The record-union., 1894-06-25
A Tug With Seventy-Five Souls
on Board Goes to the Bottom.
SANK AT THE FISHING GROUNDS
OFF NEW YORK HARBoR.
Fifty-Fnur of Those on Board Ac-
counted for, Three of Them Dead
The Others, Twenty-One in Num-
Der, Believed to Have Been Drowned
How the Accident Occurred.
Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.

Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
New YORK, June 24.-The tug James
D. Nichol, with sixty-three excursionists
and a crew of twelve, sank at about
o'clock this afternoon three miles off the
Highlands. Fifty-four of those on board
have been accounted for. The rest were
probably drowned.
The tug left Fifth street and East
River at 7:30 this evening for the fishing
grounds. She had, it is said, license to
carry fifty passengers, but sixty-three
tickets were sold. There was bar and
lunch counter on board, whose attend
ants. with the crew, made the total num-
ber on board seventy-fve. The tug
reached the banks on time, but fishing
was poor and the sea too rough for COM
fort, and about noon she started back.
When about three miles east of the High
lands and about four miles south of Scot
land lightship the waves began to break
heavily over her starboard rail. To dodge
the water and wind the passengers began
to run around the port side and to climb
on top of the deck-house. The boat ca
reened alarmingly to port and water
swept over the rail. The terror-stricken
men rushed back to starboard and the
tug swung deeply on that side.
At the same moment heavy breakers
struck the boat in quick succession. The
Captain, William Hyatt, stuck pluckily
to his post and sounded the whistle in
prolonged screech for help. AS he did so
the tug filled with water that poured into
her from both sides, and sank out of sight
in the water. She went down like stone,
carrying many of the passengers with
her.
The water choked the cry of the whistle,
but not before it had been heard and
needed. Tie Clyde steamer Algonquin,
mile away, heard it and swung around
to go to the rescue. The tugs Wallace 3.
Flint, r.. j. Moran and Governor also
hurried to the spot. The Algonquin
picked up ten men, several of whom died
a few minutes later. The tugs rescued
the others who remained afloat. Some
few had life belts OH, but most of them
were ciinging to bits of wreckage. a
life-raft supported a dozen, and the top OF
the pilot house as many more.
Captain Platt of the Algonquin said
that while stiff breeze was blowing
there was no sudden squall. There was
a big sea on.
The Algonquin brought those she had
picked up to the city. The living dis
persed to their homes, and dead body,
which has not been identified, was sent
to the morgue. ALI the people bore Ger
man names.
Some of the tugs, not wishing to come
TO the city, transferred the men they had
saved to the other tugs. The Sayres
brought up thirty-four survivors, and
landed them on the East Side. The c. L.
Evarts brought up two bodies and several
survivors. The Governor is supposed to
have landed in Brooklyn.
Altogether fifty-four out of the seventy
five have been accounted for. Three of
them were dead.
The officers of the Flint have, for some
unknown reason, denied having rescued
any of the men and knowing anything
about the matter.
John A. Maggie, who was rescued by
the Algonquin, says he was caught under
the awning OF the tug when it sank. He
managed to crawl out and seize a table,
which kept him atloat. Finding his
chum, Frank Gaiser, in the water. he let
him have the table, which would not sup
port two, and started to swim. Soon
after he was picked up, but Gaiser has not
been seen since. The Algonquin arrived
at her dock at pier 20, foot of Roosevelt
street. about o'clock. She had on board
nine of the survivors of the Nichol and
the body of one of the victims.
Captain Platt of the Algonquin, when
said: 1.-The tug was about sinking when
first sighted by the Algonquin. There was
heavy sea on, and good deal of wind
from the northwest. My attention was
first called to the tug owing to its whistle
She was then rolling from side to side,
and suddenly went over and down
almost instantly. The passengers ap-
peared to be demoralized and ran about
the deck wildly. and as the boat swayed
to one side they rushed to the other. The
tug appeared to be heavy, as though she
were overloaded. l ordered lifeboat
lowered Immediately, and sent it out in
charge of Chief Officer Smith to the scene,
but before it arrived the tug had sunk to
the bottom. The officers succeeded in
rescuing nine of the survivors, and also
took on board the lifeboat the body of a
man which he found in a boat belonging
to the tug. The dead man was all tangled
up with fish lines, and the boat was full
of water. though right side up. Soon the
tugs Moran, Flint, Governor, Sayres and
Artist arrived on the scene. and they sue
ceeded in picking up many of the sur
viyorS as well as several OF the dead
bodies"
Among those on board the boat who
are supposed to be drowned are: Andrew
Webster, Charles Wehling. John Dunn,
Frank McAleer. Thomas Willis. Emil
Wolf, Thomas Schlessinger, George w.
Nagle, Gustaye aud William kersnerr,
Edward Ray, William Schultz, Frederick
Van Dorheid, James Hayes, Albert Pabst,
William Buckridge, William More.
Charles Graham, Hermann Everhardt.
FIVE PEOPLE DROWNED.
BROOKLYN, June PA catboat was
capsized by sudden squall off the At
lantic Yacht Club house, at the foot of
Fifty-eighth street, Brooklyn. A pleasure
party consisting OF six people, two men,
two women, boy and two-year-old
girl, were thrown into the water. The
men and the women and the boy sank
before assistance could be rendered. The
little girl was saved. AS yet their names
are not known, and nothing was found
about the boat to identity them.