New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-12
FOUR SINK WITH VESSEL.
AND WIFE LOST.
y. S. Refrigerator Ship Sinks
Schooner off BGnegat.

On Wednesday night, ten miles off Barnegat
Light, the United States refrigerator ship
Culgoa rammed the schooner Wilson and HUNT
ing from Norfolk to New York, and sunk her.
Captain Robert / Walton jr. of the schooner,
his wife and two seamen went down with the
ship. The survivors, consisting of the mate,
steward and two seamen, arrived here on Thurs
day night the Cuigoa, and were sent ashore
yesterday at Tompknsville. The men were
taken to the offices of the law firm OF Alexander
& Ash, at No 90 William-st, where they tolc
the story of the accident. The steward said:
was in the galley wher the schooner
struck We were holding our course on a port
tack off shore Shortly before l went below
saw the lamp on top of the cabin burning
brightly. The steamer came on US apparently
at full speed and struck US to starboard. aft OF
the forward rigging. When reached the deck
1 climbed up the rigging and got aboard the
Culgoa, the bow of which was wedged we'll into
the schooner.
Soon after I got aboard the mate followed my
plan of escape, but when he reached the rig
ging the steamer reversed her engines and the
boats swayed apart. The mate plunged into
the sea and the Culgoa lowered a boat to get
him. They threw him line which he fastened
around his waist, and dragged him. into the
small boat. The schooner was laden with pill
ing stored on the deck eight feet high. The
captain and his wife We're on deck, and could
have been rescued had not the Culgoa backed
away.
The instant the boats separated the schooner
filled. her deck load shifted and she listed to
starboard and sank, taking the captain and his
wife with her
1 saw our mate trying to get line to the
captain the steamer backed away. Several
of the crew of the Culgoa told me that they
our lights I understand that wher the CulgOa
rammed one Of the men in the engine room
was knocked down and seriously hurt.
Captain Walton came from seafarlng family
He was born thirty-fve years ago at Tuckerton,
\. J. His wife, Eta Walton, the daughter
Of a New-Jersey farmer. and for six years had
sailed with her husband.
On September u. 1903, while Captain Walton
was in command of the three masted schooner
De Mory Gray he encountered a hurricane ten
miles northeast of Winter Quarter Shoals. HIS
wife was with him at the time and fearing for
her safety Captain Walton lashed her to the mz-
zen crosstrees. She remained there for one hour
through a terrific storm that almost wrecked
the vessel Captain Robert T. Walton jr., gaYa
up command of the schooner on her return to
port, and his brother Clarence was made cap
tain.
While the De Mory Gray was lying in Phila-
delphia Captain Clarence Walton in a moment
of delirium caused by typhoid fever committed
suicide by shooting himself IL the head.
Captain Robert |. Walton. sr., father of the
dead captain, = man about sixty years old, is in
command Of the Henry z. Haven, now on her
way 10 Norfolk. The Walton family for many
generations has been in the Shipping business
The Wilson and Hunting built in 1888
by Goss & Ward, at Alexandria, Va. She Was
managed by T. c. Tilley, OF Norfolk, and was
owned by William Gokey e Son. Of Brooklyn;
George T. Hammond. T. c. Tilley and others
She OF 4lS gross and 34f net tons register
145 fee long, 80 feet beam and 1l.B feet draught
The officers Of the CuIgoa laSC nigh% refused
10 discuss the collision.