Evening journal., 1897-02-09
SEVERAL WERE BADLY INJURED.
Ironclads and Cruisers In Great Peril
During the storm - Drowning shipmates
Saved by Gallant Boats Crew Under
Command of Cadet Gherardi.


TO discuss their exeriences, it is known |
that both ships ana men were in great |
peril.
When the fleet was visited, il was learn
ed that the actual loss consisted OF four /
lives, eight men seriously injured and mi
nor injuries TO almost an of the vessels |
themselves. The battleship Maine had six /
of her men overheard. three OF them los /
ing their lives. The Marblehead lost one
man killed and six injured.
The Maine's Victims.
The killed on the Maine were:
J.. G. Cogel, apprentice, dashed to Geath
against turrets, and body lost at sea-
John Brown seaman, washed overheard
and drowned; body not recovered.
A. b. Nelson, private United States
marines; washed oyerb0ardfand drowned;
body lost
The Marhlehead lost Ship Carpenter
Strawhat, who was dashed 70 death by the
sen. His body was saved and buried at sea
Sunday.
Seven Of the carpenter gang, who were
at work on the sea anchor were hurled
against the superstructure Of the ship by
the sea and more or less injured. They are:
Dennis Ryan, blacksmith; Charles Os-
borne shipwright, and Apprentices Scan
/
sustained a compound fracture OF the skull,
and his condition is Serious.
When the storm began to gather Friday
night the admiral signaled from the New
York for the ships to stand together The
! storm was blowing from the southeast
IL steadily increased during the night, and
the four ships were separated. SO heavily
did the New York roll that the big
! inch guns in the turrets were lashed down
| with heavy hawscrs as a prccautiOn Dur
! ing the storm "a heavy sea rolled over the
stern, and tho aft companionway was
! flooded with water, which went down into
the officers quarters The gun ports and
torpedo tubes also let great quantities of
| water in.
The hoatswain. William Anderson.
while on the forward deck, was struck
from his feet by sea and injured by be-
ing dashed aft. Naval Cadet Castleman,
while on the forward quarter deck. also lost
his footing and was about to go over the
side when he managed to seize a lifeline
and save his own life. When the sea was
shipped astern, the sounding apparatus
was knocked to flinders and one of the
officers nearly dashed over the side.
a Thrilling Experience.
When morning came, the Maine was
| sighted and spoken. The battleship il is
believed, had the most trying experience
of the fleet
On Friday night the apprentice, Cogel,
was struck by a terrible sea and his life
dashed out of him. The rushing waters
carried his body overheard Two men
jumped after him rs he was being carried
away. They were the seaman John Brown
and the marine Alexander Nelson. In try
ing 60 save their messmate, they lost their
lives, for they too, were carried out into
tho mountains of black water
Charles Haskell was washed overheard
nt the same time. When these four men
went overheard William J. Creelman
landsman, was standing on the poop deck.
He saw the upturned face of Cogel float
ing by Creelman dived overheard and
struck out to save him. In the meantime,
two life buoys had been thrown over.
Haskell got one of them. Brown. Nelson
and Cogel disappeared, and the brave
Creelman was struggling far from the
buoy intended for him. Haskell saw him
and reached him in time 10 save his life.
The Maine was put about and q lifcboat
lowered from the starboard in charge Of
Naval Cadet Gherardi. with a crew of six
men. The beat got only few yards from
the ship when she was overturned, and
seven more men We're i'm the water The
men were rescued with lifclinos. The life
boat was lost, as WIS one or more Of the
ships boats which were all torn from
their davits by the heavy seas.
The Monitor Behaved Well.
Tho Amphitrite. Maine. Columbia and
Marblehead were sighted in tho morning
in the order named The Marblehead was
laboring heavily and had out her oil bag
Grave fears had been entertained for the
Amphitrite. but she rode out the gale,
and, as far as can be learned, lost no lives
On board the Maine board Of inquiry re-
ported ON the loss of the three men. They
highly commended Creelman's brave at
tempt to rescue Cogcl. He vsill be recon-
mended for life savers medal Of the first
: class.
, The Columbia, Marblehead and Amphi-
trite came down the coast together after
{ the storm. The reason the New York was
: delayed in arriving was that she turned
back and went almost 20 llatteras looking
for the monitor The Marblehead came up
! 20 the city, and arrangements were made
for putting the injured sailors in the Ma
rine hospital here.
Exactly what injury the various vessels
! themselves suffered during the storm can
not now be stated. The officers say that
their ships behaved splendidly, but il was
evident even 20 casual observer that the
vessels had received rough usage at the
hands of the hurricane. IL is practically
r certain, however, that none of them has
been seriously injured. 1t is not probable
, that the maneuvers will be seriously inter
fered with or retarded by the terrible ex-
: perience through which the fleet passed.