was
terriblu battle with wind and waves, but ttwo-thras
of the dist auce had been accomplished when those
who wal ched the heroic struggle from tue deck OF
tue Knickerbocker great wave seize Tho iiie-
boat in its grasp aud whiri IL over as IL ~ "o''
cork or u bit of drIftwood.
Then from out the thunder OF the waters tho
Aving spray and The ssethng foam, the sAilsrs
emerged IN the hollow Of two great waves. Sill
cIinyinp TO the boat aud trying to right her. A
o,.,t mass of green wafer swept over them. hiding
them from sight Again they were sesn. riding on
a huge wave, but with the boat righted. The SAIL
ora were at the again toi;ing Tor lire. iho
boat Was full OF water aud the icy and angry seas
broke over the men again and again. Inc hawser
of the schooner had been torn from the boat and
the sailors wer, numbed with cold and exhausted
bv their severe work. Still tney struggled on
toward the seamer whore the:r shi pnates, power
less to aid were Watching "n~' n"' Nv" "
Ths wind had shifted to the northwest and tho
nH- sbnra
,afe ne p,en iu the ite-b"at struggled on toward
tIr steamer. They hat accomps 'ed nait me re-
raining distance when sns Sass snd "1 thew wsr. buried
| from sight once more tnry arpealel, ciingpg 70
the boat. it a work Of some time TO tisnt Veg
Ss %s aud
| efforts of his men. ,. ,x.. r,h,.d
| aoaiu and again the people On the kuckerDockers
| deck saw the liant crew struggling towar. tno.n.
Tue sailors were coated VIII .or 'no. o c"v,tsS
with them every inch OF advance they ma 10 towaro
tne steamer lucy had almost Reached her when
great b ow lted the boa. ana et IL am 's shvs. v
| of water A line was thrown them IRON tno
| ste Imer but their hands we're frozen anu tnels
| I'mb, 40 nunbed with cold that tney could nos
I'm il an theu the life-bOat aud It's crrw were
| 5nre down and swallowed up in the waves
| a noai was lowered from tue steamer AMI a crew
of v"Inn,e.rs m ,pned IT, They pulled to where tho
| ite-boat MAS being whirled q out by tile waves,
| but the angry seas swept D"y"nd tneir Rr"sp .n"
lcftff
| tnrevor in the sea- The body Of Mr. Henry, frozen
| stin was fsund -ntangled in the lifeline vi tho
| c.nsizeI boat With the gre test rxeTtion IL was
| e,frcated ana taken on the rescuing o)at ineu
| ways eau gnt both boats and huried the.u 'owaiI
| the side of the 8 Gamer. Tho men IN tue seIona
Lot ,n,nayed by great exertipD 10 keep their boat
| oH hut the great seas with hnai roar OF tiumpn
| dashed the iife-bOaJ as alnst tine steamers 'ron
s;L.s hreaKipp il into kindng wocd. Aiter cohslu.
| arahle difficulty the second boat was got aoosr1
| with it's IN safety Inc steamer oio"s"' Va"
| bolv of Mr.. Henry 10 TINS port ~ -. 4.
| Eirst officer B. j. Henry was generaiy known as
| Cam ain iteury, He had been III ne employ vi tno
| Cromwell Line for three years anu was iot tmery
cantain of one OF be smaller steiilers oi TUG no'
Previous to that he was captain OF several iarYo
s.;1,ng vessels belonging to Snow a. Burgess; no
vs. fortv-tiye wears old ard leaves wlio ana TWO
sons in his native place. IhOTna>t0n, Me- All spaak
of nm as a sailor anu gentienan OF great api,ity
nnd most rstimahle qualities Inc hien wuV ";J.
LII i,h h,m John Johnson George Harris Frederick
Iornson ana William Mitgaten. we're aii ccanuI-
nnyian- of whom nothing Is known h'Ie sAco's
that they were good sailors and died IKE neroos n,
ne Hags on tue TWO steamer Oh Sno ioIn ~ !" -
Lima vuu at Iheir piers AMI the nag over Tue co''
ay,s nilce were living at half mast yesterday III
bun1r at the brave MIR. Seai;ins. agent vi s,c
Ina said Yesterday in speaking of the sa anair.
q Cantuiu Henry and his crew are as great heIoes
"a any who have won the applause oi tne WIZ W.
t,,s hattle-heli They vent to rescue tue schoones
| vnI,niariiy W II knowing that the chances were
greatly against their surviving oue Sool"'"s w
leave feo y-beugs in distress r.. r,.h,r,
rhs tragedy took place Oh the rive ra'nwu !
Bank, AMI occupied the space OF tnfee s Smv n
Thnmaston Me-. for burial. The schooner Mary ~ ~
t,rannIer IN attempting to rescue whien tue o.a.
man lost their lives is vessel OF liV IONS sa'iu
| sror, Tuckerton n. J. She il owned Dy rnaro sno
| O, hers of that place.