The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-03-14


fral craft to the bottom,
and with half-crazy companion who,
in wild delirium from lack Of food ANA
drink aud terrible exposure, twice at
tempted suicide by jumping out of the
little craft into the sea. Is the horrible
story brought in recently by Charles
Matheson, forty years old, who, with
his dory-mate Fred Hemmeon, elgh
teen years old, was picked up by the
fishing schooner Flora S. Nickerson
Saturday afternoon. off the southwest
Georges banks, and landed in the Port
of Boston.
Lying in little bunk, his mind still
filled with strange scenes. his face and
body emaciated from lack of 'loursh-
ment, young Hemmeon showed pitiful
evidence of the tortuous experience
through which his usually robust
young constitution had passed. With
large, shiny blue eyes one minute look
ing peacefully comprehensive and pitt
full and a minute later shining in the
fever of delirium, he tossed and rolled
on his bunk while Herald man talked
with the sturdy Matheson, who had
come through tie awful experience
with mind and body intact. but with
great blsters and swollen hands show
ing evidence OF the racking his body
had received.
Charley, why don't you give me
that water you have hidden away?"
pleadingly asked Hemmeon in his de-
llrlous moments; his mind still blurred
with the agonizing battle he had made
when his cravings for food and drink
drove him crazy. AS the fishing YES
sci rose even with the dock on the
rising tide Hemmeon was removed on
stretcher and taken 10 the City Hos
pital. 1t is believed that lie viii re-
cover.
Matheson and Hemmeon are the last
of the crew of the schooner Quonna-
powitt, which had an Inflated expert
ence off Browns Bank on Tuesday
when her entire crew of fishermen
eighteen men, went astray in fog
and Captain Elbrldge Nickerson was
left at sea during severe northeastel
with only his cook and e spare hand
to run the -essel. They started fol
port, and or the way four men from
another schooner We're taken aboard
and brought the vessel safely into port
where they were warmly welcomed by
sixteen men of the crew, who hat
been picked up by the schooner ElleI
G. Burke and landed in this por
Wednesday morning. This left Mathe
son and Hemmeon TO be accounted for
and their terrible experience brough
tears to the eyes OF their mates. Th,
sight of He.nmeon's ema-iated and de
lirlous face caused Captain Nlckersol
TO shudder, for he we'll knew the ter
rlble suffering through which the mel
had passed.
1t was nine o'clock Tuesday morning
when the doryman of the Quonna
powtt rowed away from their Graf
and started out TO haul their travis
A heavy TO, was hanging over tn
water. After the men had hauled thel
travis they waited for the fog hor
of their vessel. No sound was heart
Matheson and HemmeOn were to til
wlndward of the schooner. They sc
their travis again and waited Nigh
set down Owe the fishing grounds, bu
still there was no sense of fear in tn
heart OF Matheson, who, born and bre
to the sea had fished in gales an
fog on all the fishing banks of the A
lantlc coast for thirty yeara
When no sound of fog horn wa
heard the anchor was kept overboar,
ana the men lay down to sleep. col
fident that the morning would fin
them on board their vessel for breaI
fast. Daylight came. with the fc
still dens end no sound of fC
horn. Matheson determined that the
We're lost, and, giving encouragemel
10 his eighteen-year-old Corymate, the
aaued in their anchor and started
row IN the direc.ion of the wind
Matheson was confident that by IL
lowing the direction of the wind th,
could make shore, as 1t was blown
from the northwest when the fog sh
down. After six hours . rowing Il
men began to suffer from lack of 70,
ana water. They had 200 pounds
hsh on board and this was pltch
overheard.
wednesday afternoon the wind shi
ed suddenly and began to blow with |
creasing force. AT six o'clock Wednt
oay night a fresh gale was In for,
rolling up hugo seas. Matheson to-
ms post at the stern of the craft al
sleered with one of the oars, VIII
hemmeon kept the boat as steady
possible with the two oars.
\ Inc wind increased In fury, and wi
\ uarkness the situation became de-p,
"'e The strain was telling OH He
heon' who began to rave about I
.acM OF food and water. At ten o'clo
Vu' night huge comber struck tn
" crast and llemmecn went oy