The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1893-10-25
THRILLING TALE
Related by the Only Survivor of
the Dean Richmond.
He Was Washed Overheard and Saw tho
Steamer Go Down-Frightful Agony
Endured by the Doomed Crew
Vivid Story of tho Disaster

man escaped from the lost steamer
Dean Richmond, and he was found on
the beach near Van Buren, Point yes
terday. His haggard face and sunken
eyes told story Of terrible suffering.
He was aimlessly wandering up and
down the beach and when spoken to
burst into tears and said he was look
ing for his boat He said he had been
washed off the Richmond and was un-
questionably the only man saved from
the vessel. After he had been cared
for and given stimulants, he recovered
sufficiently TO tell the story of the
awful last hours of the steamer.
He said his name was G. L. Clarke
and he shipped in Toledo just before
the Richmond sailed. There were
nineteen in the Richmond's crew." he
said, "besides Capt Stoddart and his
wife and three children. We left To-
ledo at o'clock Friday night and
sailed along all right until we got into
the gale on Saturday. 1t struck us
hard from the very start, but II we had
had good luck we would have wealth
cred the storm and been safe In port in
Buffalo at this minute.
1--WE tried to get into Erie harbor but
could not on account Of tho choppy
sea and then Capt. Stoddart decided to
make the run to Buffalo II he could.
We were not In very bad shape then
although we were badly wrenched by
the heavy seas which struck us, 1t
seemed, from every side.
"About Q q. m. after matters had
grown worse right along we sighted a
couple OF steamers. They were quito
a distance away, but we signalled
them for assistance. They either did
not see us or could not get TO us for
they went right along fighting their
way into the storm, headed towards
Buffalo.
'The waves ran over our decks and
everything which was movable was
swept overheard. The captains wife
and children were locked up In the
cabin for safety's sake, and the crew
was working for their lives on deck.
An hour later we had lost a mast and
smokestack. Then we continued to
drift along at the mercy Of the wind
and waves.
about o'clock in the evening the
wheelhouse was washed away. The
rudder and wheel were broken and we
were badly crippled. We were then
about fifteen miles from shore and
nfter cousiderab BILE work managed to
set the rudder so we could make for
the shore.
"The captain had made up his mind
TO run for the shore and beach his YES
sci. He made fair headway with hard
fight and began to get things ready
TO get out in the yawl boat with the
captains wife and children. l went
back to the captain and just before
reached him big wave struck us and
was carried overheard. This must
have been about II o'clock. gave my
self up for lost when i found mysolf in
the water. / kept sight Of the Rich
monds lights for some time and saw
her drifting down the lake, turning
and twisting in every direction. Then
lost consciousness and did not know
anything until found myself lying on
the beach near a town which / found
out was Silver Creek. When / came to
myself went into the town. l had
some money and got something TO eat,
found out where was and then came
here 10 learn what had become of the
steamer.
81 heard this morning that she had
gone down and then l came over here
and tried TO find the boat and my dog"
Clarke insisted in continuing his
search for his pet and mile or two up
the shore an overturned yawl from the
Richmond was found. Clarke saw II,
jumped forward and threw IL over. In
side, tied TO a seat, was the dead body
OF his dog.
Six more bodies Of the Richmond's
crew have been found. One Is that OF
a woman. At present those identified
are Frank Patton, A. b. Meadows,
wheelman, and Hodge, the fireman.
The woman was identified as Ella Els
worth. It is believed the remainder OF
the bodies are between here and Silver
Creek and tugs are out searching in
that vicinity.
Among the bodies found were those
Of Capt Stoddart and Mate Boylessen.
The captains watch was stopped al
1920 o'clock, showing that to have
been about the time the steamer went
down. In the mates pockets were
found all his papers, which indicates
that he knew there was no hope OF
saving the steamer and had prepared
10 leave her.
CHICAGO, OCT ia telegram u
Bigelow Bros, lumber dealers here,
announces that the schooner Annie
Sherwood was found watorloggsd In
Lake Superior, near Whitefish point
by the steamer Sitka. Capt Loui,
Guthrie, OF Chicago, and Seaman James
Cousins had died of exposure. Mate
Thomas Randall and Steward Thoma,
Roundtree, both Of Chicago, were bsdlJ
injured by flying wreckage. They wer,
taken 10 Sault Ste. Marie. The crew
abandoned the waterlogged vesse
about thirty miles from Whitefisi
point and took 10 the yawl Uher
they were picked up by the sitka tn,
survivors were too weak 70 leave tn,
boat and climb the Sitka's ladder.
In,aaAl. Rt..