The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-01-26
MEy and CUBAN ARMS LOST
Loss Of FiIibustering Steamer Tillie
off ShinnecOok.
ALL BUT FOUR OF CREW RESCUED
BY GOV. AMEs.


the Direction of the Famous Jack
O'Brien-Quantity of Dynamite and
Three Guns Lost.
Providence, R. l., January 25.-The
small two-masted filibustering steamer
Tillie Of New York, was abandoned at sea
last Sunday afternoon while of Shinne-
were saved in tho midst of terrible
storm by the schooner Governor Ames,
but four men could not be taken off and
went down with the vessel. Forty tons
of dynamite three dynamite guns and
considerable quantity of ammunition,
Cubans were on board the Tillie when
she sunk. The Governor Ames arrived
from Newport News at IL O'Clock this
morning. She was docked at once. 4
On board were the 10 rescued from the
Tillie. Ten of them were Cubans and
of the abandoned steamer, and the fam
GUS Capt. Jack O'Brien, who had charge
the expedition, it is supposed.
Capt. Gust Waldenar of the Governor
Aines says that last Sunday afternoon
about O'Clock while 2S miles south
west of Shinnecock, he sighted small
two-masted steamer flying the colors
Union down, rs a signal of distress He
steered toward the steamer and watching
her through the glass saw that she was
deep in the water and laboriDg heavily.
She soon afterwards was near enough to
make out two boats filled with men just
astern o. the distressed craft.
The wind was blowing 40 miles an hour
and the sea was fierce. The waves were
breaking across tho Ames amidships, but
Capt. Waldemar resolved to do what
he could to aid her crew.
Two boatloads of men from the foun-
dering steamer commenced to work their
way towards the Ames The sea threw
them around with great violence and
they were in danger of capsizing or
swamping during every moment of their
trip to the resouing schooner. When they
were in close proximity to her, Capt.
Waldermar directed them to drop under
the stern of the Ames, but to keep a
good distance away.
Bow lines were thrown to the boats,
which the men placed around themselves,
then jumped overheard, and in that fash
ion were hauled aboard by the crew of
the Ames one at a time. Eleven men
finally stood on the Ames' quarter deck.
They said that eight more. including
Capt Berry were still aboard the Tillie.s
Four men then took their lives in their
hands and started to rescue the remain
der in boat. They took off Capt. Ber-
ry and three others, put them aboard the
Ames. When they were ready to return
the storm had so Increased that it was
impossible and the other four perished.
a Reluctantly Capt Waldemar put the
vessel on her course again. She entered
the bay Monday and was toWed up this
morning.
Capt. Berry said that the Tillie was
purchased two months ago by McAll1ster
Brothers of New York, and was fitted for
carrying cattle and freight He took in a
quantity of cased provisions last week in
New York, and sailed on Wednesday for
Tampa, Fla.
He said that after discharging the
coal at Tampa, he understood that the
vessel was to commence carrying cattle
from Tampa to Havana for the Spanish
government. Leaving New York he
proceeded to Montauk Point, where on
Sa' urday * .Cubans Joined the vessel. ns
He toek them merely as passengers,
the captain averred, and was going TO
land them at Tampa. The Tillie put to
sea at once. She proceededein southerly
from Montauk Point under
sail and sailed at the rate of seven knots
an hour. Saturday she commenced to
leak. At the time the trouble began
the vessel was so miles to the eastward of
Barnegat and 43 miles from the nearest
land. The steam pumps soon became
choked and then the situation quickly
became desperate.