The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-01-29
Wreck OF The STEAMER HAWKINS
She Goes Down ina Gale South
east of Sandy Hook
On Monday HIorning, and OF the Seventy.
i've or Ono Hundred Men ON Board
Ten, Were Drowned-she Was Pur-
chased In Baltimore aud Left Now
York With an Alleged Cuban E1pe-
dition.

VINEYARD HAVEN, N. Y, Jan. asa
party of twenty-five men, who were
picked up from open boats off Long
Island Monday morning by the schooner
Helen Il. Benedict, were landed here
late last night and left here early to-
day for Woodsholl, N. Y, whence they
sailed last Sunday. The men were
part OF tho survivors OF the wrecked
steamer j. w. Hawkins, recently pur.
chased at Baltimore for an alleged
Cuban cruise and which sailed from New
York last Sunday night, having on
board between seventy.five and one
hundred men, bound, 1t Is claimed, to
join the Cuban Insurgents.
Hhe rescued men report that when
the steamer was off the eastern end OF
Long Island she sprang serious leak
and the water gained 80 rapidly ON her
that oil hands were obliged to take to
the boats. On Monday morning the
men were picked up by passing
achooners.
The j. w. Hawkins was steamer of
lbs tons net. She was built at Kenne-
bunk, Me-, In 1880, and hailed from
Ononacock, Va. The steamer has been
engaged In the fishing business but has
been lying idle in Baltimore herbor for
some months. Two weeks ago Mr..
Ttnsley appeared in Baltimore and of
Tered to purchase the steamer for Mr..
Smith, of New York. Those interested
In the sale noticed that plenty OF money
for the purchase WAS apparently At
hand and that the buyers seemingly
wanted to get the vessel away as soon
as possible.
The schooner Alicia B. Crosby which
arrived here later in the day brought
thirteen men from the Hawkins. The
men displayed great 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.
Early Monday morning they ran into
northeast gale, and the heavy cross
seas which swept the steamer seemed to
open her, and she began to fill rapidly.
Signals OF distress were set; but before
those on board had time to do more thEn
clear she boats, she went down, about
sixty-hve miles southeast Of Sandy
Hook Mghtship.
The ;'achoohers Lsander v. Beebe,
Alicia B. Crosby and Helen H. Benedict
had seen the Hawkins signals. and i'm
mediately bore down on her. The crew
and passengers had already taken to
the boats, and were picked up with
much difficulty on account of the gale
and high seas. The Benedict ioked up
twenty-five mon, among them being the
steamers first officers and the steward.
The Crosby saved thirteen out of
twenty-three out of another boat but
the other ten we're unable to paddle the
boat in the rough seas aud were lost.
ihe rescued men were nearly eX-
hausted. The Beebe succeeded in
rescuing those in the other boats, but
she put back probably for Delaware
breakwater or come other Middle
Atlantic port. It Is claimed by the men
that the Hawkins was unses worthy
and should never have undertaken the
voyage.
A dispatch from New York says that
Jose Q. Hernandez, o Cuban, who was
on board the steamship j. w. Hawkins,
an alleged flibuster, which was wrecked
OIL the eastern end OF Long Island last
Sunday nigh, told the following otory
to reporter for the World to-day:
1--WE left New York on the Hawkins
last Saturday night The steamship
belonged to the Cuban revolutionary
party, having been purchased recently
for work against the Spaniards. On
board her were 100 men of the Cuban
revolutionary party. In addition to this
there was crew of sixteen men The ship
was commanded by Captain Hall. H.
Crowell was mate. We left New York
at midnight last Saturday from the foot
Of 16sth street, East river
"We put out quietly in the dead OF
night and In few minutes were steam-
Ing for the sound. We ran smoothly
enough that night and all the next dsy.
We had no trouble until o'clock Monr
day moraing. At that time the sea was
beginning toget pretty rough and tho
engineer asked for help. He said that
the engine room had sprung lesk and
that the pumps were choked. Two men
OF the revolutionary party were detailed
to assist in bailing the engine room
with buckets. Later more men were
detailed for the same purpose, but the
water kept gaining on them. We could
not get the water out of the engine
room as is came in and the sea was get.
ting rougher all the time. At last the
water came into the engine room 80 fast
that Captain Hall told US to tighten the
ship by throwing over bags OF coal. The
coal was piled up on deck. We threw
1t over as fast as we could but 1t did not
seem to do any good.
linen VS. began TO throw over tho
cases of arms and ammunition. We had
O great quantity on board. There were
over $4,000 worth OF arms alone. We
had two Hotchkiss guns, 1900 Reming-
ton and Winchester rifles and one mill
lion rounds OF ammunition. In addition
to this there were 5000 pounds OF dyn.
amite and lot of raw material for maxi
ing heavy explosives. All these things
we threw into the gen, which by this
time was boiling around us snd sending
great waves over the decks. We worked
all night and when daylight came we
hAd thrown all of the carno and coal