St. Paul daily globe., 1889-02-07
DRIVEN ON DIAMOND REEF.
Rescue Of Three Survivors Of the
Schooner Allie r. Chester.
LASHED TO THE RIGGING.
The Moment the Captain Was Drowned
at Sea His Wife Died on
Shore.

NEW YORK, Feb. 6.-The schooner
James E. Kelsey. Capt. j. Wheaton Jr.
arrived at this port from Wilmington,
n. G., having on board the second mate,
John Christmas, and two seamen, +.
Anderson and j. Roach, the sole sur
viv0rs of the crew of the schooner Allie
r. Chester, hailing from New York,
which had become disabled during
gale encountered on a trip from Charles
ton to Barren island with phosphates,
and struck on the outer edge of Dia-
mond reef, eleven miles soutn-south-
east of Cape Hatteras, at 10 p. m. on
Jan. 20. The captain of the Chester,
Thomas Ingersoll, First Mate Wells
and two seamen were drowned. The
story of the disaster, as related
by the survivors, is one of
great interest. The 10Th of January
was Sunday. The gale had been blow
ing furlously. Capt. 1ngersoll sent the
Ia ite to fur, the mainsaii at about 5 ..
H., and the mate was washed overheard
and drowned. This accident so demor.
allied the men that the working of the
ship was barely possible. In another
hour or two there was no canvas left
save a small headsail, which entirely
failed to keep the vessel from being
driven, at the rate of fifteen knots all
hour, toward Diamond reef The cap
tain told the men TO lash themselves to
the rigging. He, the cook and two sail
Ors secured themselves to the miZzen
crOsS-treeS. The second mate and the
other two seamen
IASHED THEMSELVES LOWER DOWN,
When the vessel struck it rolled over.
The mainmast went by the board, car
rying with jt the miZzenhead, with the
captain, the cook and the two sailors,
while the second mate and his two COM
paniOnS were left. All night long these
three men chung to the rigging without
food or drink. AT p. IN. on Monday
life boat was seen putting out from the
shore. 1t came within two miles of the
wreck and then put back. A little later
the sailors, whose hopes of rescue had
been so cruelty blighted. felt their YES
sci sinking beneath them. Down it
went until nothing remained above the
water but the single stump of the miz-
ZenmaSt OH which they had taken
refuge. Another night was spent ia
this awful position. but at p. III. on
the following day, after they had been
forty-seven hours in the water, tue
schooner Kelsey came out from
Hatteras inlet and sighted the wreck.
The mate of the Kelsey was un-
able to discover any sign of life on the
wreck and was about to abandon her.
but Capt. Wheaton came on deck and
determined to run closer. He did so and
three men were seen laShed to the mast.
He called for volunteers. The sea was
running high and the sailors remained
silent. ''Down the yawl," said the cap
tain. land I'll go in her alone. If the
yawl capsizeS steer to the lee of the
reefs and pick me up. If am dead get
the yaWl aboard and report to my 0Wn-
ers." This speech shamed the men,
and two sailors volunteered to accom-
effected without any further loss of life,
state from their long exposure that
Capt. Wheaton determined to put back
to the inlet. There the
SUFFERERS WE'RE CARED FOR
by Capt. Howard, of the Ocracoki life
saving station. There it was learned
that the life boat that had put for the
wreck on the preceding Monday was
from the Hatteras Point station. under
Capt Daily. There seems to be a ques-
tion as TO why the life boat returned
without reaching the wreck. Capt. Daily
has said that he could see no signs Of
life on board, and put back rather than
risk his boat and crew for nothing. 1t
is deemed rather significant, however,
that Capt. DAILY has since forwarded his
resignation TO Washington. The sur
yiyOrs of the wrecked schooner were
landed in this city this morning. The
Allie r. Chester was center-b0ard
schooner of 427 tons. She was built i'll
1883, and was owned by Jesse CARL. A
coincidence in connection with this
story is the fact that it was discovered
to-day that, at the very time when Capt
Ingersoll was spending his last mo
ments, lashed to the riggings of his vel
sci, his wife was dying of consumption
at WOodmonkville, n. j.. and they
passed over the boundary of life almost