The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-09
SIX LOST WITH A SCHOONER.
THE VESSEL GOES TO PIECES IN A
STORM ON LAKE MICHIGAN.


Only One Man of the seven on Board
Left TO Tell the story of the
WrccI<-DrunlSenne of the Cap
tain, the Mate and One OF the Sail
ors at the Bottom of the Disaster.
The Captain Refused to Allow
the Vessel.
Muskegon. Mich. Nov. S.-The schooner
Waukesha was wrecked off this port early
this morning, ana six lives were lost.
But one man. Of a crew of seven. COM
manded by drunken captain, reached
shore. Two bodies have been recovered.
1t was about 1870 o'clock this morning.
when the beach patrolman on the south
shore of the harbor reported wreckage
coming ashore. This report, to the mind
of Capt. Wood, brought up the question of
the safety of big three masted schooner
which arrived off the point yesterday af-
ternoon about 4 o'clock. She flew a tug flag
as she came in sight and the station sent
word up town for the Carrie Ryeron,
which came down, but would not ven-
ture out in the face of the big sea which
was running.
The schooner was apparently all right
during the evening and at 8 o'clock the
lookout man saw her lights. After that
they disappeared and 1t was thought she
had slipped her cables and run out to get
room. But the sequel shows she had not.
In the terrific storm, awful cold and dark
ness OF last night, six human lives had
been snuffed out, and not a soul on shore
was a whit the wiser In the wreckage
was found the name plate of the schooner.
which was the Waukesha, commanded by
Capt Duncan Corbett. She was loaded
with salt and bound from Ludington to
South Chicago.
At break of day the. lookout man at the
life saving station here thought he saw
something move on a dark object which
bobbed with the swell of the sea, the float
lying about half mile off the harbor
Capt Wood was notified and speedily
found out that the dark something was the
wreck Of a vessel. In the hope that some-
thing might be alive on the wreck, he
went out with his crew, and, to his great
surprise, found a sailor clinging to an inn
provised raft The man was able to wave
to the life-savers as they came up, and
more dead than alive he was taken to the
station
This evening he was able to talk, and
gave graphic description of the tragedy.
He said his name was Frank Delach, that
| they left Ludngton Friday, and almost
| Immediately the captain began drinking.
| He had for his companion sailor by the
name Of Fred and the mate. Soon the
three were deeply intoxicated and they
continued that way until the end. The
boat leaked badly all the way ana the
hands at the pumps all the time soon be-
| came worn out.
The sea increased, and the men begged
| the captain to beach the boat, but ne
refused. When they came in sight or
Muskegon the master did not know where
| he was and anchored one and one-halr
miles out. against the protest OF Delach,
who wanted him to either enter the har-
| Dor or go ashore, saying they could not
live where they were. The drunken cap
! tain, however, refused, and would not
| allow any signals to be given TO bring
| help locking up the torches. Shortly af-
| ter the boat began breaking up and the
men sought safety in the rigging. One
| by one the masts fell, one killing the negro
| cook. The other six chung to the wreck
| age and were washed away one by one.
| Delach's mate being the last to go, tre-
mendous wave sweeping him away just
| as day broke over the wild scene.
Two bodies, those Of the cook and a
Swedish sailor, have been recovered, and
taken charge of by Coroner Vanderlinde,
who will hold an inquest tomorrow.