Waterbury Democrat., 1901-04-08
FIVE PERSONS DROWNED.
Two schooners Ashore and Pounding ! on the Rocks.

Two Schooners Ashore and Pounding ! on the Rocks.
 Portland, Me, April S.-The two masted schooner Wendal Burpee, of St John, N. B., went ashore off Cape Eliz- abeth yesterday, the captain, cook and one sailor being drowned, while the mate only was saved. The lost were Captain Louis Mersebury, George Eos ter, the cook, both of St John, and sailor known as English Charlie" ," The mate, John Swensen of St John, managed to reach the shore, more dead than alive.
 The schooner Wendal Burpee, which was coal laden. from New York to St John, is owned by N. c. Scott of the latter city, and was valued at about S4,0OO. The vessel will be total loss as it is expected she will have her bot tom pounded out before morning. The sea is running heavy, breaking high above the schooner.
 4 furious gale swept along the coast during the day and, according to the story of John Swensen, the mate, the captain thought he was off Mantin- ieus. Me, when the fog suddenly lifted and he found that he was near the rocks of Cape Elizabeth. It was then too late to change the course and the schooner was carried high up in board cove. about a mile from the Cape EliZ- abeth life saving station
 Seeing that wreck was unayoida- ble.t the men decided to take the yawl, and had proceeded only a short dis tance when the craft was swamped by a heavy sea. As they were heavily dressed the men, excepting the mate. went to their doom. The mate. after an awful struggle in the raging surf, managed to reach the shore. but sank back exhausted and unconscious a short distance away. He was rescued by two fishermen, who, at the risk Of their lives. seized the mate before he could be washed back into deep water Captain Mersebury was married in St John only three months ago, and his widow lives there.
 Gloucester, Mass. April S.-The southeast storm just before the dawn of Easter threw up on the jagged rocks of Eastern point yesterday the old Calais two-masted schooner Hyena, and within an hour the waves had torn her to pieces and swept on her entire crew of four men, Two of them. FL mer and Bennett Stanley, managed to reach shore, and dragged their bruised bodies up the rocks. but her skipper, Captain R. B. Dix. of West Fremont, Ne. and Steward Fuller failed to gain the shore, and probably were drowned or killed by being dashed on the rocks. The two battered sailors reached tlsis city yesterday.
 The Hrcpa. with 206 tons of coal from Perth Nn,'sav for Calais, sailed out of yInr-s-ts fTaven on Saturday, and had ey r-~~tl Ter until off High land lirI+ i-- 4+-,r w-;nd freshened from tf.o = end it. commenced to rntn :nsn I;i1 decided to steer for Sala-7
 Elmer s.a.sIo- h;nlrs 1t was about 8 a. m when i'p Siolited surf off ,the starbearti low. but Captain Dix, be lieving there was sufficient water, kept right on. until suddenly the waves were sighted breaking right ahead, and almost immediately great wave threw the vessel on to the rocks just off High Topples. at East Gloucester.
 The schooner began to pound and strain and the crew cleared away the only boat in the hope of reaching shore Bennett Stanley jumped into the boat; the. next wave swept the boat far out of reach of the other men. He was not in the boat a minute when it capsized leaving him to battle with the waves among the rocks.
 The half-drowned man alternately was thrown up on the beach and dragged back into the seething break CTS. Finally he managed to gain a foothold and pulled himself up be yond the sea.
 When the boat Bennett Stanley was in was washed away Captain Dix, with the other two men, sought refuge on the bowsprit in the hope that the schooner might hold together until morning, when the life savers would see her. But no ship, however strong. could withstand the fearful seas, and within a short time one after another of the masts were carried away until finally the schooner was literally smashed to pieces.
 After the vessel went to pieces FL mer Stanley's struggle was as terrible as that of, his brother, but in the end he had just strength enough to make one last stand, and conquered the ele- ments- Bennett soon joined him, and in the dim morning light they appeared at East Gloucester, where they were cared for.
 The Hyena was one of the oldest vessels engaged in the carrying trade on the coast, being built in St George, Me. in 1851 She was owned by How ard Boardman of Calais She was 95 tons burden. 90 feet over all, and drew eight feet of water.