The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1901-05-07
A Daring Reseue

/ \ veteran member of the live-saylng
service who has passed many years or
I the storm beaten coast OF Virginia
gave q Star reporter today an interest
ling account of thrilling rescue recent
Ily effected by the crews of stations
and in the vicinity OF Virginia Beach
ION the night of the goth OF Decem-
/ Der last, or more correctly speaking
of the morning OF the 2lst," said he
occurred one of the most tragic events
I that has marked the history OF the Vir-
glnia coast
| Nearly ten years ago, March 81,
( 1891. the Norwegian bark Dictator was
wrecked at Virginia Beach. and almost
every soul was lost. Notwithstanding
the bravery of the life savers On the
night of December 90 last. when the
storm was at it's height. the schooner
Jennie Hall met with a similar fate
about three miles below the scene of
the other tragedy. At $3.50 o'clock in
the morning the schooner was sighted
coming ashore head on. Captain Barco
of Station No. 8 was Immediately noti-
fed by the patrolman then on duty.
and at daybreak his force was Joined
by Captain Partridge and his crew of
time it was impossible to launch a life
boat in the tremendous surf; however,
the mortar was fired, a hawser landed
on the deck of the distressed and now
hopelessly grounded schooner. The
breeches buoy was manned and John
Moore and Joseph Cosby Goth color
ed) of Gloucester county, Va, were
safely landed. Upon the second trip to
BIO Ma 70 hrpiipht
ashore in a critical condition, being al
most frozen. Bragg had been wrecked
on this coast once before, having been
saved by Captain Partridge, then sta
toned at No. 4.
1.-THE next rescued was Richard
Coombs, an able bodied seaman of
Newfoundland. Coombs was in good
condition, and recounted the horrible
situation of the remainder Of the crew.
He said that the steward was tied to
the crosstrees and absolutely numb
from cold; his condition was such that
1t was necessary for some one to go
out to him. At once John Neil of sta
ton No. volunteered to risk his life
in the effort to save the helpless man.
Throwing off every piece of unneces-
sary clothing, Neil stepped into the
Duoy anu was VII liio
Grand The wind was blowing sixty
miles an hour, and several times the
brave man disappeared from sight. At
last he reached the almost frozen man,
and found it impossible to do anything
without help, so he returned to shore.
Then several men volunteered to
launch the lifeboat and, though Neil
had done his duty bravely, he insisted
e, anN -
upon Captain Barker, with a crew Of
picked life savers from numbers and
3, launched the lifeboat, taking with
him Nell and Horatio Drinkwater, an
ex-lifesaver. These two men volunteer
ed to go to the vessel, and consented to
be left there to complete the rescue, or,
If necessary, die in the effort to save
the helpless men still aboard, for
stowaway was also tied up in the rig
ging, apparently frozen. The lifeboat
made the trip successfully, and Drink /
water swung himself aboard, followed |
by Neil. In order to escape being DASH
ed to pieces the lifeboat Immediately |
to the shore, and on It's way !
thither another tragedy threatened
AN immense sea broke over the boat,
throwing Life Saver Sparrow over
ppdiu, anu lHt Dodl passed over MS |
body. Every member of the brave |
crew bent his energies to the rescue of |
this man, and they finally succeeded
n pulling him in safe and sound. Be-
fore the two rescuers reached the
wreck, the stowaway, Ben Maui of
Trinidad, who had been hanging by his
heels in the rigging, where he was tied,
dropped into the sea, frozen to death.
Upon reaching the wreck Drinkwater.
unmindful of the snow and
leet, barefooted and without even oil
ltins or a coat, made for the rigging,
where he united the stiff body of the
toward, a dead weight of $50 pounds.
nut rope around the helpless mans
waist, but on account of his immense
ulk could not get him into the buoy
o tied the body under the buoy and
ent II ashore, where 1t was received
nd medical attention rendered. After
ncessant work of five hours there were
vidences of life at last. Neil was next
ent ashore in the buoy, and last to
cave the ship was Drinkwater. who
anded in good shape and ready for
lore work II necessary. The unfortun-
tie schooner Jennie Hall was bound
rom Trinidad to Baltimore. loaded
nth phosphate. when she met her fate.
II