The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-09
Bunce'S Squadron Has a
Rough Experience.
Several Sailors Lost Lives
During the Tempest.
Heroic Rescue OF Three Members OF
the Crew OF the Maine.

charleston, Icp. J.-Aum1raI Bunce q
blockading squadron has reached port.
after disastrous voyage from Hamp-
ton Roads. Three men were lost over
board from the bartleship Maine during
the gale of Friday. and one man was
crushed to death Gil the cruiser Marble
head. another was fatally injured. and
six Others were so badly hurt that sew
eral may lose limbs. The details Of the
accident on the Marblehead are not OBJ
tainable, but 1t seems that the cruiser
made bad weather of the blow. As she
lies off the jetties, she presents a dis
mantled appearance. Her forecastle is
stove IN, portion of her superstructure
and two matches are carried away. The
heavy seas that swept her decks also
carried away her searchlight. lower port
boom, smashed the rails and swept over
board the ,feboats.
Carpenter Shawberl was crushed to
death IN tie torecastle when ii was
wrecked by monster wave, and Plumb
er Hickey had his skull crushed by the
wreckase and probably Will die. The
six seamen who were injured are be-
- ~ 'esf = Nttia AahiA at ii4r cSfIlc
time, but the officers of the vessels are re-
ticent as to the details Of the accident.
Carpenter Shawberl was buried at sea.
The other vessels of the fleet show marks
or their rough voyage, their upper works
and deck hamper being damaged.
The squadron weighed anchor In the
Roads Thursday morning and put to sea.
Friday evening the weather thickened.
hHy fevt l.
Indiana returned TO the Roads. owing TO
the condition OF her turrets. The rest
or the fleet. however. polSed their noses
INTO the storm and headed south. When
about 80 miles off Hatteras the fleet en-
countered the full force of the blow.
Open squadron formation was main
tanned, and the vessels were put in or
der for siege OF weather. The battle
snip Maine rolled in the big seas, the wa
ter washing her decks at every plunge.
III was late Friday afternoon that the
accident occurred which cost three sea-
ncn their lives, and three others were
rescued only by prompt and heroic work.
gang of men were ordered forward 10
make more secure the lashings of the
big guns. The deck was deluged and the
wind was freshening every moment The
Ntlt at MOih WITH the luSnlnGS,
when an unusually heavy sea curled
over her bow and swept aft. Six of the
gang were picked up and carried over
board before they could escape the
wave. When the cry Of man overheard"
was carried back. there was a scene Of
momentary confusion, but in an instant
the splendid discipline of the crew was
apparent.
h,,A q -, = A
quickly given TO get q boat overheard.
The high sea made this work of peril
and difficulty, but a boats crew, under
Naval Cadet Walter r. Gherardi, son OF
Rear Admiral Gherardi retired, was
finally lowered. excellent seamanship
alone preventing the frail craft from
being crashed against the sides of the big
battleship. While the engines had been
reversed at the first signal from the
bridge, the momentum OF the ship had
carried her some distance beyond the
spot where the seamen were swept
overheard, and the set of the current
was carrying them away every moment.
The ships crew watched the rescuers
as they pulled manfully In the heavy
seas. the waves running so high that the
little boat was at times hidden from the
vessels deck as IL rushed down into the
trough. Meantime the drowning men
fought bravely, and three Of them man.
aged to keep alloat until their mates
hauled them from the water. They were
Seamen Hassell. Cronin and Freeman.
The three remaining, Brown. Nelson and
Kogel, were not to be seen. The life
boat cruised back and forth over the
spot, but the brave fellows had given
up the struggle and met a sailors fate.
Cadet Gherardi and his boats crew were
highly complimented by the officers for
their brave work
Friday night the fleet made heavy
weather Of IL, but managed TO keep
within signalling distance Of one an
other. Towards morning the squadron
was hove TO and weathored out the rest
OF the gale in that manner The off,
GERS say IL was one OF the worst gales
the fleet has ever experienced.