The record-union., 1897-02-09
During Which the Maine Lost Three
of Her Seamen.
One Man Crushed to Death on
the Steamer rlarblehead, Another
Fatally Injured, and Six Others SO
Badly Hurt That Several May
Lose Limbs - The Vessel Also
Badly Used Up.

CHARLESTON Is. c., Feb. S-Ad-
miral Bunce's blockade squadron
reached port to-day, after a disastrous
voyage from Hampton Roads. Three
men We're lost overheard from the bat
tle-ship Maine during the gale of Fri
day, one man was crushed to death on
the cruiser Marblehead, and another
so badly hurt that several may lose
limbs.
The details of the accident on the
Marblehead are not ObtainabIe, but it
seems the cruiser made bad weat ther of
the blow. Tonight, as she lies off the
JettleS, she presents a diSmantled ap-
pearance. Her forecaStle is stove in,
and portion of her superstructure and
two matches are carried away The
heaVy seas that swept over her decks
also carried away her searchlight, lower
port boom, smashed the rails and swept
overheard the lifeboats Carpenter
ShaWberle was crushed to death in the
forecaStle when 1T was wrecked by a
monster wave, and plumber Hickey had
his skull crushed by the wreckage, and
Will probably die. The six seamen- who
were injured are believed to have been
hurt at the same time, but the officers
of the vessel are reticent as to the de-
tails of the accident. 1t is understood
the injured men will be brought ashore
for treatment Tomorrow Carpenter
ShaWberle was buried at sea
The other vessels of the fleet show
marks of their rough voyage, their up
4 n u
aged.
The squadron weighed anchor in the
ROADS thursday morning and put TO
sea. Friday evening the weather thick
ened, 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 fifty miles off Hat
teras the fee. felt the full force of the
blow. Open squadron formation was
maintained, and the vessels were put
in order for a siege Of weather.
The battle-ship Maine rolled in the
big seas, the water washing her decks
at every plunge. 1t was late Friday
afternoon when the accident occurred
which cost three seamen their lives.
Three others We're rescued only by
prompt and heroic work A gang of
men were ordered forward to make
more secure the lashings of the big
guns The deck was deluged. and the
wind was freshening every moment
The men We're at work with the lash
ings when an unusually heavy sea
| curled over her bows and swept aft.
carried overheard before they could
! escape the wave.
When the cry Of imam overheard
was carried back there was a scene of
momentary confusion, but in an in
slant the splendid discipline of the crew
was apparent. Life buoys were cut
loose and the order given to get a boat
overheard. The high seas made this
work one Of peril and difficulty, but a
boats crew, under naval cadet Walter
*. Gherardi. son of Rear-Admfral Cher
| ardi, retired, was finally lowered. ex-
celient seamanship alone preventing the
fraal craft from being crushed against
the sides of the big battle-ship.
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 carrvine
them farther away every moment The
ships crew watched the rescuers as
they pulled manfully in the heavy seas
the waves running so high that the lit
| tie boat was at times hidden from the
vessels deck as 1T rushed down into the
| trough.
Meantime the drowning men fought
bravely, and three Of them managed tc
keep afioat until their mates hauled
| them out of the water. They were
seamen Hassel, Cronan and Freeman
| The remaining three, Brown. Nelson
| and kogel, were not to be SEEN The
| lifeboat cruised back and forth over the
| sea, 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 Off
| GERS for their brave work.
| Friday night the fleet had heavy
weather of it, but managed to keet
within signaling distance of one an
| other. Toward morning the squadron
was hove to and weathered out the rest
Of the gale in that manner. The officer.
say 1t was one Of the worst gales tht
/ fleet has ever experienced Beyond the
| loss of the three men there were nt
| further events, and the fleet bears lit.
! tie mark Of its tempestuous voyage.
TICKET BROKERAGE.