The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-08-31
Big York River Liner Cuts
Sail-Boat in Two.
TWO MEN ARE DROWNED
% Down With Boat and Are
Seen No More.
OTHERS SAVED BY JUMPING
rhey Were Picked from the Water Un-
hurt-Steamer Was Going at Full
Speed in a Dense Fog, and
Tore the Wooden Vessel,
Heavily Laden With
Oysters. TO Pieces.
OTHERS SAVED BY JUMPING
,s.o,,,, pispatch to The Times.)

WEST POINT, VA, August 5o.-1he
bie York River liner Charlotte OIL 'he
C.hesapeake Steamboat Company, ran
down md sunk the oyster schooner
Anna NJ. Harris off Bells Rock light
house in York River this morning anu
caused the drowning of two men.
The steamer was running at her usual
.peed in a dense fog. and the schooner
was standing across channel IN oirecl
path of the steamer
The dense fog which prevailed was
uorse than midnight darkness Fog horns
had been sounded since light. and the
first that Captain George carton. Oh .iie
schooenr, saw of the danger was lhe pls
steamer Charlotte looming over them IKE
q great mountain.
A MIRAGE.
Owing to the mirage the steamer
seemed away above them. Captain Carl
ton cried out: Jump for your lives. lie
and his cousin, Mr.. Joseph Jackson OIL
Richmond. Jumped just as the two boats
crashed together.
The schooner was knocked all to pieces
and sunk with one thousand bushels oil
oysters on board and two men, Lee Rob-
ins (white) and Elvin Randall (colored).
The schooner was bound for West
4Olnt, HaClHS ieIl ''>'h - -
ming on her regular trip with a large
pa aSSenger list.
Captain Carlton was compelled to swim
rapidly from the sinking craft to avoid
being sucked under. Mr.. Jackson, by
means OF tho Sawl boat succeeded IN res
cuing himself and Captain Carlton. Both
OF these gentlemen came on TO west
Point on the steamer Charlotte
Captain Carlton and the owner, Captain
Joseph l.. Mulford, at once returned to
the scene Of the disaster, both very much
more distressed over the loss of two lives
than the pecuniary loss. There was no
USNERVED.
When interviewed Mr.. Jackson was COM
nlo,ely unnerved at the thought that two
mon remained in the sinking craft frantic
with fright, unable to swim and he en-
.irely unable to help them. Mr.. Lee
I,ohins. the Young white man drowned,
lost his mother last spring and after the
home was brOk en- determined to go by
water
IIc. was about nineteen years old, a
Young man of good habits, genial and
nop,Ilar among those who knew him.
Elyin Randall was weIl-known On the
streets of West Point as a reliable, hard
working man The Charlotte was consid-
erably injured, the railing on the upper
deck and searchlight were broken and the
steps leading to the pilot house taken
AWAY and some glass was broken. Some
passengers witnessed the whole affair;
others were not even awakened from their
eleep Passengers commented on the
Great cooiness and delibcration shown by
Captain Murphy and his crew in giving
and executing orders in spite of their
distress at the occurrence.
The wrecking of the schooner has cast
q. gloom over the community. 1t occurr-
ed almost in sight OF West Point
Passengers who came to Richmond on
the York Rlver Line yesterday morning
gave a vivid account of an awful colli-
sion between the splendid Baltimore
steamer Charlotte and the oyster
schooner Annie N. Harris on the York
River, about eight miles below West
folnt, yesterday about o'clock A NJ.
Two men We're drowned outright and
others had narrow escapes. The schooner
was actually cut half in two and sunk
at once. while the passenger boat was
not injured In the least. The latter was
making her usual trip from Baltimore to
West Point and the dense fog of the
morning prevented the captain and other
orricers in charge from seeing the
schooner. Those who lost their lives
were Lee Robinson, young man of New
kent county and ElrinRandall. color
ed seaman. who was at work OF the
schoonert Captain John Carlton, Joseph
L. 4duiford, OF West Point, and Joseph
Jackson. Of richmond. jumped overheard
and were picked up by the Charlotte
One thousand bushels OF oysters being
shipped TO Nest Point, together with the
two unfortunate men named above Went
down With the boat in moment after
she was struck by the Charlotte
The latter. which is a palaual steamer.
was in charge OF Captain Murphy, was
H..
late.
The passengers We're set almost wild
with fear. but were finally quieted by
Captain Murphy and his crew.
Mr.. Robinson and Eivin Randall are
thought to have been asleep in the
schooner. as they were not seen after
1t was struck. They went down with
the boat.
The schooner was owned by Joseph L.
West Point, but was known as Annie n.
Harris. of Bridgeport, n. j.
The boat had been out all day and was
heavily loaded.
Captain Carlton and Mr. Mulford are
well-known here. Mr.. Muiford is one of
sEc wealthiest oyster planters in the sec
ton OF the State In which he lives
Mr.. Robinson has lived at West Point |
for the last few months, and had many
friends there
Eivin Randall was known among all !
the oyster planters of West Point
United States Marshal Morgan, Treat
who arrived here yesterday morning from
West Point. reported the collision to the
customs-house officials, and entered the
protest of the owner of the wrecked
schooner |
Divers are row at work looking. fer the !
tnc drowned men, |
The steamer arrived at West Point 1
one hour late. A large number of pas
senGers were aboard. Little damage was
dane TO the stcamer.