The Indianapolis journal., 1896-01-29
Cannon, Rifles, Ammunition and
Dynamite Thrown Overheard i'm
Vain Effort to Tighten the Boat.
MINISTER PALMA EXCITED
CLAIMS To KNOW NOTHING ABOUT
THE DISASTROUS EXPEDITION.
CaiixtO Garcia and His Son Among
Those Who started with the Ves-
seI-A Survivors, story.

BOSTON, Mass, Jan. 2S.-At no time since
the outbreak of the present Cuban insur-
rection has interest in it been so intense
among seafarng men as tonight. as the
arrival OF the schooners Helen II. Benedict
and Leander V. Beebe are anxiously await
ed to furnish more satisfactory details of
the laundering of the steamer j. w. Haw-
kins, carrying alleged flibustering ex-
pedition, in the waters south of New En-
gland. Both the schooners mentioned are
coal laden. bound from Norfolk to Boston,
and, according to meager particulars of the
disaster at sea, are bringing into safety
many survivors, the exact number OF those
lost at sea being undetermined until the
number saved are fully accounted for.
Dispatches from Vineyard Haven to-day
noted the mystery surrounding the arrival
yesterday of the schooner Helen H. Bene-
dict. which landed twenty-five men who had
been picked up from boat adrift in Long
Island sound. The men left at once for New
York. via Woods Holl, and exhibited great
reticence in imparting details of their be-
ing wrecked. They admitted being passen-
gers on the steamer ]. W. Hawkins. Captain
Woodrow. which left New York Sunday
night, with over one hundred men on board.
When off the eastern end of Long island
ing the engine room All hands available
were set to work balng out. and while the
gale into which the steamer had steamed
increased in fury the water slowly engulfed
the craft from within. A small deck load
of coal was hove overheard, and then. 10
tighten the steamer. portions of the cargo.
which appears to have been munitions of
war were consigned to the waves. The
water soon extinguished the sfires and the
steamer was at, the mercy of wind and
wave.
Before daylight, however, She situation
was so critical that the steamers boats
were ordered out. Only five were seaworthy
at the time and into these the crew and
passengers went, some being lost, 1T is fear
ed in the haste to get away from the sink
ing vessel. Some of the boats were over
crowded but four of the five were rescued
by nearby vessels. The Benedict picked up
one boat containing twenty-five men, in
Guiding some who are believed to be the
steamers subordinate officers. The Lean
der V. Beebe was seen to rescue one boat
crew, and the Alicia b. Crosby reached
Vineyard Haven this morning bringing in
thirteen more men. The latter. while in
clned to be noncommittal and as anxious
to return to New York as those rescued by
the Benedict. volunteered some information
about the Hawkins, but then the facts they
gave are unsatisfactory. three-masted
schooner picked up two boatloads, which is
supposed to account for fifty or more The
rescued do not agree on the number carried
by the steamer. The Beebe, with a fair
wind should reach Boston within the next
twenty-four hours, unless she has put back
to Delaware breakwater. which some of the
rescued think is probable
The steamer j. w. Hawkins sailed for
Cuba, and among her cargo were cannon,
arms and large supply of ammunition. The
rescuers declare that the Hawkins proved
to be unseaworthy, and should never have
put to sea. The steamer was 125 tons net
built at Kennebeck Me-. in 1880, and cleared
from Onancook, Va, during the period she
was in the fishery business. After being
docked at Baltimore for months, a Mr..
Tingsley bought her for Mr.. Smith, of
New York. clearing up at the sale numer-
Gus outstanding claims with the former
crews, two firms which had threatened H.
belling proceedings and with the ship yard
The sale gave rise to suspicious that fill
clustering expedition was planned, and yes
terday's dispatches made public the fact
that the Spanish minister had notified the
State Department that the Hawkins had left
New York with an expedition of 15O men.
with arms and stores. in command of Calisto
Garcia. for Cuba. with the intention of pick
ing up off Southern port probably Palm
Beach, Fla, more men and stores The ar
rival of the rescued men and their departure
without delay, was the first inkling of the
disaster to the Hawkins