New-York tribune., 1899-07-08
f. S. STOKES'S YACHT SUNK.
THE FIFTEEN PEOPLE on BOARD
RESCUED
THE FRA DIAvOLO RUN DOWN AND
ALMOST CUT IN TWO BY THE WRECK
ING LIGHTER HUSTLER NEAR
pIED Nrn e NrnpTII PINER
PIER NO. 6. NORTH RIVER.

PIER NO s. NORTH RIVER
The lives Of fifteen persons of whom five were
women. We're placed in peril about 80 o'clock
last evening by collision between the Mer-
ritt & Chapman Wrecking Company's steam
wrecking lighter Hustler and the steam yacht
Fra Dlavolo. which formerly belonged to Herr
mann the magician, but is now owned by Ed
ward s. Stokes.
The two vessels coming up the North
River about abreast, the bow OF the lighter be
ing three four feet abaft the yachts fore
mast. when the Fra DavOlo begun forging
ahead. When both vessels had reached a point
about three hundred yards west OF Pier No. 8
the lighter had fallen half a length behind the
yacht and her was shifted. her pilots
purpose being apparently to pass under the stern
of the yacht. Whether the pilot Of the lighter
miscalcuated the force OF the tide whether
the yacht had Stacked up with view to reach
ing one Of the nearby piers is not known. but
instead Of passing to port the lighter. bow on,
struck the Fra Diavolo squarely on the port side
OF her stern. almost cutting her in two.
With great presence Of mind the pilot of the
Hustler kept pushing ahead. the bow of his
boat partly closing the great cash made in the
side OF the yacht. and keeping out some Of the
mighty thrush Of water. line was thrown out
from one Of the lighters derricks and fastened
TO the stern of the yacht which thus pre-
vented from sinking outright. as 1t threatened
10 do. The tug Barrett which came up oppor-
tunely. also threw out lines to hold the yacht
at the surface until her passengers and crew
could get on board the lighter The transfer
expeditiously made. and strange 10 say.
considering the women on board. with compare
lively little excitement In fact. SO little time
had elapsed between the collision and the rescue
that the passengers hardly had time to become
panic stricken.
As soon as all had been taken on the lighter
the lines attached TO the yacht were removed
and she sank to the bottom. not even the top
of her masts showing above the surface.
The Hustler landed the passengers and crew
at Pier No g. North River. and there two or
three Of the women showed an inclination 10
become hysterical. They quickly escorted
from the pier by their male companions, how
ever the party making its way up Rector-st
toward the elevated station
The Hustler remained tied up at the pier for
a while. Those on board dsclaimed all knowl-
edge Of the accident, hut a pile Of life pre-
servers which the people on the yacht had
hastily put on when the crash came, and which
lay on the deck Of the lighter where they had
been left after the rescue. belied the denial
After time the lighter proceeded 10 her pier
No Is East River but shortly after her ar
rival there a message was brought to her cap
tain and she steamed out into the river and
went down stream.
=. r Quackenbush, local manager of the Mer-
ritt & CHAPMAN company. at No. ~ William
s. 'Yas reticent when questioned about the ac-
cGcrt last night He at last admitted that the
yacht had been sunk in collision with the Hus-
tier. which. in charge Of Captain Earl. was on
her way TO Pier No. Is. Jersey city. He would
not say who was at fault
The Fra DiavOlO was schooner rigged yacht
OF 64 tons gross measurement and II tons net
and had length over all Of lOi feet. She was
built in 1855 at Tottenville Staten Island.
Howard McNutt. Of No 731 St. Nichoas-ave.,
a brother-in-law of f. s. Stokes and his wife
were entertaining a party of friends on the
yacht They had been down the Bay on a
pleasure trip and were seeking a place to land
when the accident occurred.
The woman who takes care of Mr.. McNutts
house during the absence Of the family in the
country. and who was on the yacht, says that
she heard several signals exchanged between
the two vessels before the collision and also
heard the captain Of the yacht say He has
given me the wrong signal"
Captain Earl Of the Hustler said last night
that he was In the cabin eating his supper, the
wheel being In charge Of Mate West. when he
heard a great blowing Of whistles. He got on
deck as the collision occurred. Captain Earl
saws his boat was coming down stream, while
the yacht was going mp. This differs from the
statements Of Engineer White. Of the Fra d.
avoio and others who said that both vessels
were going the same way.