The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-19
SIX LIVES LOST.
Schooner NJ. j. Cummings Wrecked
in Milwaukee HRrbor.

MILWAUKEE, May 1S.-Lake Michigan
in a furious state all day, and huge
waves dashed into the bay, carrying every
thing before them. A fierce gale came from
the ncrthward early this morning, and ev-
erything that carried sails Immediately
sought shelter The schooner NJ. j. Cum
mings entered the bay about o'clock, cast
anchors off Michigan street, but they failed
TO hold, and the vessel drfted and foun-
dered. Six persons perished-fve men and
a wo.nan-before the life-saving crew could
reach the schooner. The men who perished
fell from their percnes in the crosstrees
TO the water and sank out of sight like
pieces of lead. The body of the woman is
still lashed TO the rigging, to which she
escaped when the vessel began to sink.
The dead are:
JOHN MCCULLOUGH, captain, Marine
TIMOTHY BOSOUR, mate. Buffalo. N Y.
THOMAS TASCOrl, sailor, Marine City
UNKNOWN sailor Marine City.
''JiM,' a sailor, Marine city
COOK (woman), name unknown, Buffalo,
~. Y.
Six thousand people lined the piers and
the shores on the island and mainland this
afternoon when the tug. Knight Templar,
towing a scow bearing the life-savers, left
the pier to make the rescue of the crew.
from the scow. and back of the scow was
towed the empty surf boat With bow to
the waves, the Knight Templar permitted
the scow 70 drop down toward the wreck
When the surf boat was within fifty yards
of the wreck a human figure that had been
ciinging to the rigging of the mizzen mast
was seen TO throw up its hands and fall
backward into the waves, being instantly
lost to sight. A short time before another
of those cinging to the ropes had also let
go his hold and perished. A groan went
up frcm the crowd as each body was lost
to sight ard then all eyes centered on the
surf boat as 1t dropped back beside the
sunken vessel. Two flgdres slowly descend
clung to lines but a few feet above the
waves. Five minutes passed as attempt
after attempt was made by the life-saving
crew TO swing the lifeboat near the watt
ing men. A cry went up from the crowd
on shore as one figure was seen to leap
from the rigging and land In the boat
Two minutes later man Sprang far out,
and as the boat ascended wave 1t was
seen that there were I'VE figures in the
boat. Then cheer that drowned the roar
ing of the breakers went up from the
throats on shore. Slowly the long line that
held the surf boat was paid out: and the
two rescued men were permitted to drift
toward the shore-one moment lost to sight
in the foaming breakers, and again alive
and of rescue as the boat rose to the
beach at the foot OF Jones island a crowd
ran to meet the rescued men; willing
hands were stretched out to reach them.
and they were dragged from the boat to
a place of safety.
Earlier in the day several fruitless at
tempts were made to rescue the crew.
The Milwaukee Iife-savers got one man
aboard, when their boat was disabled and
driven ashore. Surfman Gordes was the
man left on the schooner AS soon as he
boarded the vessel he proceeded TO lash
the members of the crew to the rigging.
but il is supposed they loosened the ropes
to change their positions. hoping to es-
cape the force of the blizzard of pelting
snow and rain, but were so stiff that they
could not make new fastenings. and he
could 60 nothing for them. Captain Nc
CulCrgh was the second man to fall, shoot
ing down into the water as hundreds of
field glasses were trained the scene
from shcre Tascott fell first, and the 9TH
ers soon after the captain.