The Republican journal., 1902-12-25
TWO BIG scHoonERs SUNK.

| TWO BIG SCHO0NERS SUNK.
The Louise B. Crary and Frank A Palmsz
cOlllded and soon went to the bottom.
Eleven men perished.
BosToN, Dec. %. The fishing schoon-
er Manhassett arrived here early today
having on board ten survivors of the
wrecked schOOners Frank A. Palmer
and Louise B. Crary, which were in
collision Wednesday night off Thatch-
er's island. Eleven sailors were either
killed in the collision, drowned or died
from exposure after the accident. Fif.
teen or more from either vessel took a
small boat At s a. m. when the Man
hassett was 45 miles off Highland light
the lookout sighted a small boat with
men who were making signals of dis
tress as well as they could in the heavy
weather which prevailed. The Manhas-
set changed her course and bore down
on the distressed craft, which had been
launched from the Crary. The men
aboard her were all but helpless as a
result OF their exposure to the rigorous
! weather and only 10 of them were
alive. One of them had become
crazed by his sufferings and during
Saturday night, shouting at the top of
his voice that the police were after him,
jumped overheard and disappeared.
Four other members Of the little
boats company died from exhaustion
and the exposure to which they had
been subjected. The ten survivors
were in a ptiable condition and several
of them may die. All were frost bitten
and some Of them will probably have
their feet and hands amputated. The
Manhassett came into port early this
morning showing signals for assistance
and by the time she arrived at the
wharf ambulances were ready to trans
fer the sailors to the hospital. Only
six of the men could be moved, however.
The other four were in such critical
condition that it was deemed impossible
that they could survive being taken
from the vessel.
1t appears that the collision occurred
at 7.30 o'clock last Wednesday night,
some miles off Cape Ann. The night
was clear, but a stiff gale was blowing
and the sea was running high. The
members of the Palmer's crew claim
that the Crary was on the wrong tack
and in attempting to cross the Palmer's
bow struck her fatal blow. The Crary
hit the Palmer on the bow, cutting her
nose square off and entangling both
vessels in the wreck The anchor and
bowsprit of the Palmer sank away from
the wreck while the anchor of the Crary
was tangled in the forerigging of the
Palmer and broke off the foremast. The
vessels began to fill and sank in few
minutes. The Palmer's men managed
to lower boat. There was no time to
procure provisions or additional cloth
ing. AS the men cleared the wreck of
their vessel they saw the Crary's men
in the same plight as they had been and
made room for as many as could reach
the boat. Fifteen souls were in the
small craft.when it finally pulled away.
Both captains were among those who
escaped. A short time after the boat
left, both schooners went down. Six
men perished when the vessel sank.
for three days and four nights had be-
gun. One third of the number sue
cumbed in the fight and of those who
finally reached the shore none were
able to realize what they had escaped
Both of the wrecked schooners rode
out the blizzard last Tuesday off Chat.
ham. Both vessels were supposed to
have weathered Cape Cod and their ar
rival was expected in the lower harbo1
Thursday. When they did not arrive il
was believed that they were blown off
their course. They were blown off, and
were i'll collision while making their
way back. The Louise B. Crary was a
comparatively new vessel. She was
built by the New England Shipbuilding
company at Bath, in 1900, and was one
OF the finest fve-maSterS on the coast.
The Frank A. Palmer was the largest
four-master ever constructed. She was
built by H. I. Palmer of Bath, in 1897,
and was sold to J. S. Winslow & Co. of
Portland.
OF the q men carried by both vessels,
ten composed the crew Of the Palmer
and II that of the Crary. OF those
who escaped eight were from the Palm
er and seven from the Crary. Four of
the six who perished in the collision
were Of the Crary's crew and two from
that of the Palmer. Among those lost
from the Crary was Mate James E.
Smith. The one who became crazy in
the long boat and leaped overheard,
was Eorres Santa, Finlander.
vived sufficiently to be taken to the
ell & Thurlow, and thence to the hos.
hital. The captain was too weak to
talk much and he was not inclined to
recount his terrible experience. He
did say, however, that the Crary was to
blame for the collision saying that his
mate, Smith, who went down with the
ship disobeyed orders in not reporting
the nearness of the Palmer. Capt. Pot
ter said that the reason so many of the
Crary's men died was because they sue
ceeded in launching a boat which was
swamped and they were in the water
for some time before they finally reach
ed the Palmer's boat.
The II Dredpe Cumheriand