Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1902-12-26
ELEVEN LIVES LOST
Two SchoOners Collide and Sink
Off Thatcher's Island.
fen Survivors Picked Up .n Massa-
chusetts Bay, I'm, Small Boat,
Almost Crazed Frostbitten
and Helpless = Story OF
the Tragedy,

Boston, Dec. 23.-Almost crazed
from their sufferings, frostbitten and
helpless, ten men in boat were on
Sunday picked up by the schooner
Manhasset, 45 miles off Highland
light. Then it was learned that the
schooners Frank A. Palmer and Lou
use b. Crary had been in collision and
that they had been sunk off Thatch-
er's island Wednesday night.
The survivors were landeA here
Monday. OF the 81 men who made
up the two crews six were carried
down when the two vessels sank, four
died during the terrible three days.
drift in Massachusetts bay and an
other became insane and jumped over
board.
With no food or water, their clothes
frozen in solid masses and their boat
being steadily driven before bitter
| gale out into the Atlantic, it seems
remarkable that so many survived.
Two schooners, both heavily laden
with coal, doubled Cape Cod in com
pany and ran into strong north
wester on Wednesday night. Both
/ captains put their vessels over to-
ward the Cape Ann shore. When off
| Thatcher's island they came about at
| the same time and unknown to them
selves headed toward each other, the
Crary holding north on the port and
the Palmer south on the starboard
tack and therefore having the right
| of way. The survivors are inclined
| to lay the blame of the accident on
Mate Smith, of the Crary. who had
| charge of the deck at the time and
who went down with the ship. They
are of the opinion that he thought
he could weather the Palmer. but in
stead the Crary crashed into the bow
of the Palmer.
The cut was deep and it was seen
instantly that there was no hope for
either vessel. Most of the small boats
were smashed and some of the men
killed by the collision, but others of
both crews by quick WORK launched
the long boat of the Palmer. into
which clambered the captains of both
vessels and - others. There was not
moment for storing food or water
in the boats and the rowers had pro-
PEELED it only short distance from
the schooners when the Palmer went
down. Three minutes later the Crary
i disappeared.
Without food and water. drenched
to the skin, spray freezing to their
garments because of the biting cold,
+he Is survivors underwent suffer-
ings indescribable. Four men of the
Crary on Friday lay down in the bow
of the boat and that night died.
| Eleven remained up till Saturday
night when Franz Banta went insane
under the delusion that his mother
beckoned to him and he walked into
the sea. The others were powerless
to restrain him.
Shortly after this the two captains
decided that the bodies of the four
dead men should be consigned to the
deep and, bending over them, Capt.
Potter, of the Crary, repeated as
much of the burial service as he
could remember. Then the strongest
of the survivors Put the bodies over
board.
In the three days and half the
men were afioat their boat drifted
steadily off shore until at o'clock
Sunday morning it was As miles off
Highland light. There the lookout
of the fishing schooner Manhasset
caught glimpse of the boat and
within half an hour the ten men were
in the cabin of the schooner. Capt
Malone at once crowded on all sail
and brought the survivors to Boston.