Evening journal., 1901-07-20

Mrs. Walter j. SDrankle the only
member of the Colburn family that escaped
death by the capsizing Of Arthur T. Col
burns Yacht off New Haven on Thursday,
went down to Delaware City this morning
to cheer the aged blind widow and mother
so suddenly bereft OF husband and two
daughters.
Mrs. Sprankle went through this city this
morning on the s.13 o'clock Delaware rail-
road train. She was not accompanied by
her husband, be having left her in Phlla-
delphia. To a reporter of the Evening Jour
nal. she said there was little to add to the
statement she had given out in Philadel-
phia last night, save that she wished to
emphasize that to Captain Flints lack of
judgment IS attributable the catastrophe.
Had he acted on my fathers suggestion
that sail be taken in they probably would
be alive to-day, she said
1T was terrible. l know the shock will
PROSTATE my mother We left Delaware
City last Monday morning. leaving mother
behind because OF III health Had she be IN
with us Il is probable that she also would
be among the dead. have not heard from
her since We left her then, but am on my
way there now to tell her how it hap
pened"
Mrs. Sprankle is about 26 years OF age.
This morning she wore nothing that indi-
Gated her as one of the family upon which
fate has laid so heavy a hand but her ex-
preston was one OF great grief. When the
reporter approached her face was buried
in her hand. She dropped a morning paper
to add the remarks here given, and talked
In deliberate and pleasant manner in
dicative OF the sorrow she experienced.
People sat about her reading newspaper
accounts Of the catastrophe, but not one
person knew that the only member of the
family that escaped the watery grave was
a passenger on the car.
Mr.. and Mrs s9rankle arrived at their
home in Philadelphia from New Haven
shortly after IL o'clock last night After
expressing an opinion that the general
news reports OF the accident had been un-
usually accurate, Mrs. Sorankle told a re-
porter that the accident was due TO care
lessness.
We could see the squall approaching, %
said Mrs. SDrankle," and father advised
Captain Flint to shorten sail. but the cap
tain thought we were getting along all
right, and there was no danger. When it
was too late everybody saw the error OF
keeping the sails alcft. We women all
went below and the men remained on deck.
Suddenly there was an awful blow and
the yacht caDsized 1t filled with water
righted again and then sank. / clambefed
up the stairway and thought the others
were following; then I found myself in
water and managed to keep ahoat. The
others. l suppose. were weak with fright
and unable to escape. swan about
and finally succeeded in grasping a small
boat which had floated from the yacht
Stanbridge. the steward, was also cling
ing to the boat. which was floating upside
down As for the accident itself. it was
all over in ten minutes. We were in the
water about an hour before we we're picked
up.
THE STEWARDS STORY.
Steward stanbridge told this story OF the
disaster:
The Venitzia came IN the Jersey coast
Wednesday and we came to anchor of
Tompknsvllle, Staten Island. in the even
ing. We lay at anchor there until o'clock
yesterday morning and then started for
Long Island sound. We took a tow through
the East river, and after passing He'll Gate
into the sound We cast off our lines and
proceeded under our own sail The wind
was blowing moderately at the time Cap
tain Flint had all sails set We made
rather slow progress through the sound.
for at o'clock we were only OFF Sands
Point, with the wind ahead Of us Along
about 3 O'Clock the weather clouded up and
there were indications Of seuall, but
Captain Flint remarked that he did not
believe that 1t would amount to much. Mr.
Colburn remarked that the wind was COM
ing uD, and suggested to Captain Flint
that he shorten sail. Captain Flint repeat
ed that he did not think it would be neces-
sary.
AT that time we were proceeding un-
der full sail. We had iib mainsail. main
topsail and driver canvas all out. Mr. Col
burn went below in the cabin to join his
daughters, and was there when the squal
struck us. II came in a minute Our boat
rolled and tossed about in the sea way, but
no attempt was made to take in any sail
She shipped a lot OF water that flooded the
cabin, and finally began to settle from all
the water in her. l was clinging 10 the
mast when the boat sank. Then ! Jumped
into the sea striking out from the sinking
boat. Before had left the boat had seen
MI Colburn making efforts to save his
daughters Captain Flint had caught hold
of Mrs. sDrankle and pulled her out on
deck.
''She was shrieking, and from the cabin
where the other two women wers came
their frantic shrieks. ] saw Mrs. Sprankle
on deck for a moment after she was taken
from the cabin. She was pleading with
those on deck to save the other ladies. The
women wtre up to their heads almost in
the water and as the sea closed over the
cabin deck saw Mrs. sprankle jump over
board. Both Of us caught hold of one Of
the lifaboats that had broken away from
the sinking yacht The yacht went down
like stone. l was afraid that Mrs. Spran-
lhe's strength would not hold out long. The