Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1888-11-29
LIFEBOAT MEN.
Heroic Work of Captain James
and His Brave Life-savins
Crew,
The Crows Of Several Vessels Rescued
While in Dire Peril of tho
Coast.
Terrible sufferiugs Of seameu-A Dead
and FrOs,n Sailor In the shrouds- d.
Swept Overheard,

BOSTON, Nov. 2I.-The terrible effects Of
Sunday nights storm are everywhere
manifest along the coast Although the
loss VI life already reported Is large, n
would have been still greater but for this
brave efforts OF Captain Joshua James
and his volunteer life-saving crew Of
Hull, who are credited with saving twen-
ty-eight persons from variously disabled
vessels. Sunday large three-master
went broadside on the beach at Hull.
Captain James and his men rushed for the
Hunt gun, breeches buoy and lifeboat Of
the Massachusetts, Humane Society az
Stony Beach, and after strenuous efforts
succeeded in bringing ashore the crew Of
hine men from the schooner, which proved
10 be Cox & Green from Philadelphia for
Chelsea with coal. The vessel IA NOW fast
breaking up.
Another vessel was discovered on the
focks about an eighth OF mile further up
the beach, but farther fro'n the shore than
the other. Hurriedly rushing their APP
paratus to the most available location
they found the distance was too great to
allow the use Of the brooches buoy and tho
surf boat was quickly manned. The waves
were tremendous and II Was only alter a
hard and Persistent struggle that the ves-
bel was reached. The boat was at last
brought under the vessels bow and the
crew Of eight men swung themselves into IL.
The return 10 the shore was perlious
trip, the boat filling several times, but it
was finally thrown on the beach among
the rocks by a huge wave and entirely
smashed. Fortunately the water was
shallow and the occupants wddtd ashorei
This vessel was the Gertrude Abbott, Cap
tain Henry Thompson, from Philadelphia
for Boston with coal. IL is In good condi-
/ tion, the sails well furled and every thing
staunch and will probably be saved when
the storm abates.
Tho volunteer life savers continued their
| patrol Of the beach and at dnybreak sights
| ed third vessel ashore about half milo
northeast OF the Abbott. She could not be
| reached by the brooches buoy, and as their
| surf boat had been demolished the tirele
/ men started FOR the Straw berry iilll sta
| tlon, fodr miles away and returned with
| the humane society's boat. This with
stood the huge breakers and landed the
/ crew Of seven men. This schooner was the
three master Bertha F. Walker. from Phil
| Rdelphla for Boston, also coal laden. The
crew were in the rigging several hours be-
/ fore they were rescued. Captain West
| gate and Mate Thom1s were swept over
/ board and drowned by the heavy seas.
l
Mass. The Walker will be a total wreck.
/ Not satisfied with the work already acs
complished, Captain James and his band
/ Of twelve started for Atlantic Hill, seven
| miles down the beach, where two moro
| vessels were reported ashore. Here they
| were Joined by Captain James Anderson,
/ on the humane society, and Captain George
| II. Brown, OF the Government station at
| North Sciuate. Their efforts were direct
ed to the rescne on five men who could be
seen clinging 10 the rigging % one OF tho
vessels. The sea was running higher than
ever known before at this point. and II
was thought impossible 10 reach the wreck
with the surf boat The Hunt guns were
brought into use and two lines were al
most simultaneously firei across her f1re-
top by Captains Anderson aud Brown The
men in lhe rigging eagerly seized the limo
L and the hawser was pulled ashore, but
Just rs the buoy was about - be stnt out
the line was rendered useless. Al this
critical moment three young men Of Co.
hasset named Ainslie, Antonio and Saliva
dor manned small dory and at great
peril attempted to clear the line. In this
they were unsuccessful. The surf boat
was then put out on its third perilous
Journey. The waves were enormous, at
times lifting he boat as high as the main-
top Of the disabled schooner, but the bravo
crew never faltered and at last reached
the vessels stern. As qaickly hs they
were within haiing distance nearly ex-
| hausted seaman crawled out from under a
furled sail on the mizzentop and came eau
] tiously down the shrouds. Captain James
/ threw him a line, which he fastenad
/ around his body, jumped into the sea
| and was rapidly drawn into the boat by
strong aud willing hands A desperate
attempt was then made to force the surf
boat forward 10 the foremast, but the
waves would beat II back, and for nearly
an hour they struggled before they sue
ceeded in reaching and holding their de-
sired position. The men in the riggins
were terribly eShau8ted, and II was
difficult undertaking for them to descend,
but one after the other, four OF them, got
down in safety. jumped overheard, and,
| like the first, were drawn into the boat Il
/ was then discovered that the fifth sailor in
therigging was a corpse, and his body was
| left In its icy resting place The surf boat
then headed for the shore, and a safe land
| ing was effected amid tie cheers Of the
spectators These sailors belonged to the
schooner B. c. Higginson, Captain Fales,
from Hillsboro, n. b., with plaster for
| Newburg. N. Y. When tEe storm struck
the vessel, Captain Fales and one seaman
rushed aloft and were swept overheard
and lost II the vessel rides out the storm,
as seems likely, the body will probably DO
/ removed.
The crew returned "a the shore, an
/ their noble work was done. The names Of
The men who suffered untold hardships in
| their work Of rescne are; Captain Joshua
James, Eben T. Pope, Osco0la James,
GEORGE Pope, Eugene Mitchell, Eugene
Mitchell, Jr, George Angisra, Aionzo /.
Mitchell, John j. Mitchell, Alfred Joseph,
Louis Gaiiano, Frank james and william
! II. Mitchell.