The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-26
ALL NIGHT ON A WRECK.
The Bark Mary E. Chapman Blown
Ashore or TybGe.


Goes Through a Heavy Sea to the
Rescue of the Sailors-The Tug Gym
thia Brought the Crew Up to the City
Yesterday Capt. and Mrs. Kyfin
Reach Tybee in a Small Boat-The
Captains and Mates Stories of the
Wreck.
The British bark Mary f. Chapman, of
St Johns, y. F.. in ballast from ROtter-
dam. Dec. q for Tybee roads, was blown
ashore on Stone Horse reef about two
miles east Of the Tybee hotel Saturday
night about o'clock.
The bark is now a total wreck. The
saving of the crew, Capt. Thomas Kyfin
and his wife and child, was accomplished
with much difficulty yesterday afternoon,
after they had suffered many hardships
from constant exposure to the weather.
The news of the wreck was
telephoned from Tybee to the city
about o'clock yesterday morning. The
bark could be seen only indistinctly in the
breakers of the reef on account of the
misty weather. but sufficiently TO make
out that she was wrecked and in distress.
Capt. A. NJ. c. Smith sent the tug Gym
thia, Capt. Martin L. Fredericks, down
to see what could be done towards saving
the crew.
The tug stopped at quarantine, where
DIR. Graham and the porter, Heter Dodge,
went aboard. DR.. Graham knew of the
Chapman, as she stopped at quarantine
when here last September He knew
that Capt kyhiin's wife was aboard
as she travels with her hus-
lanG knowing that she was aboard, DR..
Graham wanted all possible Efforts made
to rescue her and the crew as early as
possible.
ANCHORED MILE AWAY.
The Cynthia. with DR. Graham and
Capt Fitzgerald, Of the pilotbOat John h.
Wilder. proceeded out to the wreck. The
tug had TO make headway against heavy
sea. which il did with some diriculty
Under capt. Fitzgerald's guidance it went
towards the wreck until IL stood within
thirteen feet Of water, where it was
anchored.
The prospect was a gloomy
one for some time. The Cynthia had
anchored nearly a mile away from the
wreck, and the sea was SO high that it
was dangerous to venture out in a small
boat.
Two men from the tug finally put off in
a boat under Capt Eredericks' direction
and started for the wreck. They had
pulled away about 500 yards from the tug
under difficulties, the sea pounding the
boat and washing into it, when one of the
men was washed over into the sea
and the boat almost capsized. IL was
with great difficulty that the man was
picked up again, but with the aid of line
he and boat were soon brought back to
the Cynthia.
DIR. GRAHAM TO THE RESCUE.
These two men refused to make another
attempt 70 reach the wreck The sea
was high and was breaking against the
wreck. 1t was not known how long the
bark could hold out. 1t was after l clock
IN the afternoon aud matters had about
reached a crisis Whatever was to be
done must be done at once On account
of the misty and rainy weather those on
the tug could barely make out the bark,
which was a mile distant.
something must be done to save those
people,, DR.. Graham said, and he added,
there is no time TO lose"
As the two men had refused to make
the attempt again to reach the wreck, he
determined TO go himself. Turning to his
man Dodge, he asked him if he would go
with him TO the rescue.
X.
YES, I'll go anywhere with YOU"
Dodge replied.
DR. Graham and the faithful darky got
into boat and started for the wreck
The boat came near being swamped just
as II started. Several times they were
warned of their danger by those on the
tug. DR. Graham asked Dodge if he
wanted to go back, or would go with him
to the wreck. Dodge replied again that
he would go anywhere DR.. Graham
went.
Phey pulled ahead and after hard work
amidst incessant danger of being swamped
and thrown in the sea, they finally
reached the wreck. The boat was a
small one and it was dangerous to put too
heavy a load into it. Three of the sail
ors were taken in and after an hours
hard work they were aboard the Cynthia
Dr. Graham had worked well and was
tired out when he reached the tug
Two of the three sailors he had brought
over pulled the boat back to the wreck
and took aboard five more of their COM
panions. These they brought over in
safety after much difficulty. The
men were thoroughly exhausted after
their night of trials and hard
work aboard the bark, and
one of the men from the pilot boat Wilder,
who was on the tug, volunteered to 20
with one of the sailors to bring back the
other two men, who were the only ones
left on the wreck. These were finally
brought back in safety, the ten sailors of
the crew having been rescued by those on
the tug.
TWO BOATS SMASHED.
When DR.. Grahams boat reached the
wreck he found that the captain and his
wife had left in small boat, and were
making for shore. About 2 o'clock, see
ing that nothing further could be done,
and that the bark was in danger of going
10 pieces, Capt. Kytfin had one OF the
small boats lowered from the boat. AL
most as soon as it struck the sea it was
smashed tc pieces by the waves. Another
boat was lowered and it met
with the same fate The little boat
the "dingy,n was then lowered carefully
over the side OF the vessel. 1t stood the
sea much better than the other two.
Capt and Mrs Hymn, their infant child
and Capt Kyfin' brother got into it.
The strain on Mrs. kyfin was a severe
one. She was confined 10 her bed at the
time the bark went ashore, her child
having been born just nine days
ago. The trials and hardships of
exposure fell severely upon her, it
being impossible for any of those on board
to remain in the cabin, on account of the
heavy seas which were washing in. She
was taken care of by the sailors until,
with her husband. his brother and her
child, she left the wreck in the little
boat. This took place before Dr. Graham