Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-11-12
TN A HEAVY SEA.
SIX MEN DROWN AT MUSHROOM.
MICHIGAN.
schooner Waukesha Wrecked In the
Storm-Only Sur ivor Tells q story
blaming the Captain-Rcport of the
Postoflce Department.
A watery Grave.

Under cover Of the darkness and in the
midst of q fierce storm, six men met
their death off Muskegon, Mich, harbor
Saturday night from the three-mast
schooner Waukesha. The story of the
only survivor lays the blame upon the
captnin whose name is not definitely
known. This survivor is Frank Dulach.
He does not know the names OF any Of
the other members of the crew., which
consisted of the captain, mate, cook and
four sailors, Il total of seven. After be-
ing rescued Dulach was SO weak that it
was night before an intelligent story could
be obtained from him. 1t was taken in
the form of an affidavit before a magis-
trate at the station in order to show the
full circumstances.
Dulach says the boat loaded with salt
at L~udington for South Chicago, and
went out Friday about 4 p. m. Almost
Immediately she began to feel the heavy
sea. and the minds of the sailors were not
in the least treasured by the fact that the
captain commenced drinking literally.
When off Little Point Sable the Wau-
kesha was leaking so badly that all
hands had to go to the pumps. After it
was shown that pumping would be nee
essary all the time. the sailors began to
beg the captain to beach the boat, but he
refused and kept on south.
When they saw the piers ut Muskegon
about 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon they
were in doubt as to where they were. The
captain hoisted a signal for a tug, but, no
tug coming, he went to anchor, angrily
declining to make an attempt to enter the
harbor. saying he did not know where he
was and how much water there was. He
said he would stay there during the night,
fix up as best he could, and in the morn
ing slip away. The men told him the
boat. which was old and rotten, could not
stand the strain and would go to pieces:
that his only safety was to beach her.
Dulach says the captain locked up the
torches, SO they could not signal, and
when he, Dulach, tried to flash a lantern
the captain struck it down. About 8
o'clock the boat began to yield under the
pounding of the constantly increasing sea,
and the captain r%edoubled his drinking.
In desperation Dulach and his watch
partner tried to slip the vessels cables
and send her ashore. They succeeded in
loosing the big anchor, when the captain.
hearing the noise, got life-preservers for
himself, the mate and a sailor by the
name of Fred, who, according to Du-
lach's story, were all drunk on liquor he
had furnished them. The other four Sc
cured preservers from the forecastle. and
the entire crew went into the foremost
rigging.
Pulled down by the little anchor, which
was dragging, the boat gave a great lurch
to port, and under the test. the three
masts snapped one by one. The colored
cook was killed by the fall of a yard and
fell into the sea. The others climbed onto
a rude raft, which Dulach and his part
ner constructed. A Swede, who was by
Dulach, kept up the fight as long as he
could, and then dropped off. The mate
was washed away. Dulach and his part
ner supported the captain as long as they
could. and finally, when he fell over help
less into the water. they had to leave him
to his fate. Dulach kept up the courage
of his partner as long as he could. but
just before dawn he, too, fell into the
chilly water. When the lifeboat came in
sight Dulach was just able to motion
them where to come.