The evening times., 1899-07-08

New York, July S.-While passing up
the North River at O'Clock last evening
The steam yacht Fra Diavolo, said TO be
owned by Edward s. Stokes, on which
Mr. and Mrs. Howard McNutt, of No. 73l
Ct Nicholas Avenue, were entertaining
party of friends, was run into by the
Chapman Merritt Company's tug Hustler,
and sank Immediately.
Her passengers-nine men, eight women,
and six or seven men who compose the
crew-had barely time TO escape with their
lives to the Hustler's deck, and not Gne
was able to save anything. even the crew
from the engine room fleeing in their over
alls.
So suddenly did the yacht sink that those
along the shore who witnessed the aeci-
dent seeing the great cloud of steam which
enshrouded the damaged yacht from The
thrush of the water into the hreroom,
thought that her boiler had blown up
and many did not know there was a coll
lision at all, until the Hustler landed the
rescued at pier 6, North River.
The Fra Diavolo went down only about
200 yards from the New York shore, but
The water was so deep that she Is COM
pletelv covered. and not even her spars
show TO mark the spot where she sank.
Immediately after the accident the tug
r. j. Barrett made line fast to the sink
ing vessel, but before il could be ialrly
drawn taut in the effort 20 tow her to
pier the yacht made the final plunge.
When the accident occurred one of tie
women appeared on deck carrying in her
arms a poodle dog. Capt George Earl, OF
the Hustler, tried to pull her on board tie
tug. but she refused to even put her fo5t
on the rail until she had seen her pet,
which she called Feathers, in place o.
safety As soon as the dog was hau.el
over to the Hustler she followed Win
alacrity.
AS soon as the yacht disappeared the
tug put into the nearest pier. and all those
from the Fra Diavolo hurried away. Cap
tain Earl said last night that he did net
learn the name OF any of the passengers.
Without even reporting the accident 10 ihe
harbor polics whose station is AT pier A,
the Hustler put around 10 pier Is Est
River, where she generally lies Up. and
after living there for few minutes start
ed on some unknown mission, and 10 one
about could tell when she was eXpectei
back.
The police did not learn OF the affair .or
an hour or more after the yacht was Il
the bottom OF The river. When first ques-
toned about the accident these on the
Hustler would not admit that they Lad
sunk any vessel even though a pile or
wet life preservers bearing the name OF
the Fra Diavolo lay on the forward deck
of the tug al the time.
T. +. Cuackeubusa. local man1 ger CT the
Merritt & Chapman Co, at = William
Street was almost as Teticent, but finally
said that the Yacht had been sunk by TIE
Hustler but he would not attempt TO place
the blame
Fa-o ,eTll q minutes hFfn~p lgQV-
ing pier is said that be was at dinner al
the time Of the collision and that r. <.
West. the mate was al the wheel. The
tag was on the way from the Pennsylva-
mia coal docks at Jersey City, 10 her berth,
on the East River front.
Earl said he heard one bell in the en-
CINE room, which meant TO stop, followed
Immediately by two others. the pilots sig
nal 10 reverse the engines. These sig
mails. given in quick succession when a
vessel is under fun headway, generally in
dicate something wrong, and Captain Earl
rushed on deck as the crash came and saw
that they had struck the yacht of the port
quarter.
At the offices of the company il was said
that West was new man in their en-
ploy. He could not be found on the tug
as she laid in the East River.
The Fra Diayolo was built at Tottenville,
S. l., in 1880 and was 1G7 feet long over
all, measuring siXtyfour tons gross meas
uremeut and forty-four tons net
Although Manning's Yacht Register for
the present year gives MIR. Stokes as the
owner OF the Fra Davolo, il is reported
that she is al present cut of his hands.
Mr.. Stokes is not IN the city, and some
of his friends said last night that he had
gone to Hot Springs. He owned the Fra
DiavolO for many years. and while he was
in the height OF his prosperity as proprie
tor of the Hoffman House the yacht carried
many merry parties. She was one OF the
first pleasure vessels in these waters TO be
fitted with electric lights. She WAS used
principally by her owner TO carry him be-
tween this city and his country place Oh
the Connecticut shore OF the Sound. anu
in her day was considered Z remarkably
fast and serviceable vessel.