Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1886-12-09
LAKE PERILS.
Details Of Some of the Results OF
the Recent Gale.
The Loss of the Tug A. p. Wright and the
Sufferings of Her Crew-The Sad Re-
suits of an Improperly Dis
played Signal of Distress.

AhC LOSS OI hne rug "A. 4. wright anu INC
Suferings of Her Crew-The Sad Re-
suits of an Improperly Dis
played Signal of Distress.
MANIsTEE, Mich, Dec 1.-The following
additional facts regarding the loss of three
of the lifes,aving crew are learned to-day.
Sunday night, when the wind began to
blow gale from the northwest, the
schooner A j. Dewey, of Manistee, was
lying at Pierport, waiting to load lumber
for Chicago. The tug A. P. Wright was
with her, and when the big seas were
driven inshore both were compelled to
leave. The tug got line from the schoon-
er and started to tow her to Manistee for
shelter, but the gale kept increasing in
violence and the vessel labored sd heavily
that she gave a sudden lurch,and the
strain on the hawser caused it to part.
One end was swept intothe wheel of the
tug, rendering her helpless, and the schoon-
er was lost sight of in the binding snow
storm. O
About three o'clock, after tossing about
in the furious seas for two hours, the tug
struck and rolled over en- her side. Then
came the battle for life. The crew con-
sisted of five men, as follows: Captain,
Sam Johnson; engineer. Thomas Vaughn;
Ineman, Henry Danforth; fireman, Au-i
gust Hegerman; steward, Harry Darrell.
The men chung to the wreck as best they
could, Urging each other to be brave and
not give up in desDair, and at one timeJ
when young Darrell was about to relax
his hold the engineer put his arm around
him and held him up. Freezing waves were
sweeping over them and their clothing be-
came rigid with ice. After clinging to
the wreck for three hours, daylight came
and with no signs of relief. The men by
this time were nearly frozen, and know
ing that they could not hold much
longer, Danforth volunteered to make an
effort to reach the shore. His compan-
ions begged him not to further imperil
his life, but the brave fellow silenced their
entreaties, and after divesting himself of
his heavy clothing, struck out for shores
He is powerful swimmer, but his mus
cular arms and iron win were. hardlee a
fair match with the foaming breakers
that Numbered along the beach. But he
fought the battle manfully and was
buoyed up by the feeble cheers of his ship
wrecked companions, who eagerly
watchedethe struggling form of the hero
as he rose and fell with the waves until
he gained the shore. Stopping but for a
moment to salute those who were still on
the wreck, Danforth made his way to a
farm house, and after uttering q few
words, fell fainting to the floor. He was
picked up and kindly cared for
ard tonight is out of danger Tho
1afmer maze OUT UnaU q VeSSel was III us
tress, and at once set off for Manistee.
He reached here with his horse reeking
with foam and in a few minutes the life
saving crew were hurrying to the rescue.
with their beach apparatus. On reaching
point abreast of the wreck the howitzer
was trained into line and q 0ell directed
shot sent the lifeline over the tug. Itwas
within easy reach of the men, and they
hauled the hawser aboard and made it
70 OF Tha hrnnnhnc hI1ny Cnrt
out and the first to come ashore was
young Darrell, who is only boy. The
hawser had not been madeo taut- out->and
the slack permitted the buoy to sag
through the surf. Darrell was insensible
when he was pulled ashore, but is now re-
covering. The others were safely taken
from the wreck, one at time, Captain
Johnson being the last. It was almost
noon when the work of saving human life
was over.
ANOTHER THRILLING SCENE.
In tho meantime another thrilling scene
was being enacted sixteen miles south of
here. About eight o'clock the Dewey,
having been driven before the gale, ar
rived off Big Point au Sable with flag OF
distress flying from her mizzen rigging
The patrol at the fe-saving stStion located
there sighted the signal and in few
minutes the entire crew Were pulling
through the boiling seas. They had cover
ed about one-half the distance between the
shore and the vessel, when the flag was
suddenly hauled to the truck of the fore
mast. The Dewey then stood away on her
course and the life-saying crew, realizing
that they had been tricked by avesselthat
simply wanted tug, started to return to
their station They had pulled but short
distance when their life-boat struck bar
and capsiZed. The entire crew was thrown
into the sea and sJhe boat did not right
again. Orrin Hatch and John Smith. two
surfmen, were drowned, 1t is thought
they must have been struck by the bow of
the boat as both instantly sank from
sight, Captain Flynn, who was in com
mand, climbed upon the bottom of the boat
with the aid of surfman Ludwig
He appeared to be injured and, was
gasping as in great agony. The rest of
the crew, Michael King, Matthew Horc
lines and he1Gson until-4he GOAT dragged
ashore. Captain Flynn was taken int the
station, but he soon died He was for
was transferred 10 Big Point au Saba LASS
spring. He leaves Il wife and tvh small
children. Crrin Ha'ch was n resilient Of
Ludin ~ on 1'ich., VIII >re he leaves aIyifS
John smith was sinrle.N His rela ives liv-
at 81 Joseph- Mich. wfu0't was ut one
time the Eone or { tp.ain Flynn.
- s-r-
lie Relieved siis Mud. ~ g-ts
INDIANAPOLIS. Ind Nov 3l-Rev. q. C.
McCulloch pastor ofthe PlrnDuth Church.
the congregation of which is the ,a-gai i N
the city, and is composed largely of Knights