Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-16
THE sYLPH ACCIDENT.
Story by Lieut.. Evans, Commanding
Of1cer-Refused Assistance.

Special Dispatch to The Sunday Star.
NORFOLK, Va, April 15.-The Sylph was
towed to the navy yard yesterday afternoon
by the yard tug Mohawk.
The story of the accident 10 the Sylph.
as reported in The Star yesterday. was told
by Lieut.. F. T. Evans, the commanding
officer, to The Star correspondent as fol-
lows:
I'VE left Charleston. S. c., on Tuesday
at O'Clock and proceeded north on our
way toward Hampton Roads. That night
we ran into heavy southwest gale, which
continued all night and did not moderate
until Wednesday noon. Shortly after noon
we struck the middle Of the gulf stream
and passed Diamond Shoal light off Cape
Hatteras at 2:3O o'clock. About 4:30 o'clock
two boiler tubes blew out, badly scaiding
two men aboard and leaving US disabled at
sea or the most treacherous shoals along
the entire coast.
We displayed signals of distress, but were
not seen until shortly before dark when
the United Fruit Company'S steamer Oterl
hove in sight We felt greatly relieved
then, for the prospects which confronted US
were far from pleasing. We signaled to
the steamer that We had met with an acci-
dent and were badly in need of assistance.
ITO our establishment she signaled back,
Tn not a towboAt,' put about and pro-
ceeded on her way in the direction in which
we were going. / have learned since our
arrival that the Oteri passed through the
Capes Thursday but did not report sight
ing US. We were compelled to remain at
anchor there all night. and during the night
were struck by another gale. party OF
New York fishermen stood by JUS nobly all
night, ready to lend us what assistance
was possible If the worst came to the
worst. We weathered the night however,
and Thursday morning we were picked up
by the Morgan liner Elcid, which took us
in tow and brought us into Old Point. The
wind freshened and blew strong gale at
the rate of thirty or forty miles an hour;
the wind died down about 2:3O yesterday
morning and arrived at Old Point at
O'Clock. When we passed in the Capes we
notified the yard Of our arrival by means
of the wireless.
THE ship is not badly damaged, but her
boilers are disabled and the Slyph will have
to remain here for some time for repairs.
The injured are T. F. Murphy, ma
chinists mate. of the first class, who was
severely burned about the face, arms and
hands, and j. ]. Dalton, a seaman, who
volunteered to act as fireman, who was
badly burned about the hands, face and
body. The men were given first aid of the
injured treatment. and when we arrived
here this morning they We're treated by the
surgeon from the Topeka. They will
main aboard the boat, as We can treat
them here as well as at the naval hospital.
Il cannot find words to express my opin-
lon of the man who refused to give us as
sistance while we were drifting helplessly
at sea. VIII l report the matter to the de-
partment? Well. will duck swim?
Mrs. Roosevelt and her three children
left us last Saturday at Jacksonville and
were proceeding north via Charleston
Mrs. Evans is aboard the Syph and she
prompted the lieutenant several times dur
ing his narration of the accident.