The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-06-02

it may cause them to modify this course.
They might profess themselves ready to
go on with the case, and as the prisoner
is absent judgment would issue against
him"
st is that result that hoped to avoid.
1t would be sad thing for an honorable
family to be dragged through the dust in
this way for crime for which the &C
cused is not responsible"
He should have had the manliness to
face his accusers, repeated the inspec-
tor mo one Knows better than you,
Judge, that in this world man must de-
lend himself. He cannot expect other
Daople to find excuses for him. But, as
say, he may live it down; he is a young
fellow yet, and"-
Have you seen this mornings paper"
intcrposed the judge.
Il have looked through it. Is there
anything particular"
The judge held out the paper, with his
finger on a certain paragraph. The in
I pector took it and read as follows:
"a terrible hurricane is reported as
having occurred in the neighborhood of
St. Thomas, w. l., on the 18th ult It
is described rs the severest ever known
in those ATTITUDES. 1t was preceded in
the morning by dead calm and exces-
sive heat. Early in the afternoon
weatherwise persons predicted heavy
blow. The prophecy was soon verified.
CLOUDS were observed collecting in the
southwest; they rapidly increasd in size
and darkness, and advanced toward the
northeast, from which quarter a gentle
breeze was blowing. The storm burst
with terrific fury. The harbor of ST.
Thomas is a large basin, the entrance to
which is a comparatively narrow pas
sage between two headlands. The har-
Dor was at the time filled with shipping,
including several steamers and large yes
sells. One of the steamers was at the time
taking on passengers; the captain gave
orders that this should be stopped, and
steamed out of the harbor in the hope of
weathering the gale. The steamer has
not since been heard of, but fragments
of it have been picked up at sea, and
there is no doubt that she persisted with
all on board The storm was accompa-
MED by intense darkness, greater than
that of ordinary midnight without moon
or stars. The winds velocity was est
mated to reach no less than two hundred
miles an hour, and the destruction it
caused was terrible.
After blowing for couple of hours
from the southwest it hauled about and
blew with equal violence from the north
east. All the shipping in the harbor was
destroyed, and several vessels were lifted
out of the water and carried inland
One large merchant ship was taken up
bodily and planted III the midst of a
warehouse near the shore. The houses
of the town were unroofed and in most
cases annihilated. Upwards of four
hundred lives were reported lost, and
the harbor was full of corpses, which
were devoured by the sharks. One Of
the most remarkable episodes of this dis
astrous storm was that of the U. S. and
B. Co.'s steamship Amazon. She was
due at st. Thomas on the day after that
on which the hurricane occurred. She
had cleared from New York with six
passengers and a full cargo. She had
fair weather up to within two hundred
miles of st. Thomas, and was some
what ahead of her schedule time. Ac-
cording to the narration of the surviv-
ors, she met the hurricane about ) o'clock
on the afternoon of the 18th. She was
put about so as to run before the gale.
The wind and waves almost Immediately
dismasted her, and it was found impos-
sible to domore than keep her before the
wind, even this taxing all the powers Of
those on board. At one time she was
popped by heavy sea which broke into
the forecastle and swept many overheard. !
"When the wind veered about the
steamer became virtually manageable;
she drove before the gale, and it was ex-
pected that she must founder. But after
several hours she was suddenly beached;
and on the storm breaking it was dis
covered that she was lying in the main
street of st. Thomas, close to her own
dock. In the darkness she must have
been driven through the narrow entrance
Of the harbor, and so across to the town,
avoiding by a miracle numberless OBJ |
stacles. She is, however, a complete |
wreck, and half her ships company were
swept overheard and drowned, while |.
many Of the others have received severe
injuries. Of the six passengers who were
on board the following are killed: Alfred /
Harper, went insane and washed over
board; Charles Upper, neck broken;
James Blair, washed overheard; Percy
Nolen, washed overheard. The sur
viving passengers are Herbert Sinp-
son and Valentine Martin. Mr.. Marlin
occupied the same state room with Mn
Nolan, and is much affected by his death.
He says he saw him shortly before the
time when the steamer was popped; he
was on his way to the forecastle, under
the impression, it is supposed, that there
was greater security there than in the
stern.
''Mr. Martin left for Vera Cruz yester-
day. It is his intention to return by way
of Aspinwall to his sheep farm in New
Zealand, near Napier"
Having read thus far, the inspector
laid down the paper, and stroked hia
chin awhile with meditative air. Sc
the young man is drowned, is he?" he
said, at length. 1.-THE account seems to
look that way"
"Do you mean there can be any doubt
about it," exclaimed the judge.
81 don't say there is; and as matter
of course, judge, recognize the sincerity