The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-05
Darkness, High Seas and Strong Wind
All Combined to Make the Work
Difficult and Dangerous.
LONG FIGHT AGAINST DEATH
RESCUED PERSONS SPENT HOURS ON
BITS OF WRECKAGE.
All Were in Extremity of Exhaustion
When Picked Up-Other Details
of the Disaster.

MARINETTE, Wis, Oct. 4.-During a
squall last night on Lake Michigan the
steamer Erie l.. Hackley capsized and
twelve persons were drowned. The Good
rich line steamer Sheboygan rescued the
other seven persons on board the Hackley
after they had drifted about on pieces Of
wreckage all night. Reports Of the disaster
reached here to-day.
The Hackley was struck by the squall
when seven miles off Green island. The
upper work was blown away before the
men could reach a haven. The boat then
turned over and went down in deep water.
The Drowned
GEORGE LeCLAIRE, JR., Jackson Port,
Wis.
JOSEPH Worries, captain of the Hack
ley, Fish Creek.
T. TRUCHLY, cook of the Hackley.
EDNA BARRINGER.
LAWRENCE BARRINGER, Fish Creek.
HENRY RABITIER. Fish Creek.
CARL KELKY, Fish Creek.
MISS FRANCES VINCENT.
Sister of MISS VINCENT, Egg Harbor.
Wis.
FIREMAN THORP, Fish Creek.
NELS NELSON, Sturgeon Bay.
t ~
The Rescued
Frank Blakefeld, purser, Fish Creek;
Orrn Rollin, engineer, Fish Greek; Milton
Hansen: Blaine McSweeney, Fish Creek;
r. Roggendorf, fireman; Martin Olesen and
Ole Olesen.
AS the Haeiziey went to the bottom, those
who would and.could secure them seized on
floating pieces of wreckage, while the
women and three or four of the men, fall
ing to find any object on which to cling,
sank in the raging sea. SO far as known.
The waves were rolling high and several
Of those who at first saved themselves from
immediate death lest strength and sank.
1t was several hours after the Hack
ley sank before the Sheboygan hove in
hailing distance. The shouts of the float
ing men attracted the attention of the
sailors on the Sheboysan and every assist
ance was lent.
The roughness of the lake made the
work of rescue slow, but the officers
of the Sheboygan feel sure that they
took aboard every person afioat. Some of
the persons who were rescued say that II is
possible that one or more of the eleven
persons missing may have escaped. This
view is not given much credence by the
sailors of the Sheboygan.
The Sheboygan made into Fish Creek,
when hope of rescuing other persons seemed
improbable. The rescued persons were so
exhausted from their struggle against
drowning that they were unable for some
time to tell anything about the wreck
The persons saved by the Sheboygan say
that with the crashing away of the upper
deck all persons aboard the Hackley ran
on deck. Hasty preparations for plunge
into the water were begun, but before any
plans could be carried out the boat listed,
turned over and went down like a rock.
Search is still making for any person who
may have escaped death and for the bodies
of those who were drowned.
The Erie l.. Haekley was fifty-four-ton
screw steamer which was built at Muske-
gon, Mich. I'm 1852. The Hackley was owned
in Fish Creek by Captain Worries and other
residents of that village. The steamer made
a trip every other day between Sturgeon
bay and Washington island, going up one
day and back the next.