The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-02-09
WARSHIPS IN ASTORM.
Vessels u Atlantic Squadron Tossed
About by Mighty Waves.
Four Men-O'.Warsmen Lose
Their Lives.
Mountainous Seas Wash Over the Ships
Heroic Rescue.

Charleston, Feb. 9.-After a most dis
astrous experience with wind and wave.
the Atlantic squadron has reached this
port. Three men were lost overheard
from the Maine. and one man was
crushed to death on the Marblehead.
Seven others on the latter vessel were
badly injured. All the vessels had a
hard time of 1t In the storm, and the
Marblehead presents a w0ful appear
ance. Her .forecastle Is stove in, por-
ton 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 overheard
the lifeboats.
Carpenter Shawberl was crushed to
death in the forecastle when it was
wrecked by a monster wave and Plumb
er Hickey had his skull cDkshed by the
wreckage and probably will die. The
six seamen who were injured are be-
lieved to have been hurt st the same
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
OF 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,
and by night was blowing a gale. The
Indiana returned to the Roads, owing to
the condition Of her turrets. The rest
OF the fleet. however, poked their noses
into the storm and headed south. When
about so miles off Hatteras the fleet en-
countered the full force OF the blow.
Open squadron formation was main
tained. and the vessels were put in or
der for a siege OF weather. The battle
ship Maine rolled in the big seas. the wa
ter washing her decks at every plunge.
1t was late Friday afternoon that the
accident occurred which cost three sea-
men their lives, and three others were
rescued only by prompt and heroic work.
A 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
men were at work with the lashings,
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
Life buoys were cut loose and the order
quickly given to get boat overheard.
The high sea made this a 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 it rushed down into the
trough. Meantime the drowning men
fought bravely, and three Of them man
aged to keep afioat 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 it, but managed to keep
within signalling distance Of one an
other. Towards morning the squadron
was hove to and weathered out the rest
Of the gale In that manner. The off,
GERS say 1t was one Of the worst gales
the feet has ever experienced.