The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-01-05
SIX OF CREW PERISHED
Story of the Loss of the Filibuster
Commodore.
THE VESSEL SUNK BY A TRAITOR.

Seventeen Men Out of Twenty Eight Ac-
counted for with Slight Chance That
Seven More Yet Live-Prominent Insur-
gent Leader surrenders to the spaniards
and Says the Rebels Are in Terrible
Condition 90 Gomez Failed at the Trocha.
Jacksonville, Jan. 5.-Seventeen men
are accounted for out of the twenty
eight on the Cuban filibuster Commo-
dore, with a slight chance that seven
more yet live. Five men came ashore
at Daytona Sunday noon, Captain
Murphy, Stephen Crane, the novelist;
the cook and two sailors One OF the
latter William Higgins Of Rhode ISL
and, died soon after reaching land from
the effects of the high surf. His family
lives in Boston. One OF the survivors
gives the following details:
"The tug sank at o'clock in the
morning, twenty miles off New Smyrna.
All the Americans on board remained
till the last moment. A traitor in Span
ish pay was the cause of the leak. He
will be found and dealt with later. The
leak was discovered at about a. m.
The pumps would not work long,
though they did good service for
awhile. Finding that the water gained
on us, the captain called all hands and
the vessel was turned shoreward. As
she still continued to sink, two boat
loads of Cubans, twelve men in all,
were first sent off.
Fears the Boats Crew Were Lost.
zone boat, containing six men, was
capsized, and / am afraid the men were
lost. one of the life boats containing
nine men was swamped and hastily
constructed raft was made up from ma
| terials thrown to them, and they then
! disappeared from our sight. Captain
| Murphy, Stephen Crane, the newspaper
man, Higgins. myself and one other
sailor took to the ten-foot dingy at the
last moment. We tried to save the mer
i'm the water around US, but the heavy
seas and binding wind swept then
I from us. The spray was so thick ina
we could see only a few rods. Thell
cries were heartrending, but we coulC
do nothing. It required all our eftor
TO keep our small boat right side up
For tventy-four hours we battled witt
the heavy sea, constantly bailing, an'
at last land was sighted. As we at
tempted to land the wind drove us int
the breakers, and in an instant the poa
was overturned and we were struggnh
for life. For an hour we h2ttied !"
life. and then managed to crawl ou
on the sands, almost dead.
Good Sailor and Brave Man.
"Captain Murphy saved Mr.. Crane b
helping him when cramp caught MN
Higgins was struck on the head D
, floating timbers, and he died soon ate
landing. He was a good sailor ana
brave man. lie worked hard to saw
his comrades.
aid was asked from Daytona as tn
Three Friends was the only Vessel !
port that could stand the seas IN
washington officials were wired, ASK
ing permission to send the tug out, eve
with revenue officers on board. NJ
T hearing from this, the collector wire
the department. Then j. Nj. Barrs wire
Senator Call, and he replied later, say
ing that he had notified Carlisle an
the president Nothing was heaI
from the department as to aid In SAY
ing the lives Of American citizens vi
ri 4 I'm the afternoon. This was brougl
: about by a strong message from Barr
begging the department in the name
humanity to allow a vessel to leaV
This brought the required permissio
and at $3.50 o'clock the Three Frlen'
steamed out on her errand of mercy