The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-28
CAST ON THE ROCKS.
Graphic Story Of the Wreck of
the Michigan.
A BOY GOES CRAZY AND DIES
Maddened by Cold and Fear, He At
tempts Suicide-A Sailors Daring
Feat-The Cargo.

from the scene of the disaster on the revenue
cutter Oliver Wolcoti. One OF the Miehigan's
passengers, German boy about 20 years old
called Charlie, whose last name is unknown.
oieo from exposure yesterday on the beach after
having lost his reason and becoming maniac.
lie lett the camp in company with an engineer
and fireman, intending to make their way along
the beach to the Point Boniila lighthouse They
mad proceeded about six miles when the tug
Discovery was observed crossing the straits
from Mean bay tothe wreck. The party turned
back. The deceased was armed with a Henry rife
slung over his shoulder. He was we'll dressed
and of a refined appearance. Suddenly his
mind gave way and he became chattering
maniac He attempted to shoot himself and his
gun was taken from him. The engineer and
fireman between them carried him about three
miles toward camp when they became thor
oughly exhausted. The boy had become un-
conscious and they left him in a sheltered nook
and hurried on to camp for assistance. They
returned three hours later and he was dead.
The seas carried away the starboard hatch
and several casks of liquor were washed upon
the beach. Two or three hundred Indians got
70 the liquor and became intoxicated Capt.
Graves realized the danger and ordered his
crew to take charge of the liquor and destroy it
as fast as 1t was cast ashore A special guard
was organized and kept the Indians away from
the camp The Wolcott assisted in saving
whisky and an upright piano.
The Canadian laws prohibit American vessels
from assisting il saving wreckage in British
waters. Capt Graves left on the Kingston this
afternoon for Victoria to obtain assistance. He
will endeavOr to get some Victoria vessel to go
down to the wreck and save as much cargo as
possible Capt Graves corroborated the account
OF the wreck in today's Posi- -INTELLIGENcER,
and said:
"The present position OF the vessel, If the
wind does not change from the northeast, will
permit OF the cargo being saved. But if a sea
should come up or the wind change to almost
any other quarter every vestage of the wreck
would disappear. My purser and eight men are
camped on the beach near the wreck.
Following is partial list of the consignees of
the cargo: Port Angeles-Frank McGill,2 bar
rels butter; I. Mona, barrels liquor; X. n.
Giliy, chests tea. Seattle-Standard Furniture
Company, 2 bales lining, bales mating, halo
carpet. 81 rolls carpet; Hubbard & Norton, bale
bags; Moran-Dure Supply Company, i bale
hose, l barrel soldering; Dalton, Carrie & Co., 10
rolls carpet, bale rugs; G. 8. Lander d. Co., /
case upholstered goods; l. Joff, 2-cent alcohol:
6. j. Wiley, % barrels plaster; Seattle Hard
ware Company, 5 cases copper paint; 6. NJ. Hal
loway, rolls leather; Hubbard d Norton, 20
cases China nut Oil; Bennett d Hull Furniture
Company, A rolls carpet Frederick e. Nelson,
rs rolls carpet; J. Scheeham, 10 barrels ale and
carpet; John Schram Co., so boxes tin plate;
schwabacher Bros, 40 tons feed Tacoma-H.
s. Hammond Co., 40 sacks chop feed, a. sacks
rolled barley, 81 sacks corn; Lawrence Bros, %
kegs nails; Lang Il Co., 1855 bags and barrels
sugar; A. b. Todd and +. & NJ. Co., Il tons pig
iron. and Watson, Odds & Co., 27S sacks corn.
This list comprises about one-haf of the
cargo and is only partial list, the remainder
OF the manifest being in charge OF the purser,
who is at the wreck.
Some OF the stirring incidents connected with
the wreck OF the Michigan were told to a Posi-
INTELLIGENCER reporter by T. P. Cline, of San
Francisco, who was passenger on the ill-fated
vessel and who Is now in Seattle:
AT the time the ship struck the rocks such
dense fog prevailed that one could not dis tim
guish anything at ten feet distance. While
there was no panic on board the vessel every
one felt the terrible danger which threatened
US. All night long we pounded the rocks, and
the humping and grinding of the vessel was
something frightful. The breakers burst open
the saloon doors and each succeeding wave
dashed the furniture about the saloon. The
passengers were greatly frightened, as everyone
expected the ship to 60 to pieces every moment,
and the chances of gaining shore alive amid the
breakers was something very doubtful.
The next morning, sunday, the fog lifted and
preparations were made for getting q line
ashore The rain poured down aud the weather
was very cold, while heavy swell was running
on the sea. At first lines were fastened to the
boom OF the foresail. which was heaved as far
away as possible toward shore but Ii fell down
alongside the vessel. A brave seaman named
Alexander Shubel then volunteered to carry n
line ashore through the breakers. He was low.
cred over the ships side, and just as he let go
huge breaker carried HIM almost to tho rocks
lie then swan against the retreating wave al
though he had on all his clothes including his
boots. The next breaker carried him on to a
rock. which he grasped with both arms and
ciurg to like a cat, although his grasp was
nearly wrenched loose by subsiding billow.
The deed was a daring one, and Shubel was
nearly exhausted by the cold and his exertions
After recovering himse I Partially he scramble
on 10 the rocky beach and fastened the line to n
huge boulder We then drew the line tight on
deck, Will" three other seamen went to the
shore Oh the line, going hand over hand The
line was then taken high up on the beach and
securely fastened and a travelling box rugged on
10 the line. ny means OF which the Others on thu,
ship, together with stores and supplies were
brought ashore.
Everybody worked with superhuman energy.
although X was bitterly cold and every body was
thoroughly soaked by the rain ana the ssrf in
coming ashore, because the travelling box
could not DE swung higher than the breakers
Dashed We gathered ND some wood along the
beach, but II was Yater-soaked and womb NOT
burn. There were several cases of cylinder oil
on deck, however. These were thrown over
board ana we caught them and soaked the
wood with the Oil The fo!eseil was brought
ashore and q tent made of il, and fire bull, in.
side II vas not large enough TO accommodate
the crowd and two large tarpaulius were
brought from the ship and rugged uo a. tents
The first night ashore We had only a blanket
apiece, and only the wet ground and rocks 10
sleep on. At low tide the next mornlnp how.
ever, mattresses and more bedding was brought
ashore and we were then fairly comfortable be
cause we had plenty of provisions Il was very
hard work 10 get things ashore Everyth{n,
had 70 be draggei over tie rocks SO yards to
the dry land, where the tents were pitched The
rain poured down necessarily from Saturday
night till Monday night
Tuesday morning the sky was clear and mar
ties started out up aud down the beach in search
o. AID. Their progress was checked in both IN
rectioDs by rivers swollen by heavy rain One
patty, consisting OF Second Assistant Engineer
Johnson, fireman ana Belgian passenger
called Charley, managed 10 cross the stream be.
low the wreck and Reached Indian village
but could not make themselves understood and
pressed on. After a little the Belgian began IN
stagger and act queery. He had a rifle with
him and a large clasp knife. He pulled out tn
knife. opened II and tried to stab himself sew
erai times, hut either because his arm was stiff
with cold or because he was crazy, he could no.
stick himself in the breast His compaaioos
took the knife away from him. and then he
tried To shoot hImse! with his rife This ,lso
WAS taken away anu his arms were bound In a
few minutes he again commenced to stagger a ri
remained with him while the other returned 10
camp for assistance. When the ,escuing partv
reached the scene the unfortunate man was dead
He was bound for Port Angeles ana the long
night oi terrible fear, followed by the cold and
exposure, had rendered him insane, followed by
Al utter collapse OF his nervous system.
After this party had started ont IN search Of
aid, Capt Graves called Tor "a volunteer crew 20
row across the straits. forty miles, TO Neah hav
First Officer Marshall and four seaneu RESPONDED
and they reached their destination ely At
Neah bay they found the tug Discovery, when