New-York tribune., 1907-12-15
WRECK OF THE LAWSON
FATAL FRIDAY, THE 13TH'
Fifteen of the Cre10 and the Pilot
Lose Their LiUeS.

Hugh Town. Dec. 14.-After successfully rid
ing out succession of gales which she encoun-
tered all the way across the Atlantic. in which
she lost all her lifeboats. the American seven
masted schooner Thomas w. Lawson was cap
sized in Broad Sound. Scilly Islands. where the
captain sought shelter from the fierce storm rag
ing along the English coast last night. OF the
crew of eighteen. and Hicks, the pilot, who
boa rded the vessel from a lifesaver's boat dur
ing the night only three were rescued. These
were Captain G. W. Dow. of Melrose. Mass;
Edward /, Rowe, the engineer. of Wiscasset.
Me. and George Allen. of Bradford. England.
The schooner left Philadelphia on November
10 for London with a cargo of OIL She had
hard battle with the seas all the way across.
and when she entered the Broad Sound her cap
tain knowing the dangers of the coast. threw
ont his anchors. Later. in answer to his sig
nails Of distress. the lfesavers put out two life
boats and found the Lawson anchored in dan
gerous position off Gunner's Rock
The seas running high and the gale was
increasing and the lifesavers found that their
efforts al rescue were futile. one of the boats
returned for a tug and the other compelled
10 put back to shore because of the exhaustion
of the men. During their absence the Thomas
w. Lawson turned turtle.
Allen. one of the rescued men. is not expected
70 live while Captain Dow is suffering from
fractured arm. His rescue was effected only
through TIE almost superhumau efforts of the
lIfesavers and the gallantry of Frederick Hicks.
son Of the pilot. who accompanied them on their
second trip in the hope of finding his father.
Late this afternoon. after a long search. Cap
tain Dow and Rowe. the engineer. were seen
alive on the Helwether Rocks. which they
had chung for upward of fifteen hours. the tre
rnendous waves preventing their making a land
ing Young Hicks plunged into the boiling seas
and swan ashore carrying a lifeline. by means
of which he and the captain hauled back TO the
boat the engineer. who was practically unin-
Iured After assisting Captain Dow Hicks was
able to reach the boat unaded. but the effort
exhausted him. and the doctors ordered him 10
remain quiet tonight
Captain Dow told the lfesavers that when he
found his vessel was doomed he the engineer
and the pilot dashed themselves to the mizzen
rigging When the masts fell the captain and
the engineer managed to get clear. They
iumped to the deck. but washed overheard
being carried by the currents to- the rocks where
they were found. The pilot however, seemed 20
be entangIed in the rigging
signals of distress were heard at the Bishop
Rock Lighthouse at o'clock yesterday after
noon. Two lfeboats at once put out and found
tho schooner anchored in dangerous position
inst north of Gunner's Rock Great seas were
r,inning and the Iifeboats. although they stood
bv the Lawson for several hours. were unable
IN render assistance on this account.
AT about > 80 o'clock this morning the look
outs at the St Agnes and Bishops Rock light
bouses and the coast guards missed the lights
of The Lawson at the same time. and when
ufohoat returned to the scene oil floating on the
waves indicated the disaster.
Searching in the vicinity the ST Agnes light
boat picked up Allen and found three dead
bodies off Annet Island. The survivor ana the
dead we're brought TO ST. Agnes