The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-01-27
FROZEN TO DEATH
Sch00ners Wrecked at Nantucket
and Near Beaufort, N. G..
Fifteen Persons on Board the Vessels
Lose Their Lives.

The three masted schooner j. B. Wither-
spoon, of Rockland, Me-, Captain Anderson,
from Surinam for Boston, with molasses and
sugar, struck Miacomet Rip, on the south side
of Nantucket island at o'clock the other
morning. It was blowing fearful gale and
the tremendous sea made complete breach
over the vessel. The ife-saving crew
on the south side Of the island started
for the scene with boats and
apparatus The sea was too high to launch the
lifc-boat and the howitzer was loaded. When
ball and line was shot successfully over the
crew, who tried to pull it aboard, O hawser
with running block and breeches- seat being
attached. Before it reached the vessel the
line parted and the hawser was hauled ashore.
When the hawscr parted it broke on board
the vessel and one of the crew was drawn over
board by the weight Of the hawser. Thepoor
fellow made vigorous attempts to save his
life by swimming, but perished in very few
minutes, in sight Of the large crowd on the
shore A second line was shot over the vessel
but it parted as before. A life raft manned by
five of the life-saying crew was then launched,
but the raging sea flung it back like feather,
with drenched crew. One Of the latter was
swept from the raft by one sea, and swept
back by another, his comrades clutching
him and saving him from death. A third
ball was now shot over the vessel, the line
breaking as before. The day was fast draw
ing to a close While this was going
fall overheard, one Of them proving to be the
captain, his body coming ashore later. In
the evening another attempt was made with
the howitzer, this time it being q success, for
tho hawser was pulled aboard and secured.
Soon afterward the mate, B. Berry, and
Charles Wulf were landed. The mates wife
and iive-year-oh sou were drowned in the
cabin. The second mate, Maurice Ryder,
John Phillips, the cook, James Nichols and
were picked up along the shore. The vessel
and cargo will be total loss.
A few nights ago the schooner Crissie
Wright, Thomas P. Clark, master, OF Phila-'
dclphIa, Penn, stranded near Shackefad's
Point, N. G. The cargo and vessel area total
loss. Six men perished, only one sailor being
saved. The bodies OF the captain, mate and
one sailor were recovered frozen. The res
cued sailor said: "Thc vessel experienced
heavy weather in the Gulf and Sprung q
leak. We manned the pumps for thirty
six hours, but it was impossible to free her.
We steered north and the vessel sank immedi-
ately upon touching the beach, Friday night
about l2 o'clock. The ,nen stayed in the rig
ging until Saturday, tile wind blowing
at the rate of sixty miles an hour.
The thermometer registered from fifteen
to twenty degrees below zero. Ice
formed three inches thick on the salt water:
Two men fell overheard when the vessel
struck On Sunday the 1nizzenmast fell, car
rying one man with it. The others took to
the jibs. Saturday night the mate died.
Sunday morning the captain succumbed.
Sunday night, about s o'clock, sailor died.
Sunday morning, about Q o'clock, was res
cued had tasted neither food nor water,
and had endured intense cold, tied up in the
cued. I was only one hundred yards from
the beach, and could see spectators upon the
shore powerless to aid, not having boats nor
anY appliances t. breast the high waves"