The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-09-25
UNFATHONlD MYSTERY.
The Loss Of the City of Haverhill
Off Barnegat Light.
THE OFFICIAL INVESTIGATOR.

' Does Not Confirm the Contention Df
Mrs. Watrous, widow OF the Hnvcrhilrs
Captain, That the Vessel Was Destroyed
by Agents of tile spanish Government.
WARRINGTON, sept. 25.-Gcucral bu.
mont, supervising inspector of steam vC;-
sells has just completed an investigation.
covering several months, of the loss oil
Barncgat light, fifty miles south of New
orE, of the steamer City of Haverhill,
with all on board, on the night of March
% last The report of the investigation
indicates that the wrcck of the City OF
Havcrhill will 60 down in marine anncls
as one of the unfathomcd mysteries.
The Investigation was one of more than
usual Importance because of certain claims
that might have resulted in an interna-
tional complication with Spain. These
arose from the theory, deeply lodged in the
breast of the widow of the captain Of the
City of Haverhill, and persistently nd
hercd to by her that the vessel was under
suspicion by the Spanish authorities of
being intended for the use of Cuban fiji
busters and had been destroyed by Span
ish agencies.
General Dumont from the first secuted
this theory, and refused to believe that the
by dynamite concealed on board or by the
use of n submarine torpedo from a Span
ish cruiser at that time reported to b2
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 Haverhll was u stern wheel
steamer built at Newburyport in 1880. She
was 100 feet long, of very light draft (four
feet when light, of ia tons displacement
| and was valued at Sl5,UO0. She had been
| purchased in New York by the Key West
| Steamship company for carrying passen-
| gers from the main land Of Florida along
| the Keys to Key West, and Captain War
| rem p. Watrous, formerly of Washington.
| j.. c., and Key West, Fla, had been sent
| 70 New York to bring her to her desJina-
| ton. On the morning of March p she
| sailed from New York with Captain Wat
rous, his son. a nephew of Edgar F. Luck
enback, for Norfolk, Va, in tow of the
ocean tug w A. Luckcnback, intending to
proceed thence by the inland passage to
Key West under her own steam.
Shortly before midnight when off Bar
negat 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 benhett round some OF Tn"
wreckage OF the Clty OF Haverhlll ana the
Doay OIL captain "a1rous, enclrclea ny Il
nfe buoy. Inc press at the tlme reported
that she had propaoly Iouhocfeu IN a
storm, Dut IL was subsequently established
that the wreckage was seen before the
storm came up early the next morning.
captain Redmond, IN letter to MtF.
Grace ,. Watrous' the WIDOW OF the mas
Ter OF the HaVerhlll stated as ms opinion
that the Vessel hau Deen bloWh up.
captain Nllllain' Oh the tug LucEen-
pacN' claimed Uhat ne was not uhaer con
tract 20 Tow lne HaVcrnllI 10 NoiIolk nut
hau SIMPLY 'hitched on 10 TWO bar 'a b
was towing ana Uhat ne thoH%A0 hath4A
wrong When ne round the HaTerhHI h'"!
cast on MIS- NaUtoua however lhaln-
Jams Uha1 she received leVter from ho'
nuspahd, WrlUOeh oelure ne Saueu, saying
ne would leaVe III an hour IN 10" lor Nor
Iolk. captain "aIrous sister mas also
made uilldaVlt that She was present on the
HaVerhlll Wheh the contract was dts
cusSed' ana She understood the sum To be
palu was $loO
The Official report does not deal with
any Of the theories advanced by Mrs
Watrous as to the cause Of the steamer S
loss but is confined to the statements of
Captain Williams, of the tug, Captains