The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-09-25
Or Did the steamer and All Hand. ca
Down During n storm Fifty Miles
south Of New Yorks
QUERIES LONG UNANSWERED
WIFE OF THE CAPTAIN CONFIDENT
THE VESSEL WAS BLOWN UP,
And that the spanfards Used Either
General Dumonrs investigation.

WASHINGTON. Sept. A-General Du.
mont. supervising inspector of steam ves-
sells, has just completed an investigation
covering several months of the loss of
Barnegat light, fifty miles south of New
York, Of the steamer City of Haverhill,
with all on board. on the night of March
2S last. The report Of the investigation in
dicates that the wreck of the City Of Hay-
erhill will go down in marine annals as one
of the unfathomed mysteries. The investi-
cation was of more than usual importance,
because Of certain claims that might have
resulted in an International complication
with Spain. These arose from the theory,
deeply lodged in the breast of the widow
of the captain of the City of Haverhiil, and
persistently adhered to by her that the
vessel was under suspicion by. the Spanish
authorities of being intended for the use
of Cuban filibusters and had been DESTROYED
by Spanish agencies. General Dumont from
the first secuted this theory and refused to
believe that the Spanish authorities would
destroy, either by dynamite concealed on
board or by the use ola submarine torpedo
from Spanish cruiser. at that time report
ed to be cruising along the Atlantic coast,
a steamer flying the American flag almost
within sight of New York. But there were
other features Of the wreck which he
agreed to thoroughly investigate.
The city of Haverhill' was a stern wheel
steamer built at Newburyport I'm 1885, She
was loo feet long, of very light draught
Qour feet when light), of ia tons displace-
ment and was valued at $4,000. She had
been purchased in New York by the Key
West steamship Company for carrying pas
sengers from the main land of Florida
along the Keys to Key West, and Capt.
Warren H. Watrous. formerly of Washing
ton, ID. c., and Key West, Fla, had been sent
TO New York to bring her to her destina-
ton. On the morning of March u she
sailed from New York, with Capt. Watrous,
his son, nephew of Edgar f. Luckenback,
for Norfolk, Va. In tow of the ocean tug
w. A. Luekenback, intending to proceed
thence by the inland passage TO Key West
under her own steam. Shortly before mid
night, when off Barnegat light. the tow line
was cast. off by the City of Haverhill, the
captain of the tug claims. The next day
the pilot boat James Gordon. Bennett,
found some of the wreckage of the City of
Haverhill and the body OF Captain Watrous
encircled by life buoy
PROBABLY BLOWN UP.
Z The press, at that time, reported that the
steamer had probably foundered in a storm,
but 1t was subsequently, established that
the wreckage was seen by Capt. Fred
Redmond, OF the fishing schooner Red
nlond, before the storm. came up early the
next morning. Captain Redmond, in let
ter to Mrs. Watrous, the widow of the
master of the Haverhill,s stated that in
his opinion the vessel had been blown up
as one end of the after-salon, with many
heavy timbers, fioated to one side of him
and the pilot and other wreckage to the
the other. Mrs. Watrous maintained that
the boilers could not have exploded, as
they had been thoroughly tested before the
steamer sailed, and moreover she did not
believe the Haverhill was under her own
steam, as the body of the engineer, sub
sequently found. was not dressed in work.
ing clothes He had on collar. necktie and
cuffs. She was firm in her belief that the
City of HaverhilI was suspected of being
Cuban filibuster by the Spanish authori-
ties and was either sunk by dynamite con-
cealed in her hold and exploded by a time
fuse or else by torpedo from the Spanish
war vessel at that time reported as cruis-
ing on the coast.
reporting cached arms at various points
along the South Atlantic coast, which the
Haverhill would have passed in taking
the inside passage to Key West. Her
course. Mrs. Watrous maintained, must
have been known to the Spanish authori-
ties then on the lookout for filibusters.
The fact that the vessel was fitted with
cabins and other sleeping accommodation
at IL Ixrx. r,f<rlzf -
have strengthened their suspicious had they
been watching her. Another point which
confirmed Mrs. Watrous in her belief of
foul play was the fact that the tow was
cast of shortly before the loss occurred.
Captain Williams. of the tug, claimed in
a statement he made that the tug was not
under contract to tow the Haverhin to
Norfolk, but had simply .hitched on to
two barges he was towing and that he
thought nothing wrong when he found
the Haverhill had cast or Mrs Watrous.
however, maintains that she received a
letter from her husband written before he
sailed saying he would leave in an hour i'm
tow for Norfolk. Captain watrous's sister
has also made affidavit that she was pres
ent on the Haverhill when the contract
was discussed and she understood the sum
to be paid was 800.
The official report received to-day does
not deal with any of the theories advanced
by Mrs. Watrous as to the cause of the
steamers loss, but is confined to the state
ments of Captain Williams. Of the tug;
Captains Wolfe and Nelson, OF the barges
San Joaquin and Coal King. respectively,
which were in tow of the Luckenback.
and Edgar f. Luckenback. the owner of
the tug. Captains Williams, Wolfe and
Nelson all agree in the statement that the
City OF Haverhill left the wharf at Brook
lyn under her own steam and did not take
the tow line until off Bedloe's island At
IL p. m. that night they testify that she
cast off when northeast of Barnegat light
without warning. The captain of the tug
swears that Captain Watrous Of the Haver-
hill. told him Mr.. Luckenback had said
he could hitch on so far as he desired,
but fatty contradicted the affidavit of
watrous's sister that any contract was
made. He. therefore. he swears, thought
nothing of IL when he found the Haverhill
cast off and presumed that she was making
for an inlet Edgar Luckenback confirms
the statement that he told Watrous he
could tow as far as he desired. The lat
ter's nephew was on board and was lost
nit he resf Irs Is rox si5