The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-06-30
LAKE DISASTER
INVOLVING
LOSS OF LIFE.
The Steam Barge Margaret
Olwill Founders in Lake Eric
off Lorain, Ohio.
NINE PERSONS WERE LOST
Four Survivors OF the Wrcck..All
OF the Victims Residents
of Cleveland.

CLEVELAND. o., June 29.-In the
heavy northeast gale last night the
steamer Margaret OlwIll, laden with
stone from Kelly's Island to Cleveland,
foundered In Lake Erie, off Lorain.
Nine persons were drowned. Four
members Of the crew have been picked
up by passing steamers and brought to
port. The dead are:
Captain John C. Braun, master, Of
Cleveland.
Lizzie Braun. wife Of master, Of
Cleveland.
Blanchard Braun, their nine-yenr-old
son.
Miss Cora Hitchcock q passenger. Of
Cleveland.
VIM. Doyle. fireman, OF Cleveland.
George Heffron, seaman, OF Cleveland.
Frank Hipp, watchman. Of Cleveland.
Two seamcn. names and residences
unknown.
The rescued are: John Smith. first
mate. OF Cleveland; Alex McRae. chief
engineer. OF Cleveland; Luke Schinski,
second engineer, Of Cleyeland; Duncan
Coyle. seaman. of Cleveland.
Smith, MeRea and Schlnski were res
steamer Sacramento and taken into Lo-
rain by the tug Cascade. Coyle was
picked up by the passenger steamer
State of Ohio and landed ut Toledo to-
day. From the reports of the survivors
the cargo Of stone shifted while the ves-
sci was laboring in the trough OF the
sea. Shortly before she went down the
ruddcr chain parted, allowing her TO
fall on Into the trough. As the help
less craft rose on top OF q heavy sea.
the stone slid to leeward, the steamer
listed heavily and sank to the bottom.
The rescued members of the crew were
found floating on the surface of Lake
Erie. cl!nginE to bits of wreckage. Their
rescue was attended by exhibitions OF
extreme herolsm, for n heavy sea was
still running when they were picked up.
Survivor Coylc's Story.
According to the story of Coyle, II was
2 o'clock when the captain gave the or
der to turn about. The vessel had turn
ed half way around when the rudder
parted, and in m instant the boat was
ut the mercy of the storm. She was
caught between two waves, and as she
was borne along the top of one of them
she rolled over on her side. The cab
lns were torn loose, and 1loated on the
water while the rest Of the ship went
To the bottom. Whether any of the oc-
cupants were able TO take advantage of
this Is not known, but Coyle says he
saw Schinski. the second cnS!neer,-an
Heffron. the whcelman. after the boa,
went down. but TINT was ALL Coyle
caught hold Of part OF the after cabin,
and climbed upon 1t. Heffron was cling
ing to part OF the same cabin.
Captain Willoughby, of the steamer
State Of Ohio. sighted the wreckage
about 5:l5 o'clol in the morning. direct
ly in the course from Cleveland to To-
ledo. The big steamer Immediately put
into service her life saving crew. and
after sailing around the wrcckagc for an
hour und half, Coyic was rescued.
Heffron was thrown line. but he was
too weak to take hold OF 1t. and went
down In the presence of a large crowd
on board the steamer
Several attempts were made to get the
yawl boat In the water. but the sea was
still running high, and the work was
extremely perilous. Heffron's death
was a pathetic one. AS he grabbed the
rope, encouraged by the crowd, he made
Il superhuman effort to put the rope
around his body, but he was too weak,
and fell exhausted into the waves.