The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-01-04
THE COMMODORES LOSS.
The Filibustering Vessel Probably
a. Sunk by Spanish Spies.
EIGHT OF THE GREW MISSING.

II Is Probable That They Lost Their Lives
by Being Washed from n Raft--Captain
Murphy ana Novelist Crane Among the
Rescued.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla, Jan. 4.-Details Of
the wreck Of the steamer Commodore,
bound for Cuba with cargo of arms and
ammunition, which went down about six.
teen miles off New Smyrna at $3.50 Satur-
day morning, still leave eight members of
tho expedition unaccounted for, and they
have been given up for lost.
When it was seen that nothing could
save the vessel from sinking Captain
Murphy gave orders to take to the boats.
A panic almost ensued among the excit-
able Cubans Twelve Of them hurriedly
entered ono Of the large surf boats and
pulled away for Mosquito Inlet light,
without any thought Of those left behind.
A second boat was lowered, into which
twelve more Of the crew hastily crowded,
and they had scarcely left the steamer
when the boat was swamped in the heavy
sea that was running,
Captain Murphy, Stephen Crane, the
novelist; G. i. Montgomery and William
Higgins, who were still aboard after the
launching and swamping of the second
boat, gathered together a quantity of tim
Der, spars and railings and lashing them
together, threw overheard the hastily i'm
proyised raft.
A small, ten-foot dingy was the only
boat remaining on the steamer, and this
was launched and entered by the remain
ing members of the expedition only
Inf Io cd
below the waves.
AS those on the raft had no means of
propellng the craft the four men in the
little dingy endeavored to tow 1t towards
the shore. The waves were running high
and sweeping the raft constantly, and the
men were being washed off until only
eight were left. At this time tho line
parted and the raft was carried away in
tho darkness.
After rowing about for some time in
ssarch of the others they were finally given
up as lost, and the four men in the dingy
resumed their la borious pull for the shore.
The oars were carried away after going
short distance, and sail was improvised
by each Of the four taking turns at hold
ing up the captains overcoat. The boat
successfully rode the mountainous waves
until it struck the surf in shore, when 1t
Cspsized.
Captain Murphy, Crane and Montgom-
cry succeeded in getting safely to the shore
exhausted. Higgins was downed and his
body was cast upon the sands. These three
men made their way to Dayton, arriving
there late in the morning. They there
learned of the safe landingo Of the first boat
without any accident
A late dispatch from Port Orange, near
Dayton, says that boat containing four
men had succeeded in landing there No
particulars were given They are sup
posed to have been those who were washed
overheard from the raft, and who Sue
eceded in righting the overturned surf
boat.
Late last night the Three Friends left
for the scene of the disaster on search
for those who may still be on board the
raft. There is little hope, however, of
saving the wrecked men.
The Cubans charge treachery In the
wreck Of the steamer, saying that as soon
MS it was discovered that the vessel was
leaking the pumps were tried, but were
fGQnd to have been tampered with, and
were useless. The men were then set at
work bailing out the vessel with buckets,
atutile task that was soon abandoned.
The names Of the twelve missing men,
among whom are the four landed at Port
Orange, are James Redigan, engineer;
I'D. d. Ritter, second engineer; Frank H.
Grain, first officer Jones Franklin, fire.
man Major Julio Rodriguez Raz, Murry
Mobiles, Manuel Gonzalez, Jose Alvarez,
Modesto Leon, Louis Sierra, Joseph De
Ianey and w. A. G. Smith