The San Francisco call., 1896-11-25

the evening, the captain uIoppeI h,' 49,
and put out to sea for safety. de dlu not
lay very far off shore, and short time
after midnight, he says, the san benlto
passed close to him and between MIN ana
the shore. The captain remarked TO MS
mate at the time that If the San Benito
was off her course, or II she dld not
change it whether she was of 1t or not
she would strike inside Point Arena.
Captain Walvig said he first thought OF
signaling the San Benito, but finally con-
cluded tha; she knew her business. Chief
Officer Zolling, III a statement made here
tonight, said Captain Smith was in
clined to blame Captain Walvig for not
telling him where he was.
There are conflicting accounts here as to
the condition of the weather for a half
hour before and at the time the San
Benito struck. There are several survi-
vors who have said that the weather was
misty, but that IL was not raining as thick
as sheets, but all say they didn't see the
Point Arena light. On the other hand,
there are in the little town of Point
Arena, perched high in the hills above
che wreck, half dozen men and yonng
ladies who say that about 1 O'Clock Sun
day morning 1t stopped raining, cleared
up and there was light from full moon,
though the moon was not visible. Ihls
was before the San Benito struck. A we'll
known rancher who lived on hill five
miles from town and back of where the
ship struck, said that he heard the San
Benito's first whistle of distress, and look
ing out of a window saw not only the
ships lights but the Point Arena light.
There was a rehearsal that night in town
for Thanks giving jubilee, and though
young couples star-gaZing late IN the
evening may have a very clear recollection
of the weather, the fact remains that while
it may have been clear on the hill it may
have been thick down where the wind
h Il fl,a far hat 10
at sea have been known to blow away in
five minutes and leave the sea and sky as
smiling as wedding morn.
There is only one change in the San
Benito's crew from the list already pub
llshed IN The CALL. I. 4. Foster shipped
in place OF c. Bianberg, and Foster was
the quartermaster at the wheel when that
heart-chiIling cry, Breakers ahead!"
came with the command, lizard over with
her!" but too late.
The wrecker Whitelaw, Captain T. P. H
Whltelaw, owner, and Captain Leland,
appeared at the wreck out OF mist to sea-
ward about IL O'Clock Monday morning,
Her small boats went to the wreck, re-
moving the easy portables from each
piece of the wreck. such as binnacles
compasses, charts, clocks, a chronometer
which was still ticking merrily along un-
mindful of wreck or water; canned goods
and meats, cushions, tooichests, hawseTs
worth about $1,000. 1t was risky business
boarding the wreck, even on the leeward
side, With the seas breaking over her; but
it was done, and without a single mishap
In fact, the Whiteiaw' S able seamen chased
each other across the forward deck TO the
forecastle between seas that hid the wreck
from sight, all but her piloi-house, spar
and stack. The water leaped I'D the
shrouds and streamed back over the rail
and down on deck.
At TAP. NJ. the WhiteIaw put back around
the point. intending TO run into the small
bay at Point Arena before dark A heavy
sou easter came up with a heavy sea
before she made ii, and the Whiteiaw stood
out TO sea all night long for safety. Cap
tain Whitelaw said tonight before leay-
ing for San Francisco:
I'VE cannot save anything more in this
weather, and after this northwester blows
over 1t is doubtful ii there will be any,
thing in sight to save. Unless she works
down into the sand we might with mod
crate weather, save her engines. never
saw wreck like that before; l never saw
ship that was broken in two so sharp,
straight and clear. The seas that struck
her must have been terrible"
The San Benito has been left to her fate
and the list of the dead needs no revision.
a careful recount and comparison shows
the drowned to be, as announced yester-
day: First Assistant Engineer o. w.
Scott, Second Assistant Engineer c. Con-
don. Coal-passer c. Brown, Coal-passer
n: Fitzgerald. Messboy ]. Sheeran and J.
w. Wilson. They were all in the first and
second starboard boats, and were unable
to cling to them when they rolled over or
to swim ashore.
There is little left to tell beyond the
deeds OF berolsm, and the occasion was
not lacking in examples of that true
bravery which seems to be bred on the
of Of
Is notable example. On Sunday after
noon he was seen TO rise up IN the for
ward rigging and swing his hat in the air.
The hundreds of excited people who
thronged the country around heard him
shout but they could not distinguish
what he said above the roar of the wine,
wave and surf. Some of these people had
been on their knees in prayer. Women
wrung their hands and became hysterical
at the sight. Children wept, and, for that
matter, so did strong men.
Wilson climbed down the ladder to the
rail and swung his hat again. Then he
leaped into the sea. He had small line
IN his mouth and caught with his hands
piece OF wood, for which he, had ap-
parently jumped. He climbed up and sat
astride of it.
He padded first as he sat upright and
then on his stomach. For every foot he
propelled the plank toward shore cruel
wave would throw him back three.
He gave it up, climbed back on the
ship and up the starboard ladder of the
foremast again. He sat there three or
four minutes, then he was seen to lump
up again and swing his hat and then
danced. He crawled till he reached the
forecastle and there jumped into the sea
again. He had ,vidently concluded that
1t was certain death to remain on the
mast while there was a chance for life In
the raging sea between him and shore
Wilson paused one long moment nj ore
gazed.e agerly shoreward again, swung his
hat and leaped into the sea. A huge wave
receding from the shore caught him as h
came TO the surface, lifted him up and
banged his head against an anchor chain,
and that was the LAST of poor Wilson, who
nrst tried to save his shipmates with hue
and then to save himself. He was stunned
and went down with both hands in the
air.
ID. Fehn. a somewhat aged seaman, now
being cared for at the house of Thomas
Kenney, near the wreck. was struck by a.
mountainous sea and washed from the
rigging. The water from shore caught him
and hurled him back against the ship with
great violence. He was badly bruised and
DParIV Stunnpdf Tho uavas oarr;Af, It,.