New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-14
FIVE MEN DROWNED.
AN OYSTER DREDGE UPSET BY A HEAVY
SEA OFF ROCKAWAY INLET.

TIE STORY OF TIE ACCIDENT TOLD BY \ TUG
EoAT CAPTAIN-ALL HANDS BELIEVED TO
HAVE GONE DOWN WITH THE VESSEL.
The little steam oyster dredge James W. Boyle
was capsized in heavy sea off Rockaway Beach
early yesterday morning and her crew, consist
ing OF five persons, drowned. The news was
brought to the city by Captain Robert II. Deakih'
of the tugboat Mutual who returning from
the dumping grounds with four empty scows and
witnessed the accident. Captain Deakin said he
steamed close to the wreck and all on board
must have gone down once with the vessel. for
he saw no signs Of life.
Those lost
M'DONAI.D. Peter J.. 5r.. captain OF the James w
di n1yie myinS IN Princes BAY '"en'ye's"
FINN, John. engineer. thrty-eght years old, OF
NEW BERRY. John. deckhand forty years old, of
Tottenville. Staten Island; ,. o.rs
CARROLL. John. cook and de ckhand forty years
WOOD, Walter b. oyster planter and constable In
lnwood. Long Island, thirty years old, Wie anu
four children.
The Boyle belongs to Captain Peter j. McDoh-
aid. ST. and James w. Boyle and was chartered
by Mr.. Wood to carry cargo Of seed oysters from
Bridgeport Conn. to Jamaica Bay The Vessel
left Bridgeport on Tuesday afternoon with 1uil
cargo Of seed oysters that the planter intended
to place In his oyster beds In Jamaica Bay II Is
not assured that Mr.. Wood left Bridgeport on the
Boyle, but he has not been heard OF at his home
and there is little doubt that he went along with
his cargo.
The little vessel came down the Sound, through
the East River and by way Of the Bay and Mar
rows rea ched outside early hour yesterday
morning.
Captain Deak.n first sighted her about O'Clock
and she was making for Rockaway Inlet, heading
la
bell buoy The scows dumped their loads and
the tug started back for the city heading for
Coney Island, whence 1t would take straight
course BY the buoy for home Captain Deakn
said he had Just passed the buoy when he saw
the dredge turn ard head straight for the inlet
The wind was northeast and blowing thirty miles
or more and as she turned the Boyle, which was
completely housed over and presented large
surface h. the wind. broadside TO the sea
and at that moment An extremely heavy sea
struck her forward and nearly sent her on her
beam ends, and then before the dredge could re-
cover another sea struck her and over she went
The starboard gangway was open ana tne snip
ping Of the big sent her 10 the bottom I'm
medately The deck and pilot houses were torn
off, and the was soon filled with wreckage.
The accident took place about two miles lroni
Rockaway shoals and a mile from the MUTUAL
and her tows
Captain Deakin could not cast loose his tows.
"A there one hundred men aDodIu. anu
In the heavy sea and northeast wind they would
have inevitably drifted on To the shoals ana every
man Of them be lost Holding on 10 his scows, the
CaDtain made his way u the wreckage Whlcn
he reached in forty five minutes. II was dlH-
cult and dangerous piece of business Tor MIN 10
change his course and steer for the scene ol M t,e
disaster. No signs OF life could BE- round the nuik
had gone down In forty feet OF water, pIoDdoly
taking everybody on board with it, The name or
the vessel seen on the pilot mouse Wrlcn
foated in q mass Of wreckage. So heavy was
.f. I'M ha
gether the first and second srOws, tandem fasn-
ion parted and great difhculty was eXperlenceu
In getting them together again. seeing tnat an an
hands were beyond assistance or rescue 'dPtalli
Deakin headed for the city again ana reporteu
what he had witnessed to Edward NJ, Timmlhs'
the manager of the Mutual Towing Company,
Mr. Boyle whose Office Is at Perry-st. ana me
North River was informed, and ne gave me
names OF the crew. He did not known tnat MI
Wood was on board but believed that nc was.
The James w. Boyle was steam sore"
dradee of forty-One tons measurement, Sixty
eight feet long, eighteen feet beam ana nFe am
a half feet depth Of hold. she was puilt III fll. &
ens y Y i'm 1885. She valued at about
81 0cO and her owners declined to state whether
she was insured.
Peter J. Mcdonald sr.. the father OF me cap cap
tain OF the Boyle who also lives in Princes Bay,
hoard the rllmor Of the loss Of the vessel ana
went 10 the Ship News Office at the battery loI
confirmation. He is d sturdy OLD oysterhai,, anu
owns several vessels which are employed IN the
trade He bore IN for while, after being tQld
the facts but ne left the place ne proke qUwt; %
He thought there was little DOUBT tnat MI "oou
was on board.
Vessels OF the type Of the Boyle. which are
usually employed in oyster dredging, have a
shallow draught in comparison to the portion OF
the vessel exposed above water, and In heavy
sea and wind they are likely to prove topheavy.
From the story told by Captain Deakn, ii Is sup
posed that the bodies OF those on board are I'M
nrlsoned i'm the hulk Of the Boyle
The aged mother OF Walter Is. woods VINO
uves I'm Inwood L. L. does not know of the drown
ing Of her son. She is not In good health. and her
friends are keeping the news from her, hoping
that Woods may have remained in hridseport or
have landed I'm New-York They have little hope
either way as Mr. Boyle has telephoned repeat
edly for news of Woods. Mr.. Woods had $1,000
invested in his oyster beds mere year ago ne
was elected a constable OF Hampstead town by
majority OF 400. The rest of the ticket was
elected by about five hundred. He was thirty
three years old.