The morning news., 1897-07-29
SUNK IN A FOG BY A STEAMER.
RRITIsH BARKENTINE LOST WITH
FIVE LIVES.

Ora of the UnfOrtunates the Wife of
the Captain-The others Members
oC the Crew-The scene of the Ac-
cident Twenty Miles south of Cape
Race-The Barkentine Struck
Amidships and Cut Half in Two.
sunk Three Minutes After the
steamer Pulled Loose From Her.
Boston. Mass, July 2S.-The Allan line
steamer Scandinavian arrived this after
noon from Glasgow and brought with her
+be four survivors of the crew of the
British barkentine Florence, Capt. Henry
olsen. which sunk in a collision with the
Scandinavian last Saturday while in q
dense fog, twenty miles south of Cape
Race. Four members were drowned, to-
ge,ber with the wife of Capt. Olsen.
The Florence was bound from Sydney,
G. b., to St. Johns, N. F.. with cargo
of coal The men who lost their lives
were:
NOAH MORRIS, aged 81 years.
WILLIAM YABSLEY, aged 25 years,
nephew of the captains wife.
JAMES NORMAN, seaman, aged 80
years.
WILLIAM FRY, seaman, aged SO years,
OF Poole, England.
The former three were from St. Johns,
NF
Cant Olsen said: 1--WE left port on
Tuesday. the 10Th inst, for st. Johns, N.
f. Thinking we were approaching land
I ordered the vessel put about on the star
board tack At 1:2O p. m. the shrili blast
of a steamers whistle was heard right
abeam and before the sound died away
there loomed up, making directly for us,
the huge hull of an ocean steamer.
Il was below when the first intimation
came of the steamers approach and was
hurriedy called on deck by the lookout.
on the way out of the cabin 1 called to my
wife and she in turn aroused First Mate
Edward Brodnck, who had come off watch
at noon and was up in his bunk.
Hardly had he reached the deck when
the steamer, which proved to be the Scan
dinavian, was upon US. She struck US on
the port side between the main and miz-
zen rigging, and before her headway was
stopped, she went half way through us.
While the vessels We're locked together,
We were in no immediate danger except
from falling spars. which were dropping
all about us on the decks The order to
reverse the steamers engines, which had
been given when we were first sighted,
soon had the effct of braking her away
from u.s. and in about three minutes after
she pulled her sharp bow out of the gap
ping hole in the side of our vessel, the
Florence went down stern first in ninety
fathoms Of water. OF the vessels crew,
Norris, the cook. Yabsley and Norman
were never seen after the vessel struck
us They were probably asleep in the
forecaste.
When the impact came Ole Olsen, the
boatswain, and Seaman Robert Essens
jumped into the main rigging and were
soon followed by First Mate Brodnick, and
all three men swung themselves into the
steamers deck by means of the lower
guard being assisted in doing so by the
carpenter of the steamer Poor Fry ap-
peared at the side of the vessel just be-
lore she went down. A rope was thrown
MN ny his shipmates on board the steam
c ana he was pulled half way up the
steamers side, when he relaxed his hold
zen PACK INTO the water, and was never
seen again.
Inc captain was too much overcome to
Uu Uu OF the drowning OF his wife, and Mate
n.oihick took up the thread of the cap
tns narrative.
IS told of being summoned from his
"uNh Dy the captains wife and jumping
o on ueGk' clad only in his shirt and trous-
~ ne SAID: Immediately after reach
"ls 'ne deck Of the Scandinavian l got
So1 ot rope and threw IL to Capt. Olsen.
sap o at TINS time was standing near the
eI"'S on the barkentine, with his arms
"lo'na his wife. Mrs. Olsen was crying
I' heard the captain say that II need
'ley would die together. The captain
occurred the end Of the rope and attempt-
10 make it fast about his wife. but the
sr was not long enough and the steamer
yy,,T men hacking away from the wreck
=, ,'',,N 'he line from his hands. / called
'"ose on the steamer to lower the life
b,ii' ana Olsen, Essons and myself took
N''l ana assisted in getting the boat out
f.'e 'e hooks. In the excitement and con-
t1'l9h no one seemed to know lust what
y NO knife could be found TO cut
L 'i0llhgs or the life boat and finally
@ NdIpenter was obliged 10 sever the
bi' win hatchet. All this was valua-
bo., VINE lost and before the life
vs,.- laa been gotten into the
tt 'he vessel had gone down. When
r,, 'ssel took her last plunge the cap-
N'lr. came separated from his wife. They
n, ,t "otn drawn into the vortex caused
rs& & sinking craft and Mrs Olsen never
taI1 l.''Ied above the water. The can
toslif, zane 20 the surface and swan
r. nuoy thrown from the steamerand
es',. WIN a life belt, which he afterward
m I ana adjusted. kept him afioat un-
ofet. HIe boat, manned by the second
erI wy lne steamer, three Of her crew
..i,.'sgli' reached him. lie was com
Il aas lsted and inconsolabie. When
tho ra,,.9.'',l mat there was no hope for
BOW v.,' ',,1er Of the crew, the steamers
on |as headed west and she contlnpoS
way 90 Boston"
her 'ofenco registered i99 tons net ana
bre,s'',l' ',l'ens!ons a,'.n were: Length. iils feet.
She g',. 20 ieet; depth OF hold 1871 feet
ls3 9oi "ult az Brixham. England. In
- WV WI. LlILIlI IL 4 -l ~