Omaha daily bee., 1894-01-18
DIED LIKE HEROES
Brave Men Find Death in Old Atlantic's
Storm Tossed Waters.
SIX PlUCKY SAILORS GO TO THEIR DOOM
Heroic Attempt to Rescue the Grew of Ship
wrecked Schooner.
DROWNED WHILE ON A BRAVE ERRAND
Only One of the Life Boat Party Lives to
Tell the Tale
DROWNED WHILE ON A BRAVE ERRANt
NEW YORK TO FLoRDA EXPRESS WRECKED
Pullman sleeper Turned on Its Side and
Several Persons Injured, but None
oi Them scriousiy-Othcr Rail-
road Accidents Reported.

New York, Jan. 11.-The steamship AM
sterdam (Dutch), from Rotterdam January
3, arrived at the bar this morning. She has
had a continuation of heavy gales from all
around the compass, with tremendous nigh
seas and very low barometer On Sunday,
January II, when in latitude - 81, longitude
5S is, about II n. m, in strong northwesterly
brccHcs and u moderately high sea, she
sighted II schooner, south. showing an Amer
lean union down, ana at half mast. She
made for the schooner and saw that the sea
was washing constantly over her ana that
only by hard pumping was she kept atoat.
She had crew of about fourteen men. The
crew sgnalcd the Amsterdam by gestures
that the vessel WAS in n sinking condition
and that they were anxious to leave the ship,
showing ut the same time by throwing over
board pieces of their boats that some had
been wrecked. The captain of the steamer
called his crew on deck and told them tho
position in which the schooner was. lmme-
diatcly the first officer and six of the Amster-
dams crew offered themselves to man Il boat
and so TO their rescue.
Went TO Their Death.
No 4 lfeboat left the Amsterdam and
started for the wreck. When the boat was
nearing the schooner, a heavy sguall cap
sized the boat with the result that three OF
the crew disappeared Immediately, aud the
remaining four succeeded in taking hold OF
the capsized boat. The captain of the Am
sterdam went at once to their assistance,
and succeeded in getting alongside, but tho
remaining four men were thoroughly cX-
hausted by the cold, and in consequence
were not able to take hold of the life saving
apparatus which was given to them, ana
they were drowned with the exception Of
one sailor, who succeeded in getting hold Of
a rope, and was taken on board. Another
crew presented themselves to man Il second
boat but owing to the increasing wind and
sea the captain objected, aud concluded to
stand by and wait for better weather and ~
calm sea- The Amsterdam stayed iii the
vicinity of the wreck until when in heavy
snow squall she lost sight of her, and
although search was made she was not able
to find any trace of the wreck, and proceeded
on her voyage The wreck appeared to be
the American fishing schooner, Maggie Il.
Wells.
Names of tho Dead Heroes.
The following are the names of the AM
sterdam's crew who went to the rescue of
the sinking schooner and were lost
CHEF OFFICER j. MEYER, aged % years.
SECOND BOATSWAIN Il. BEQUART.
CARPENTER A. Il. OUDIN.
STEERAGE STEWARD a. BOSS.
QUARTERMASTERF H. G. EICHHORN.
SEAMAN A. Won VLEET.
Seaman U. Vanderbilt, who was an ex-
pert swimmer, was saved.
The Maggie Il. Wells is undoubtedly
vessel of that name whose home port is
Gloucester, Mass. Although every possible
means Of saving the sailors was employed
their strength was SO far spent that they
We're unable to keep their hold on the ropes
and belts thrown them and in the very act
of being lifted to the deck three fell back
exhausted and were drowned, only ono
reaching the deck safely. The passengers
of the Amsterdam were very much I'M.
pressed with the efforts of all the ships Of
ticers and crew to save the crew of the
American ship. They say that the captain
did everything in his power and remained IN
the vicinity till he lost all track of tho
schooner and further waiting was useless.
The Maggie Il. Wells was built in 1890,
was 81 ! feet long, 1913 feet beam, 0.4 feet
deep aud reg istered So 05 tons.