Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-02-03
FILIBUSTER WRECK.
A Cuban Expedition Which Sailed
from New York Com IS
to Grief.

Vineyard Haven, Mass, Jan. 2S.-A
party of twenty-five men who wer'
picked up from open boats off Long is.
and Monday morning by the schoone
Helen Fl. Benedict, were landed here
late last night and left here early today
for Woods Hole and New York, whence
they sailed last Sunday. The men were
all reticent about their affairs and would
give very little information as to the
circumstances attending the wreck, but
it was learned that their ship was the
steamer J. w. Hawkins, recently pur-
chased at Baltimore for an alleged Gu
ban cruise and that she sailed from New
York last Sunday night, having on board
between IS and 100 men, bound, 1t is
claimed, to join the Cuban insurgents.
The rescued men report that when
the steamer was off the eastern end of
Long island she sprang a serious leak
and the water gained so rapidly on her
that ell hands were obliged to take 10
the boats. On Monday morning the
men were picked up by passing schoon-
ers, the Benedict, bgund from Norfolk
to Boston with coal, getting twenty-five
of them. It is thought that all the 9TH
ers were saved.
The schooner Alicia B. Crosby, which
arrived here later IN the day, brought thir-
teen more men from the steamer Hawkins
The men displayed anxiety to get back
to New York and would have very little
to say about their affairs. 1t was
learned, however, that ten of their num-
Der had been lost. The men were trans
ferred to Woods Hole as soon as posi-
BILE after their arrival and sent to New
York by the earliest train.
Particulars of the wreck Of the Haw
kins has been gained from the men by
the officers Of the rescuing vessel. As
nearly as could be ascertained, the stor
is that the steamer sailed from ~
York on Sunday, ostensibly bound TO
Bermuda on d winter excursion. She
carried, however, about eighty men.
mostly Spaniards, cannon and sew
eral hundred pounds Of ammunition. Ii
was intimated that several wealthy We, Gu-
bans were in the party. Early Monday
morning they ran into a northeast gale
and the heavy cross seas which swept
the steamer caused her seams to open
and she began to fill rapidly: Signals
of distress were set, but before those
on board had time to do more than clear
the boats she went down about slXty-hTe
miles southeast of Sandy Hook light
ship. -.
The schooner Leander V. Beebe, Alicia
B. Crosby and Helen FL: Benedict had
seen the Hawkins signals and immedi--
ately bore down on her. The crew and
passengers had already taken to the
boats and they were picked up with
much difficulty on account Of the gale
and high seas. The Benedict picked up
twenty-five men, among them being the
steamers first officer and steward. The
Crosby saved thirteen out of twenty
ten were unable to paddle the boat in
the rough seas and were lost. The res
cued men were nearly exhausted. The
Beebe succeeded in rescuing those in the
other boats, but she put back, proba-
bly, for Delaware breakWater or some
other Middle Atlantic port. 1t is claimed
BY the men that the Hawkins was I'M
seaworthy and should never have under
taken the voyage.