The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1906-03-28

ny tNlllnI SulC thuh
- threatened TO send the
frail craft to the bottom,
and with half-crazy companion who,
In wild delirium from lack of food and
drink and 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, eigh-
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
pf Boston.
Lying in little bunk, his mind still
filed with strange scenes, his face and
body emaciated from lack of lourlsh-
ment, young Hemmeon showed pitlful
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 4 minute later shining in the
fever of delirlum, 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 blisters and swollen hands show
ing evidence Oh 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-
liriOus 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
q stretcher and taken to the City Hos
pital. 1t is believed that he will re-
cover.
Matheson and Hemmeon are the last
Of the crew of the schooner Quonna-
powitt, which had an ill-fated expert
ence off Browns Bank on Tuesday,
when her entire crew of fishermen,
eighteen men, went astray in fog,
and Captain Elbridge Nickerson was
left at sea during a severe northeaster
with only his cook and & spare hand
to run the 7essel. They started for
port, and or the way four men from
another schooner were taken aboard,
and brought the vessel safely into port,
where they We're warmly welcomed by
sixteen men of the crcw, who had
been picked up by the schooner Ellen
@. Burke and landed in this port
Wednesday morning. This left Mathe-
son and Eemmeon to be accounted for,
and their terrible experience brought
tears to tie eyes Of their mates. The
sight Of HerrmeOn's emaciated and de-
lirious face caused Captain Nickerson
70 shudder, for he well knew the ter
rible suffering through which the men
pad passed.
1t was nine o'clock Tuesday morning
Then the doryman of the Quonna-
powitt rOwed away from their craft
and started ou. to haul their travis.
"A heavy fOs was hanging over the
water. After the men had hauled theiI
travis they waited for the fog horn
of their vessel. No sound was heard.
Matheson and Hemmeon were to the
windward of the schooner. They set
their travis again and waited. Night
set down ovec the fishing grounds, but
still there was no sense of fear in the
heart Of MGtheson, who, born and bred
to the sea had fshed in gales and
fog on all the fishing banks of the At
,antic coast for thirty years.
When no sound of fog horn was
heard the anchor was kept overheard,
and the men lay down to sleep, con-
fident that the morning would find
them on board their vessel for break.
fast. Daylight came, with the fog
still dens', and no sound Of a fog
horn. Matheson determined that they
were lost, and, giving encouragement
to his eighteen-year-Old Gorymate, they
,hauled in their anchor and started 10
row in the direction Of the wind.
Matheson was confident that by fol.
lowing the direction of the wind they
could make shore, as it was blowing
from the northwest when the fog shut
down. After six hours D rowing the
men began to suffer from lack Of food
and water. They had 900 pounds OF
lish on board and this Was pitched
overheard.