The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-08-21

The trim little schooner N. N. MofAaa'
which left Seattle in the middle OF june
1855 for Kotzebue sound with Twenty-Five
people. lies = total wreck on the shores OK
Kotzcbue sound, Alaska She was grouaa
to pieces by a terrible ice jam, ana Capt.
Louis +. Bernhart was drowned. Mr. ana
Mrs. F. B. Porter, Of New York. the
only other persons. 50 far as KNOWN on
the boat. escaped.
News OF the disaster reached Seattle yes
terday in a letter to Mrs. W. T. Miles. OF
1874 John street, Denny Park. from ner
husband. DR.. w. T. Miles, one Of the own
ers OF the schooner who Is at Cape Nome.
He made q perilous trip across country
from kot3ebue last spring, leaving tns
boat IN possession OF Capt: Bernhart anu
Mr.. and Mrs Howard H. Porter. Recent
arrivals at Nome from Kotzebue brought
him the story.
Dr.. Miles, letter was written July 9, No
particulars are given as to how the wreck
occurred, but Bernhart Is described as los
ing his life while going out to rescue a
seal boat. It Is supposed that ne zen
through q hole in the ice and WAS unaoie
to get out. 1t IS not known whether ms
body has been recovered. Mr.. and MIS-.
Porter are safe. The latter is now at the
mission on Kotzebue sound.
Confirmation OF the loss OF the MOTIF =
was brought to Seattle last evening by F;
X. Jones. OF Sycamore, ILL.,. who arrived
on the Roanoke He Is now staying with
his brother-in-law. Rev. w. .. Harrins-
ton. IN this city. MT. Jones was one Q. the
from the disease stricken district ana nurs.
ed them back to health. His laoors ended
only when St. Michael was reached. There
who had been picked up on Kotzebue.
II had not heard Of the captains DEATH.
said Jones, but was told that the Morrill,
had been caught In the ice. As to whether
~ L. 49, - a 80
The Merrill was owned by party OF
men, most Of them from the East. Iney
organized q company known as the "a. IA
Morrill, Company, OF which +. ~. Porter
was general manager and W. G.. Anderson
assistant manager. DR. ". T. Miles was
one OF the most prominent men IN the ex-
petition. which was destined for kotze-
bue sound. The full list OF owners, as
given out at the time Of sailing, Is as fol-
lows: w. c. Anderson, DR.. ". T. Miles.
Robert Smart, Alexander Mcneil. George
Hager, E. ]. Dubois, w. Francis. w. 8.
johnson. Mr. and Mrs: Fred SD 3. r Porter:
Giending and John Potter.
They took as passengers c. Wakefield.
F. H: Davis. G. H; Lewis; Levin Carlson.
Frank schaetzh. Henry Evans. Fred Vo-
gel and Peter Nelson.
Capt. Louis F. Bernhart was engaged in
Seattle to navigate the vessel He had
been married only short time previous
to this. and his wife, who is resident OF
Portland returned to her parents when he
went north. She does not know at the
present time Of her husbands death.
There Is hardly question OF doubt that
Louis +. Bernhart Is other than Louis
Bernhart. whose adventures would fll a
book. He married a Portland woman, as
ala the captain of the Morrill,. and he told
a friend In the spring Of 1895 that he had
signed articles 10 take a vessel north. Tho
friend cannot remember the name OF the
boat. but feels reasonably certain that,
taking all the circumstances into consider
alton. 1t was the Morrill,.
Bernhart was born in Sydney, Australia.
and vas between s. and 10 years OF age,
although he did not look more than "a He
had been AL over the world and had
fought at the side OF Antonio Maceo in
Cuba, and was In command OF the Pedro
Fable which was destroyed by the Condo
vendette He made f2s 900 at the Kimber-
~ diamond fields. but spent IT all In a few
years. Bernhart came to Seattle three or
four years ago with large collection Of
Alaska curios