Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-07
A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE.
Survivors Of the Schooner Chester" Res
cued After Days of Suffering.

NEW YORK, Feb 6.-The schooner James
L. Kelsey, Captain J. W. Healton, Jr., ar
rived at this port today from Wilmington,
n. c., having on board the second mate.
John Christman, and two seamen, +. 3.
Anderson and j. Roach, the sole survivors
OF the crew of the schooner Allie r. Chess
ter, hailing from New York, which had
become disabled during gale encountered
On a trip from Charleston 90 Barren Island
with phosphate and struck on the outer
edge Of Diamond reef eleven miles
south OF southeast of Cape Hatteras at 10
pm, n January 20 The captain OF the
ChesUer, Thomas 1ngersoll, First Mate
Wells and two seamen were drowned.
The story of the disaster as related by
survivors is one of great interest. The
Goth of January was Sunday. The gale
was blowing furiOusly. Captain Ingersoll
sent the mate to furl the mainsail at
about 8 p. m, and the mate was washed
overheard and drowned. This accident SO
demoraliZed the men that the working of
the ship was barely possible. In
another hour or two there was no canvass
left save a small head sad sail which
failed to keep the vessel from being driven
at the rate of fifteen knots an hour to-
ward Diamond reef. The captain told the
men to lash themselves to the rigging.
He, the cook and two sailors secured
second mate and the other two seamen
ashed themselves lower down. When the
vessel struck il rolled over. The main
mast went by the board. carrying with it
the mizzenhead, with the captain, the
cook and the two sailors, while the second
mate and his two companions were left.
All night long these three men
chung to the rigging without
food or drink At 3 D. M on
Monday a life boat was seen putting out
from 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 miZZen mast on
which they had taken refuge. Another
night was spent in this awful position, but
at 3 p. N. on the following day, after they
had been forty-seven hours in the water
the schooner Kelsey came out from Hat
teraS inlet and sighted the wreck.
The mate of the Kelsey was unable
TO discover any sign of life on the
wreck and was about to abandon
her, but Captain Healton came on
deck and determined to run closer. He
did so and the 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 captain, ''and I'll go in her alone If
he yawl capsizes steer to the lee of the
reefs and pick me up. If | am dead get
the yawl aboard and report to my owners"
This speech Shamed the men and
two Sailors volunteered to ac-
company their captain. The
rescue was effected without any further
trouble, but the rescued men were in such
low state from their long exposure that
Captain Healton determined to put back
to the inlet. There the sufferers were
cared for by Captain Howard, of the Ocra-
eroki life saving station. 1t was learned
that the life boat that had put ont fer the
wreck on the preceding Monday was from
Hatteras Point station under Captain
DAILY.
There seems to be a question as to why
the life boat returned without reaching
the wreck. Captain DAILY has said that ne
could see no signs of life on board and put
back rather than risk his boat and crew
for nothing. 1t is deemed rather signif-
cant, however, that Daily has since for
warded his resignation TO Washington.
The survivors of the wrecked schooner
were landed i'll this city this morning.