The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-11-15
SCHOONER is CUT IN TWO
y. $. Refrigerator Ship Culgoa Col
Iides With Wilson & Hunting.
CAPTAIN AND WIFE DROWNED


The Smaller Vessel Struck Amidships BY
the Govsrnment steamer which Was
Travelling at Good speed-.A Accident Oc-
CURED on Barnegat After the schoon-
err Left Norfolk For New York city.
New York City Giving his life In a
vain attempt to save his wife's. when
his schooner, the Wilson & Hunting,
was cut in two by the United States
refrigerator steamship Culgoa Off Bar
negat Light. Captain Robert Walton,
Jr., sank with the woman and two Of
his crew. His craft had been known
to seamen as s'hoodoo ship" because
of many mishaps. The mate, Peter
son, the steward and two sailors Of
the little vessel were brought to this
port in the CuIgoa, which they left at
Tompkinsville the other morning. All
four admitted the steamship captain
did everything in his power to save
everybody on the schooner, but they
were unable to explain the collision,
which occurred at nighf. They said
they saw the Culgoa for a long time be-
fore she struck the Wilson & Hunting,
although the skipper Of the larger yes
sci evidently did not see their craft un-
til he was upon them.
So great was the steamships speed
that the schooner was impaled on her
bow and rushed through the water for
a quarter of mile before the Culgoa's
engines were reversed Then the
smaller ship slid off the bow and. as
the water roared into her. went on her
beam ends.
Captain Walton had plenty of time
to save himself, but he dashed to his
cabin to carry his wife up the compan-
| ionway, and apparently was caught be-
low by the oceans thrush. Neither
the captain nor his wife was seen on
deck after the collision. 1t is thought
their bodies, with those Of the two sea-
men who were lost, were washed out
Of the ship, for the wreck was searched
diligently before it was abandoned.
Peterson and the two sailors who es-
capped with him swarmed up the VIII
son & Hunting's rigging and sprang to
| the side Of the Culgoa, UP which they
climbed. The steward stuck to the
! schooner until she slid of the steam
| ships bow. He then leaped into the
water and was picked up by a small
boat from the refrigerator vessel. The
| captain Of the Culgoa Immediately low
| cred other boats and stayed close to
| the wreck all night. in the hope Of
finding more survivors. He sent all his
small boats to join the search. The
boats crews explored the capsized
schooner from stem to stern. but found
1 no trace of the four left in the smashed
ship. When the steamship headed for
/ Staten Island the Wilson & Hunting
| was drifting rapidly toward Barnegat.
| 1t could be seen her draught had in
creased to about thirty-five feet and
that she was not worth towing to port.
The schooner, which was owned by
| William Gokey & Son, of Brooklyn.
and was managed by T. G. ridley, of
4 Norfolk, was on her way from Norfolk
to this port with big load Of lumber.
She sighted Barnegat Light and was
about ten miles east of Barnegat, tack
ing of shore, when the steamship
struck her.
Captain Walton was skipper of the
/ d. Mory-Gray last year when she was
/ wrecked in gale OFF Barnegat. He
and his men were saved by a steam
ship that time. when they had given
themselves up for lost. Captain Wal
ton was known as much for his roman
tic devotion to his wife as for his ex-
cellent seamanship. A. j. Bailey, OF
No. "A South street, the schooner's
New York agent. was affected deeply
by the loss Of the Waltons. He said
he would not know the names of the
other victims until he should hear
from Mr.. ridley,