The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-05
SINKING OF THE COMMODORE.
Seven of Her Crew who Are Stin
Missing Probably Drowned.


Jacksonville, Fla. Jan. 4-Capt. Ed
ward Murphy, the commander of the
wrecked filibustering steamer Commo-
dore, and the remainder of those saved
from the wreck, arrived in this city from
Daytona tonight Seven men are still
missing, ald are believed to be drowned.
Capt. Murphy gives their names as fol-
lows:
James Reddgan, chief engineer. of
Brooklyn, N. Y.
E. r. Ritter, assistant engineer of Jack
sonvilie, Fla.
Frank Grain, first mate, of Jacksonville,
Fla.
Thomas Smith, sailor, of Charleston, S.
C.
Jonas Franklin, colored. fireman, of
Jacksonville.
w A. G. Smith, colored, fireman, of
Jacksonville, Fla.
One unknown colored man.
The latter took the place of Murray No
bles just before the ship sailed.
Besides these William Higgins, an oiler,
of Connecticut, is dead, having been
drowned in the surf in landing.
Capt. Murphy says that Ritter and the
two colored men were on board the YES
sci when she went down and were drown
ed The other four men were on a raft,
and the cruiser Newark and steamer
Three Friends, as well as a fleet of small
boats from the Halifax river are now
hunting for them. The Newark went to
the scene Sunday night and used lNAr
powerful searchlight, but to no effect. 1t
is now believed that the men are all
drowned.
Capt Murphy's story of the sinking of
the Commodore is as foilows; AT mid
night Friday the engineer reported that
the vessel was leaking badly, and the wa
ter was rapidly rising in the hold. The
pumps could not be made TO. work, for
they were choked, as the suction was
gone. The men were put to
work with buckets bailing, and
wood, oil and alcohol was put in the fur
mace in order to keep up steam to get the
vessel to shore If possible. The water
gained in spite of the efforts of the men,
and before the vessel ran three miles the
fires were extinguished. Anchor was then
dropped and the boats launched. In the
first was Maj. Deigado, Paul Roja, Felix
de Los Rios, Emelio Marquee, Ventura
Linares, Romeo Hernandez, ]. Franco
Blanco, Jose Hernandez, T. b. Cenor,
Limo Seldero, Gabriel Martinez and San
tiago Diaz.
In the second boat were Julio Rodri-
guez Boz Manuel Gonzales, Louis Sierra
Mederos and Jesus Alvarez. The first left
Immediately but the other stood by to
render assistance if needed.
Later another boat was launched and
Mate Grain and seven men entered it.
This was stove in before they got away
from the ship. The men climbed back on
board and built a raft All got en II and
the raft was taken in tow by the dingy,
in which were Capt. Murphy, Stephen
Crane, C. B. Montgomery and William
Higgins. The heavy sea caused the raft
to break loose twice, and the last time it
was carried out to sea. The captain and
his companions landed Sunday morning.
Maj Delgado and his party
had landed Saturday night, and Julio Boz
and party landed Sunday night" Nothing
has been seen of the raft since it drifted
out of sight of Capt Murphy
When asked if there was treachery on
I don't think so. 1t was neglect more than
anything else"
C. B. Montgomery, the steward, still in
sists that there was treachery, but he does
not definitely place 1t on any one.
Paul Rojo, the Cuban commander, said
! tonight: II think the engineer was drunk
and neglected his duties. When l went be-
low 1 found that the pumps would not
heave water and that the injectors, which
are used to force kerosene into the fire
in case of emergency when steam is i'm
mediately needed, were not on. 1 asked
him why. He replied that he had ordered
them put on, adding that he would have
them put on Immediately. / went above
and returned in fifteen minutes. They
were not on. He had made no effort to
put them on"