The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-23
WRECK OF THE ASIA.
She Goes to Pieces Near Nam
tucket-2O Lives Lost.

Boston, Feb. 23.-There is scarcely q
doubt that the British ship Asia, bound
from Manila for this port, was wrecked
near Nantucket during the gales of the
past few days, and that her entire
crew of 20 men has persisted. This con-
clusion is not only borne out by wreck
age, consisting of the stern of a boat
with Asia painted on it, yards and
other materials which were cast ashore
at Monomoy, but Captain Haley, of this
city, teIephoned from woodruff last
night that while the tug boat E. v Me-
CauIey was steaming out to the barge
Excelsior, which lies sunk on Bandker-
chief shoa1 he saw positive evidences
of a wreck of a large square rugged
vessel and recovered two bodies from a
portion of dismantled hull
Captain Haley stated that while off
the Handkerchief 1ightship, the tug
passed through a large amount of
wreckage including bales of hemp, bro
ken sloars and broken ship timbers.
Drifting in the midst of this mass was
a portion of the wreck on which the
bodies were dashed. It was discovered
that the bodies were those of a man
and a little girl, apparently ten or
twelve years old. They were fast in
the rnizzen chains. The tug was quick
~ headed in the direction of the wreck
and the crew released the bodies and
the tug returned Immediately to Wood
hull where the news was sent to this
city.
A later dispatch from Captain Haley
stated that the wreckage was fallen
with about five miles north-northwe
from the Handkerchief 1ghtShip. The
starboard quarter of the vessel was all
that remained intact. The mans body
was hanging to the Inizzen rigging with
the child in his arms. He had appar-
emily made frantic efforts to save the
little one. when the seas overwhelmed
them. The body was that not of Cap
tain Dakin of the Asia judging from a,
masters certificate found in the cloth
ing of the dead man. The certificate
was issued at Weymouth, N. S. w. to
John Cook and gave the year of the
mans birth as 1843- The man was light
complexioned and slightly bald. The
little girl was also of light complexion
and bore a striking resemblance to the
from woodruff the bodies were later
taken ashore and given into the keep
ing of the residents to await the medi-
cal examiner.
signed to Henry w. Peabody of Salem
and consisted of about 8,724 bales. The
vessel was valued ct $4,000 and is
thought to be only partially insured
She was owned by Taylor Brothers
of St. John, N. B.
Princeton, Mass, Feb. 23.-The tug
Merry Capt. Evans, has arrived here
bringing news that three men of the
crew of the British Snip Asia were res
cued yesterday by the crew of the
Handkerchief Hghtshzp. The men were
taken from a piece of wreckage on
which they had been floating for "A
hours and were greatly exhausted. The
Asia struck on Great Round Shoal off
Nantucket during the gale Monday
and went to pieces Capt. Dakin of
the Asia, with his wife and daughter
were among those on board at the time
and are supposed to have persisted. It
is reported that the body of the cap
tain's daughter is at Woodruff hav-
ing been recovered with that of a man
supposed to have been the mate of the
vessel.