The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-10-17
ONLY one SURVIVOR
A Sailor from the Dean Richmond
Tells Of the Wreck.
TwENTY-THREE WERE DROWNED.
whs List OF Victims Includes tho wife
and Three Children of Captain stod-
dard-ThIrteen Lost in the Wreck of the
Steamer wococken.

and Three Children of Captain stod-
dard-ThIrteen Lost in the Wreck of the
Steamer wococken.
DUNKIRK, N. Y, Oct. 17.-Only one man
escaped from the lost steamer Dean Rich
mond, and he was found ON the beach
usnr Van Buren Point last evening. His
baggard face and sunken eyes told a story
Of terrible suffering. Ho was aimlessly
wandering up and down the beach, and
when spoken to burst into tears and said
he was looking for his dog.
He was questioned and said he had been
washed off the Richmond, and wns un-
questionably the only man saved from the
vessel. After he had been cared for and
given stimulants he recovered sufiicientlyto
tell of the awful last hours of the steamer
He said his name was C. l.. Clarke, and he
shipped in Toledo just before the Rich
nond sailed.
There were nineteen in the Richmond's
crew." he said, besides Captain Stoddard,
bis wife and three children. We left To-
lodo at o o'clock Friday night, and sailed
along all right until we got into the gale
on Saturday. We tried to get into Erie
harbor, but could not on account Of tho
choppy sea, and then Captain Stoddart de-
oided to make the run to Buffalo If he
could.
About p. M. after matters had grown
worse right along, we sighted a couple Of
steamers. They were quite distance
: away, but we signaled 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 ev-
erything which was movable was swept
overheard. The captains wife and chill
dren were locked up in the cabin for safe
ty's sake, and the members of the crew
were working for their lives on deck. An
hour later we had lost mast and smoke
stack. Then We continued to drift along
at the mercy Of the wind and waves.
about o'clock in the evening tho
wheel house was washed away, The rud-
der and wheel were broken, and we were
badly crippled. We were then about fif-
teen miles from shore, and after consider
able 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 vessel. He made fair headway
with a hard fight, and l began to get
things ready to get out in the yawl. boat
with the captains wife and children. 1
went back to see the captain, and just be-
fore reached him big wave struck us,
and was carried overheard.
"This must have been about IL o'clock.
gave myself UP for lost when found
myself in the water. l kept sight of the
Richmond's lights for some time, and saw
her drifting down the lake, turning and
twisting in every direction. Then 1 lost
consciousness, and did not know anything
until found myself lying on the beach
near town which | found out was Silver
Greek. When ! came to myself 1 went
Into the town. had some money and got
something to eat, found out where / was
and then came here to learn what had be-
come of the steamer. heard this morn
Ing that she had gone down, and then |
name over here and tried to find the boat
and my dog
Clarke insisted on continuing his search
for his pet, and mile or two up the shore
an overturned yawl from the Richmond d
was found. Clarke saw it, jumped forward
and threw 1t over. Inside. tied to a seat,
I.unuR the dead body Of the dog
Fhle searching for bodies from the
hn Richmond u heat containing George
burber, Frank Cahoon and George Mann
hpsized. aud all three were drowned.
Nine bodies have been recovered thus
a MY, ;te hodies found are those OF
Captain Steddnrd ana Mate Boy yIos.an.
The captail's watch WAS stopped nt 1920
showing that to have been about the time
the steamer went down. In the mates
pockets were found all his papers, which
Indicate that he knew there was no hope
of saving the steamer, and had prepared
sYe her.