The San Francisco call., 1896-02-14
Loss of Life on the Big Sealing
Schooner Edward E.
Webster.
MEN WASHED OFF THE JIBBooM.
Unsuccessful Attempts to Launch the
Steamers Trilby and Caro-
line.

The sealing schooner Edward e. Web
ster mas been very unfortunate in her start
on an otter-hunting expedition. There was
some difficulty in securing a crew, and
now the owners are in trouble with the
Customs authorities.
A few days after the vessel left port two
of the crew were drowned. The captain
put into brakes Bay and came to San
Francisco to report the accident. He ar
rived here last Sunday, and, securing two
men, started back for the schooner early
on Monday morning. No report of the
loss of life and no memoranda of the ship
ping of the men was made to the Custom
house, and, in consequence, Captain Frank
Johnson wilt be hauled over the Goals
when the Webster gets back to San Fran
cisco.
When the Webster sailed from this port
she cleared for an otter-hunting cruise.
| Off Point Reyes it came on to blow, and
| the vessel was put under short canvass.
| Three men were sent out to furl the iib.
| The vessel was plunging into head sea,
| and the sailors were ON several occasions
| nearly washed away. They succeeded
in getting the sail furled, however, and
started back for the deck. A giant wave
came along, and when it had swept the
| ship all three men were gone. AXel Peter
son and Arthur Jeffreys were never seen
again, but the third man managed TO
catch flying rope and was hauled aboard.
| Captain Johnson ran his vessel for the
| nearest safe anchorage and then came to
San Francisco on the gasoline steamer
Mary c. 1t did not take him long to Sc
cure two men to fill the places of those who
had been lost, and he at once started with
them by train for Bodega Bay. The full
particulars of the accident will not be
known until the vessel gets back, as
| Agent A. Z. Lorentzen says that he knows
nothing further than that tae men were
washed off the jibboom and drowned
| The steamer Trilby, built for the Sacra-
| mento River trade, had not very sue
cessful launch in life. As she was sliding
into the arms of the ''gray old sea" the
supports gave way and she went stern first
into the mud. Luckily no particular dam
age was done. but the vessel will have to
! be raised on Jacks before she can be got
| into salt water.
! Wien in commission the Trilby will run
| in opposition to the Southern Pacinc
| Company, and Rideout & Co., who have
! built her, say they will make it hot for the
monopoly om the river.
| The steamer Caroline was also in diff
culties. She had been on the ways at
| South San Francisco receiving an over
| hauling. As she was being launched one
of the supports gave way and a projecting
! timber went through her bottom. She had
to be hauled back again and it will be at
| least week before she will go into COM
| mission.
Joseph Byrnes, the sailor on the revenue
cutter Bear who caused all the trouble
last Monday by disobeying orders and
! afterward deserting, was caught yesterday
and placed in irons. Captain Tuttle is
determined to maintain discipline, SO he
made Byrnes an example and the rest of
the men will probably obey orders in
future.
DR.. c. F. Peckham, the surgeon in charge
of the quarantine station at Angel Island,
has been ordered to Port Townsend. He
does not like the change at all as his wife
and family are with him and be will have
to break up his home. The orders were
for an immediate transfer, but urder the
circumstances DR.. Peckham was given ten
days in which to get ready.
Harry Edwards, an apprentice on one
OF the British ships in the stream, has to
thank Captain Pippy of the State tug Gov
ernor Irwin for the fact that he is alive.
The lad was not satisfied with his sur
| roundings and determined to desert.
| There was no chance to get ashore except
by swimming, so he slipped into the water
when no one was looking and started for
the shore.
When picked up by the Irwin he was
almost exhausted, and could not possibly
have reached the wharf. He was dried in
| e.e ohBiu ohu Sapeaih lppy gave
him dollar to get bed with. Young
| Edwards says he left all his clothing and a
$50 sextant on the ship, and intends try
ing to recover them as soon as the vessel
docks.
The captain of the British ship Centaur,
which arrived from Liverpool yesterday
reports that on January when passing
Easter Island a boat came alongside with
fifteen natives and the King of the islands,
and gave them six sheep, two hogs, sew
eral punches of bananas and other fruits.
The King said they were all we'll, and had
about 10000 sheep and 80, 900 cattle on the
island, and that also British ship was
loading with wool.