The times., 1899-02-15
AWFUL EXPERIENCE OF
SHIPWRECKED Sailors
At Sea in Open Boats in the
Mighty Blizzard.
Fourteen of the William Lawrence's
Crew Not Yet Heard From.
Five HnIf-FrOzcn Tars Have Reached
Shore and Are Now in an In
Urinary at Savannah.

/ OF tne crew OF tle wrecked
steamship William Lawrence. of the Mer-
chants and Miners Transportation Com
pany are at the ST. Joseph Infirmary in
this city suffering intense agony from
| frostbitten feet and hands, The Lawrence
| is a wreck on the coast of South Caro-
lima, near Port Royal, and is going to
| pieces. Those who are in charge of the
doctors are Chief Engineer Edward Roach.
whose hands and feet are in terrible con-
dtion; Steward Frank Dingley, frozen
| feet. Quartermaster Oscar Boiler. frozen
hands; Chief Cook Harry Kelly, frozen
| feet; Sailor John Montgomery, shock from
the severe cold, and Robert Bealle hands
and feet frostbitten. These men left the
Lawrence in a boat with l.. Gundersou,
sailor, who is not disabled. 1t is feared
that Bealle, Roach, and Montgomery will
die.
The Lawrence left Baltimore Wednesday
| night of last week. The weather was
very bad. 1t did not get any better and
Saturday morning in a dense fog and with
a cold wave coming on the ship went
i aground of Hilton Head. 1t was then so
cloudy and dark that Capt. A. l.. Willis
did not know where he was. The bad
weather continued and the ship began to
leak and pound on the beach. There
were twenty seven souls on board, in
cluding one stowaway. There were no
| passengers. The pumps were put to work,
but this was unavaiIing. Part of the
cargo was thrown overheard. but the hold
of the Lawrence continued to fill with
Sunday bcJy
| board was exhausted and the water con-
tinued to gain. 1t was determined to
abandon the vessel.
Captain Willis ordered the Hfeboats
launched and by the time they were all off
the water was over the hurricane deck of
the Lawrence. The smokestack had fallen
| and the vessel was beginning to break up.
1t was arranged that the boats should 20
in pairs. Second Engineer Morrissey and
Mate Earle and the first mate and the cap
tain each commanded a boat Esrle's and
Morrissey's were to keep together. This
they succeeded in doing until Sunday night
| about dusk of that day. The two boats
were tied TO No. buoy. They knew they
were not far from shore, but did not know
where they were. They saw light and
made for ii. AS soon as they cast of in
the darkness the boats became separated.
Morrissey got to Harris Island and reached
the Port Royal navy yard with his COM
panions in safety. Earle and his COM
panions had more trying experiences. They
had lantern in their boat, but it went out
soon after leaving the buoy. After this
they pulled blindly at their oars and finally
reached shore. From the time they left
the ship until they landed snow, sleet, and
rain fell by turns. Their landing place
proved to be a small, muddy island. They
could not sit down and walked about all
night The tide left their boat stranded.
The bitter cold began to tell on the men.
They tore the seats out of the lifeboat and.
after much effort, started fire. There
was some food in the boat and this was
eaten.
Monday morning when the tide came up
where their boat was it was launched
again. By this time some OF the men
were suffering from frostbite. Those who
were able took the oars and pulled out
to sea again. They were rescued by the
steam pilot boat ]. H. Estil and turned
over to the steamer Clifton. on which they
found Morrissey and his men. They were
brought to the city late this afternoon and
those who were able to go were sent to the
hotel.
The others are now in st. Joseph's In
firmary The men were never any great
distance from shore. but could see moth
ing on account of bad weather. There still
remain fourteen people to hear from, in
cluding Captain Willis and First Mate
Hooper, each in charge OF 4 lifeboat. 1t
is hoped they will make their appearance
tomorrow. Tugs are now out looking for
hon