Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1888-08-09
DROWNED In ACABIN.
FOUR WOMEN AND a LITTLE
GIRL ARE THE VICTIMS.
The SIoop Flora II. Capsized In the
Delaware River aud Five OF It's
Right Passengers Lose Their
Lives-PennsvIIle Made DesoIate.
Stan Correspondence Of EVENING JouaNA1.

stan Correspondence Of EVENING JOURNAL.
New CASTLE, DEL, IL m, August "a
shocking and heartrending drowning acci-
dent occurred on the Delaware river just
below the w. & N. r. r. pier last evening
about $50 o'clock. Another wholesale loss
OF human life has been caused 10y the
sapsizing OF a sail boat, and homes are des-
olate and heart-broken In the little village
of Pennsville, N. j. The sloop
Flora B. capslzsd In the squall last night
midway Of the river, between Church
Landing and Pennsville, and out OF eight
persons on board, Ave. all Of them women,
were drowned. Their names are: Mrs.
Elijah Wheaton, age 80, wife Of the cap
tain and owner of the sloop: Mrs. Jonathan
Turner, age AZ; Mrs. Thomas Fiunegan,
aged 20: Mrs. Samuel Wheaton, age 80,
and her little daughter, Dora Wheaton.
aged years
This Is how the sad accident happened: I:
Captain Elijah Wheaton, his wife. Anna.
bis sonis wife, Mrs. Samuel Wheaton, and
her daughter, Dora, the latter's sister, Mrs.
Thomas Finnegan, Clayton Batten,
brother OF the last two ladies and MIRA JON
athan Turner, all OF Pennsyile, N. j., left
Pennsvilie yesterday morning on
Captain Wheaton's sloop, Flora B,
for Pensngrove; where the st
Georges Episcopal Sunday school
OF Church Landing, was pIcnicing. After
spending pleasant day, they set sail for
home between 5 and o'clock in the even.
ing. There wasa stiff breeze blowing and
there were indications OF a squall to the
westward. In Difference 10 the wishes OF
the ladies the captain took two reefs In
the mainsail and took the bonnet out OF the
jib. Had be set the sails full, as he him
self desired, the sloop would have arrived
home before the squall broke. As it was,
they beat towards home, the wind being to
the southwark. About a mile and a-half
above PennsvIlle rain began falling, and
the ladies went into the cabin.
Suddenly, without warning, the
wind shifted several points to the wost-
ward, aud In a fearful gust, struck the
sloop broadside on, throwing her on her
beams ends and breaking the topmast Off
at the masthead. Captain Wheaton directed
Clayton BAtten TO 20 forward and lower
the jib. BAtten started, but the
water was then over the sloopis
deck, nearly up to the mast. As
ne crawled forward lull came and the
boat began to right herself. but the lull
only lasted an instant. Before Batten
reached the halyards another gust struck
tho fated boat and she capsizsd instantly.
Batten and Turner clung 10 the rigging bu,
Captain Wheaton who was at the
wheel was thrown overheard. He
was hit by something which probably
stunned him for an instant. His lip was
cut, his breast was bruised and his hands
cut. Clayton Batten assisted him into the
skiff that toWed behind, and then TO the side
of the sloop. While the vessel was going
over the women 10 the cabin uttered
the most piercing and heartrending shrieks.
Jonathan Turner caught the hand OF one
and endeavorsd to help her through the
companionway, but it seemed that the
others all clung TO her and he was com.
PEELED to loosen his hold. After the accident
the tug e. l. Kane. bound out with three.
nssted schooner In tow, cut the schooner
loose and made for the capsized sloop. The
men were taken aboard the tug and line
made fast to the sloop's shrouds, and an at.
tempt made to tow the boat ashore
The shrouds tore loose with the
strain, and as there was no other place
to make fast to, the sloop was abandoned.
/ The rescued men were landed at Penns-
willie and the tug went on her way. The
sloop drifted about all night with the
bodies Of the drowned women 10 the cabin.
About 4.30 o'clock this morning William
Hanceson Of New Castle took Hugh @.
Smiths boat and went In search OF the
sloop. It was found drifting down the bay
with the tide. He succeeded In towing it
to the lighthouse below New Castle, where
il was beached. Early this morning about
| IS or 20 men boarded slIiffs and left Penns-
Vile, crossing the river to the wreck on the
beach in Hamburg cove. Arrived there, the
side Of the sloops cabin was cut through.
and the bodies taken out. They were
lying together against the side. The tug
James Of Philadelphia, Captain Joe Slmp-
kins was passing bound cut ard was
hailed. The bodies were put into three of
the skiffs and with all Of them 10 tow, the
Tug started for Psnnsville. arriving theirs
between and o'clock The bodies were
taken TO the homes.
When the JOURNAL reporter visl ted
Pennsville this morning, having crossed
the Delaware from New Castle in
a skill The little village OF about
300 souls seemed to have shade OF
sadness hanging over it. People were
gathered in small groups talking ia sub
dued voices Of the terrible accident that had
brought grief to 80 many households 10
their little village The bodies Of Captain
Wheaton's wife, daughter 10 law and
grand child laid In the captains house.
The body Of Mrs. Turner had been re
moved to her husbands house a shorl
distance out of Pennsville, and
the body Of Mrs Rsbecca Finnegsn
laid at her brother's home. Captain
Wheaton seems almost hesrt-broken and
blamed himself for the accident. Said he,
81 haven't been it TO take women out for q
years. and IL had stayed at home IL would
not have happened He is no way to
blame, however. No one censures
him. He is considered one OF
the most experienced and careful
navigators on the river 1t is one of those
sad accidents which cannot be sverted.
A tug boat towed the sloop, still on her
side. across the river to Pennsville between
/ III and - O'Clock this morning