New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-04
DROWNED IN THE CABIN
NINE LIVES LOST BY THE CAPS1zING OF
A SCHOONER AT SEA
FIVE OF THEM WERE CHILpREN-AS ENTIRE
FAMILY FROM BRIDGEPORT. CONN. PER
ISL NEAR KEY WEST.

FAMILY FROM BRIDGEPORT. CONN. PER
Isn NEAR KEY WEST.
IA Key West. Fla. March 3-The schooner Speed
well. Captain Collier. from Marco. Fla. for Key
West was struck by a squall to-day whiie OF
Narauesas. eighteen miles from here. and cap
sized
Nine persons werc drowned, out OF thirteen
all told on board Among the victims were the
three children Of Captain Colier-George Thom-
as and Wilbur-aged respectively four, SIX and
eight and the entire Nichols family-Bradiey
Nichols and his wife. their son and the latter
wife and two grandchildren. The Nicnols iainiy
was from Bridgeport. Conn
Those saved are Captain Collier, Samuel Gates
and Jesse Green. deckhands. and X W. bates'
OF Myers. Fla. a passenger
The Nichols family Is said to have been we'll
,o-do. All had been staying FOR a month or two
at a small hotel kept by Captain Collier at
Marco and they on their way home
The survivors say the Speedweil. which was
small vessel OF about twenty-five tons. was
making slow headway this morning against a
head wind About o'clock Captain Collier was
at the wheel. and the Nichols family and the
Collier children were in the cabin asleep. SUD
denly souan came bowling UP abcam Gates
and Green rushed 70 take in sail As the Jib
fapped loose the squall caught the schooner
and blew her over on the port side.
Collier. the deckhands and Mr.. Bates were
swept into the sea. but caught the rigging just
in time 10 save themselves. The wind. rain and
surCes drowned the diving cries OF the impris-
oned Nichols family and the Collier chhdrea
The men lasheI themselves 70 the rigging
After being there for two hours the sea sub
sided Then they got tho dingy loose. baled her
out with hat. broke n thwart in two pieces
and with these for oars rowed toward Mar
quesas After going three miles they were
picked up exhausted ny a fishing soop, and
brought here about o'clock this afternoon
Samuel Ca.e7. one Of the survivors, who was
seen az hl1 home here this evening said:
"Captai- Collier has been sailing now for
twenty-five years IN these waters. He 10 not 10
blame for this awful thing The squall came up
Ike nothing have ever seen around Key West
Before we knew II we were lifted off our feet and
were in the water. and as for those poor people
down below they were penned in Ike rats. The
wife Of the younger Nichols, as pretty a woman
as ever stepped aboard a ship rose TO the sky
light. / was clineing to the rigging She waved
her hand az ne and that's the last saw OF her.
When we got off two hours later they were ail
dead
'Old Mr. Nichols was the only one 20 get ou;
OF the cabin. I guess he was washed ou- FOR
after young Mrs. Nichols waved her hand at
me-. / saw what I thought was the coat OF I'd
Mr. Nichols floating by. Then | saw MS hand'
and knew Il was not a coat alone.
we did not thing Of the children or
hear cry We had 10 bale with the hat al
the time we were in the dngy and often came
near being swamped."
soon after being brought into port Captain
Collier and Jesse Green went out on the yacnt
Buccaneer. accompanied by diver. 10 try TO re-
In .oIin