Morning journal and courier., 1891-07-20
NEWS BY TELEGRAPH .
From All Quarters.
|PHRILs OF THE DEEP.
A Schooner Strikes on New
foundIand Rocks.
THE STORY As TOLD BY SURVIVORS.
Rev. Mr.. Sturgeon Slowly
Recovering.
A SUIT INVOLVING 100000, 900.
A Chapter of Drowning
Accidents.
PERILS OF THE DEEP.
THE STORY As TOLD BY SURVIVORS.
A SUIT INVOLVING 100000 900.
A HEARTRENDING SCENE

A HEARTRENDING SCENE.
Two Women and Five Children
Drowned off the newfoundland
Coast BY the Wreck of the Schooner
Pubnico Belle-A narrowing Scene
Graphically Described BY the Sur
Microscopes Repeatedly Thrown
to the Women and Children In the
Water, But Each Time They Fall
Shert-Fun Details of the Disaster.
HALIFAX, N. S., July 19.-Particulars
were received by mail to day of harrow
ing disaster on the Newfoundland coast,
the schooner Pubnico Belle being wrecked
and two women and five children last.
Captain Samuel Butts of the vessel said
lima on the morning of Wednesday, the
9Th, bound for st. Johns with cargo of
lumber. She had also on board five women
and five children as passengers. She made
Baccalieu about 8 o'clock Wednesday night.
The weather was fine. The wind then
veered to south-southwest and afterwards
there came on storm of wind and rain
from 11.30 Wednesday night until day
light Thursday. The vessel lost her main
sail and foresail successfully and
ran ashore on the cliff at 220
Thursday morning. The crew let 60 the
anchor which checked the vessel, but the
chain parted. William Rose jumped
ashore and the captain threw line to
him. By this means the rest of the crew
got ashore and the following passengers
saved: Mrs Rachel Burton, Miss Julia
Burton and Miss Wells. Mrs Freeman
and Miss Caroline Higgins were drowned,
and five children were also lost, one being
Mrs. Freeman's infant, another child COM
ing on to St. Johns and the remaining
three belonging to Mrs. Burton, boy of
twelve, boy of nine and a girl of five
years.
Miss Salina Wells states that she boarded
the schooner Catalina. The weather was
fine and continued so till night, then it
blew hard. At 2 o'clock Thursday morn
ing the schooner struck. At this time all
the passengers were in the cabin. Besides
myself there were Miss Burton, Julia and
three children, Mrs. Freeman and her in
FAINT, Miss Caroline Higgins and a girl
named Alice Hicks. I was sitting on
lying on part of it, Ali the others,
children included, were in the berths
The vessel struck three times before
we started. One of the crew, an old man,
came down for rope. We asked him if
there was any chance to be saved. He
said: eyes, don't say anything, it will be
all right" The water was then coming
through the cabin floor. The water was
soon up to the lockers and we were wet.
All the children were taken out of their
berths and got ready to start for the deck.
We were close into land but heavy sea was
breaking over the rocks. When we reach
ed the deck two of the crew were ashore,
having taken off their boots and jumped
on to the rocks.
caught the end of the rope which was
in the captains hand and was hauled
ashore with him, while a wave washed
Mrs. Burton upon the rock. But I never
saw Mrs Freeman or Miss Higgins after
Mrs. Freeman would in all probability
chile, but the mothers love was too strong.
When we got ashore we had to climb
| the face of the cliff some distance to be
| out of reach of the vessels spars.
| The captain and three men then
went away, as they said in search
of assistance, leaving the passengers and
one of the crew named William Rose
clinging to the cliff. We remained there
till nearly chilled to death, when, with the
assistance of Rose, we managed to climb to
| the top of the cliffs and commenced our
march over the island. Mrs. Burton, who
was very weak, WAS assisted along by
Rose. After travelling long distance over
| rocks and through woods, marshes and
water, we met several men going toward
the wreck, and one of them at once turned
back and brought us to his house. Here
we found the captain, but we did not see
the two men who started with him. The
people of the house treated us very kindly.
Had we been made aware of our danger in
| T ha1i hot oil no
saved. After we got ashore two little
boys could be seen in the rigging and their
voices could be heard calling for help.
A rope was repeatedly thrown to them,
but each time it fell /short. Finally the
little fellows were washed off and their
voices were stilled in the sea-"
Miss Julia Burton, one of the survivors,
says she could see her brother Malcolm
clinging to the rigging and hear him call
ing for help. He was there long time,
but at last the sea washed him off. Mrs.
Freeman was the wife of William Free
ma, n now in Victoria, B. G. She left two
children in Catalina. Mrs. Burton and
her family were to take passage by the
steamer Portia for New York, where he1
husband is. She had but one child left
her. SsS.
Captain Butts stated that he stuck to the
wreck as long as there was anyone to be
saved. The first man to jump ashore was
William Rose. He was followed by James
Penny and Sol Evans. The first person he
saved was Miss Burton. After putting 8
rope around her waist he saw her safely
conveyed on shore. He then tried to put
rope around her mothers waist, but
while doing SO the sea washed he1
out of his hands. She had five
year-old child in her arms at the
time, but it was washed away from her
The captain got pinned by sparks and (
sea took Mrs. Freeman and infant over
board. When he recovered he found Mis-
Wells and was in the act of fastening
ropes about her when another sea washed
her away. The next place he found him
self was on the rocks. He says that if h
had another man with him. all might hav'
been saved. He further says that the crew
looked after themselves and jumped ashor