The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-06-25
RESULT OF Overlooking
Passengers Lost Their Heads and
Crowded OH One Side.
Many Carried Down i'm the Whirlpool
of the Rapidly Sinking Tug
Five Others Perish.


miles off the Highlands. Fifty-four of
those on board, including three dead, have
been accounted for. The remaining TWEEN
ty-one were probably drowned. making
twenty-four in all that went to the bot
tom.
The tug left Fifth street and East river
at 7:5O O'Clock this morning. touched at
pier No. 3. East river, and then went on
the fishing grounds. 1t is said she had a
license to carry fifty passengers, but six
ty-three tickets were sold. There was a
bar and a lunch counter on board, whose
attendants. with the crew, brought the
whole number on hoard up TO about seven
ty-fve- The tug reached the banks on
time. but the fishing was poor and the sea
too rough for comfort and about noon she
started back. When three miles east of
the Highlands and about four miles south
OF Scotland lightship the waves began to
break heavily over her starboard rail. To
dodge the water and wind the passengers
began to run around 10 the port side and
TO climb top OF the deckhouse. The
boat careened alarmingiy TO port and the
water swept in over the rail- The terror
stricken men rushed back TO starboard and
the tug swung deeply down on that side
AT the same moment three heavy breakers
otIuCh the DOdl III QUICK succession.
The captain William H. Yatt. stuck
pluckily to his post and sounded the whis-
tie in prolonged scream for help. Even
as he did the tug filed with the water
that poured into her from both sides and
sank out of sight in the water.
DOWN LIKE A STONE.
She went down like a stone carrying
many of her passengers with her. The
water choked the cry of the whistle, but
not before 1t had been heard and needed.
The Clyde steamer Algonquin. a mile away
heard It. and swung around to go back
to the rescue. The tugs Wallace B. Flint
r. J. Moran and Governor also hurried to-
wards the spot. From further away came
the c. E. Evarts, reaching the spot too
late to be of service.
The Algonquin sent her lifeboat with
first officer A. NJ. Rich and four men,
They picked up ten men, One. however
died a few moments later. The tugs res
cued the others who remained afioat Some
had life belts on. but most of them were
clinging to bits OF wreckage. A life raft
supported a dozen, and the top of the pilot
house as many more. The unconscious
man picked up by the Algonquin was found
In the Nichola lifeboat. He was under the
thwarts and entangled in the fishing lines
The boat. practically unsuitable. as float
ing right side up, but was full of water
Capt. S. c. Plat. of the Algonquin, says
that a stiff breeze blowing. but there
was no sudden squall. There was a big
short. sharp sea on. The Algonquin brought
TO this city those she had picked up. The
living dispersed to their homes. and the
dead body, which has not been identified,
was sent to the morgue. All were people
he vi on he
lower east side of the city. Some of the
tugs. not wishing 10 come to the city.
transferred the men they had saved to
other tugs.
The Savers brought up thirty-four sur
vivors and landed them on the east side.
The G. r. Evarts brought UP two bodies
and several survivors. The Governor is sup
posed TO have landed others in Brooklyn.
Altogether fifty-fOur out Of the seventy
five have been accounted for. three OF
them being dead. Officers of the Flint for
some unknown reason denied having res
cued any Of the men or knowing anything
about the matter. John Maggie. who was
rescued by the Algonquin boat, says he
was caught under the awning of the tug
waen IL sank. He managed TO crawl out
and seized a table. which kept him afioat.
Finding his chum, Frank Kaiser, in the
water. he let him have the table which
would not support two, and started to
swim. Soon after he was picked up, but
Kaiser has not been seen since. The Algon-
quin arrived at her dock at Pier %. foot
o. Roosevelt street. at about 5 o'clock this
evening. She had on board nine of the sur
vivors OF the J. ID. Nichola and the body OF
one OF the victims. Captain Piatt, of the
Algonquin. when asked concerning the ac-
cident said:
HEAVILY OVERLOADED.
THE tug was about sinking when first
sighted by the Algonquin There was a
heavy sea on and a good deal OF wind
from the northeast. My attention was first
called 10 the tug by the blowing of the
whistle. She was then rolling from side
to side. and suddenly turned over and
went down almost instantly. The paSsen-
gers appeared to be demoralized. and ran
about the deck wildly. and the boat
swayed TO one side they rushed 10 the
other. The tug appeared TO be top-aeavy,
as IL she were overloaded. / ordered a life
boat lowered Immediately and sent it in
charge OF chief officer Rich to the scene
OF the disaster. but before IL reached there
the tug had sunk out of sight. Officer
Rich succeeded in reScufng nine of the sur
boat the dead body of a man which he
found tn a derelict boat belonging TO the
tug; The dead man was all tangled Us
OF water and right side up. soon the tugs
Flint. Moran. Governor, Slyers and Evarts
arrived at the scene. and they. also sue
ceeded In picking up many OF the surviv-
ors, as well as some or the dead bodies
The names of those saved and handed
Charles Deusinger, Charles Glockmore
George e Pitt. Il. l.. Wool. JCan Maggie
Charles Eoerhard, jerome Curton and
James Gilmore. The body on board the Al
gonquin has not yet been identified.
First Oricer A. NJ Rich, who took the
Algonquin boat TO the scene, said: I'VE
picked up the ten very quickly. / am sure
they were not In the water over ten min
utes. did not see any struggle betweel
the men In the water for floating objects
10 support them. They behaved very vel
all o. them The man we got out OF the
life boat might not have been quite dead
but we could do nothing for him until il
was too late The Algonquin's life boat
will stand most things but IL had pretty
hard time in that sea. The waves were
washing into 10 all the time"
few hours after sinking the tug was
pretty well broken up and the wreckage
began TO come ashore. Before dark the
entire beach was strewn with IL. Thirty
three lunch baskets were washed up with
the other debris. No bodies have come
ashore.
Among those on board the boat who are
supposed 10 be drowned were: Andrew
Weisller. Charles Welsing, John Dunn
Frank McAller. Joseph Wolfe, Emil
Custave and William KIrschner. Edward
Ray. William Schultz, Frederick Wander
heit, James Hayes. Albert Pabsf William
Moore. Charles Graham. Herman Everard