Evening journal., 1895-11-14
SANK WITH THE WAVES
An Oyster Steamer Goes Down
Off Coney Island.
THE GREW OF FIVE MEN DROWNED,

swampcd by the Heavy Seattle Disaster
Seen From the Deck of Tng-Power-
less 20 Render Aid An on Board the
Vessel Were Lost.
NEW YORK, Nov. 14-Without mo-
ments warning five men were engulfed
in the current that swirls through Rock
away inlet They went down with the
steam oyster dredge James W. Boyle OF
this city, which foundered near the bell
buoy at the entrance to Jamaica bay. The
victims are:
Captain Peter Mcdonald. .Ir. 20 years
old, married. Of Princes Bay, n. Y.
John Newbury, deckhand 80 years old,
unmarried, of Tottenville, n. Y
John Carroll cook, 3s years old, wild
over with one child, Of Hoboken. n. J.
John Finn, the engineer, 20 years old,
of Rondout, n. Y.
Walter b. Wood, the oonsignee, 32
years old, married and having four chill
dren. of Inwood n. Y.
The Boyle was a 40 ton steamer, GO feet
long and "a feet amidships and owned by
James W. Boyle, the wholesale oyster
dealer, whose floats are located at the foot
Of Perry street, North river. Ordinarily
she was employed in dredging on the oys-
ter grounds and running IN supplies for
her owner.
On Tuesday night she left Bridgeport,
Conn, with big cargo Of seed oysters
She had been chartered for the trip by
Walter b. Wood an oyster grower Of In
wood, n. Y. She reached the lower bay
shortly after daylight, and as the water
was rough and a heavy wind blowing she
headed cautiously down the NarrOws for
NortOns point, on Coney Island.
AS she passed into Rockaway inlet she
was sighted by the street cleaning depart
ment tug Mutual, which was going out
to sea with a heavy tow Of scows The
crew Of the Mutual were startled when
they saw heavy sea strike the Boyle over
the bows and almost bring her to a stand
still The first wave was followed by n
second. which dealt her blow on the port
quarter.
Capsized by the Heavy Waves.
A third wave crashed against the deck
storage house and capsized her in tho
trough OF the sea. In a moment she sank.
The Mutual promptly headed for the scene
OF the disaster, but owing TO her heavy
tow it was fully an hour before she ran
into the inlet. There were no traces OF
the crew.
All that could be seen of the vessel was
the pilot house, which had drilted over
into the breakers on Rockaway point. The
Mutual cruised around for some time in
hopes Of either rescuing the crew or Of re-
covering their bodies, but without success.
Mr.. Boyle, the owner, was called on by
a reporter, but was not at home. His
manager, Oliver Porter, said:
"The Boyle had big storage house on
her deck to prevent her deck cargo from
freezing Tho people on board were no
doubt sitting around in this house out OF
the cold when tho vessel suddenly capsized,
and were drowned like rats In trap.
This probably accounts for the fact that
their bodies did not come to the surface.
The Boyle was not overloaded and was a
stanuh craft. She is insured.
"There may have been more than five
people on board for all we know TO the
contrary. We know pretty positively that
Walter B. Wood of Inwood, n. y, the
consignee of the cargo. was passenger.
The James W. Boyle was eight years
old and was built at Athens, n. Y. Wal
ter b. Wood had over s15, 600 invested in
oyster beds at Inwood. Last year he was
elected constable of Hampstead. Captain
Peter Mcdonald, Sr., Of Tottenville, n.
Y, was part owner Of the Boyle. His
son commanded her when she went down.