The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-16
BATTLED FOR LIFE.
AWFUL SUFFERINGs OFF SOLE SUR
vIvOR OF THE LOST SCHOONER
NELSON
DRIFTED ALL THE NIGHT
Finally Thrown Upon the Beach In
an Exhausted COndItiOn-WaIked
AimIessly About Until He Found
Life-Saving StatiOn-ExpFesses
Belief That the Crew Went
Down With the Schooner.

DEER PARK, Mich. May 15-Capt
Andrew Hagohney, master and sole sur
yivor of the wreck of the schooner Nell
son, who was washed ashore near this
place on the detached cabin of his YES
sci today. gave an account of the dis
aster in which his wife. and two-year-
old child and five sailors lost their lives
Capt Hagohney says:
AS I was certain that the schooner was
sinking l headed for the shore, with the
Intention OF Bleaching the schooner. The
schooner continued to settle rapidly. and
l made preparations to abandon 1t. After
getting the crew, my wife and child in the
yawl, I gave them orders to cut away
when all was ready. and attempted to
jump Into the yawl, but missed 1t and
went into the lake. When came up the
barge and yawl had disappeared.
Only g. small amount Of wreckage was
floating about. chung to part of the
cabin. Every minute or two 1 caught
sight Of one Of the crew. called to him
to try and reach the wreckage that 1 was
clinging to. and tried to secure better
hold. When I again looked that way he
u.
HOPE ABANDONED.
Gradually I drifted away from the
spot where the barge went down. 1
found could not keep In any position
as every sea that struck me almost threw
me from the wreck. After drifting all
the afternoon with no hopes Of help. l
was almost in despair.
After darkness came I saw a light
| and, supposing it was vessel going by,
| made desperate attempt to aract at
tention, but without avail.
About o'clock in the morning the
| wreckage 1 was clinging to drifted
| towards the shore. and short time aft
| erwards was in the surf and being car
] ried backwards and forwards l was so
weak L could scarcely hang on. A high
wave. apparently with a good deal more
| force than the others, forced this wreck
| age on the beach. I got on my feet, but
my limbs were so numb I could scarcely
| stand. After several attempts l managed
| to crawl I'D the sandy bank and was
| then safe from the water, but where 1
was I did not know.
WELCOME SIGHT.
| ST thought perhaps 1 would find some
! farmhouse farther back from the beach, or
! find some fishermen. After wandering
around for some time 1 finally con-
| GUIDED TO return to the beach. By that
| time I was SO weak and cold 1 could
scarcely stand. In the dazed condition
1 was in I imagined 1 could see a light
| ahead Of me, but after q time l found
| daylight breaking above the treetops 7
| crawled among the brush, intending to
| rest, but became afraid that in my weak
| condition If I remained there l might
| not be able to proceed again. and if by
| chance anyone came that way l would
not be seen. Finally, I came to some
| telephone poles and wire and concluded
| to follow that. After walking perhaps
| two hours, which seemed to me like a
| whole day, 1 came in sight of building,
| and after some time found out it was
| a life-saving station. I then came to
! the conclusion that the light had seen
| the night before was the one carried by
| the patrol on the beach.
| Il reached the station almost exhaust
| ed. Capt. McGaw and his men rendered
| every assistance in their power and fur
| nished me with dry clothing, doing every
thing they could for me. I found my
| limbs were badly bruised and swollen.
| 1T is my opinion that In the excite
ment Of the moment the men in the yawl
] failed to cut the lire holding it to the
barge, and it was dragged to the bottom
| with all in 1t"