Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-14
ALL CREW DEAD SAVE ONE
Tragedy Happened Off the Scilly
Isles Last Night.
HISTORY OF THE BIG SCHOONER
She Was in Glass by Herself-Had
Been a Great Money-Maker.
No Insurance.
Special Cablegram to The Star.

LONDON December 14.-The schooner
sailed from Philadelphia for London No
vember Is. ran on the rocks Of the Sell
ly Islands last evening in gale. AS
sistance was sent to her, but her lights
disappeared early in the morning, and
she is now lying on the rocks bottom up
ward. Three dead bodies have been
washed ashore on ST. Agnes Island and
one ran was rescued unconscious. The
Thomas W. Lawson was a vessel of
4,914 tons
Three dead bodies have been found off
Annett Island, an uninhabited islet of the
Scilly group. The sole survivor, who has
been landed at ST. Agnes by the st. Agnes
lifeboat, is only partly conscious at this
writing.
Signals of distress were heard at the
Bishop Rock lighthouse at o'clock yes
terday afternoon. Two lifeboats at once
put out and found the Thomas w. Law
son anchored in dangerous position just
north Of Gunners' Rock. Great seas were
running. and the lifeboats although they
stood by for several hours were unable to
render assistance.
Alone in the Gale.
At the request of the captain of the
Lawson the ST. Mary's lifeboat. the masts
of which had been broken off in attempt
ing to rescue the crew of the schooner
put back with the purpose of telegraph
ing for tug to come to the assistance
of the Lawson. The St. Agnes lifeboat
was left standing by. A little later, how
ever. this lifeboat had to leave, as one Of
it's crew was dying of exposure, while the
others were almost completely exhausted
At about ten minutes before 3 o'clock
this morning the lookouts at the st. Agnes
and Bishop Rock lighthouse and the
coast guards missed the lights ofs-the
Lawson at the same time. and when a
lifeboat returned to the scene oil float
ing on the waves indicated disaster, A
few minutes later the lfeboat crew found
the Lawson bottom up.
Search for Survivors.
Searching the vicinity the St. Agnes
lifeboat picked up the solitary survivor,
man named Green, and found three
dead bodies off Annett Island. The sur
vivor and the dead were brought back to
ST. Agnes.
The gale is still blowing fiercely and
the seas are running high. A doctor from
ST. Mary's has gone out in a lifeboat to
render assistance to other possible sur
viyors.
Among the drowned is W. C. Hicks. a
Scilly pilot. who managed to scramble
49, Of 10
attempts of the st. Agnes lifeboat to
help the ill-fated ship.
ALI Probably Lost.
The search up to noon failed to discover
any further survivors. and 1t now seems
to be established that Allen is the only
member of the crew who did not lose his
life. The number of drowned is said to be
eighteen Allen was> seriously injured
and the doctor in attendance is doubtful
If he will live out the day.
From scraps of information that have
been obtained from the semi-conscious
man it seems that the Thomas w. Law
son encountered prolonged bad weather
and lost all her boats on the trip out from
Philadelphia. She sighted the Scilly
Islands yesterday afternoon. and finding
herself in a dangerous position dropped
both anchors. the captain hoping that
the weather would moderate The cap
tain thought it wise to send back one OF
the lifeboats that came out to secure the
assistance of a steam tug. the ST Agnes
lfeboat continued to stand by the strain
ing schooner until the exhausted condition
of it's crew made 1t absolutely necessary
to seek the shelter of a harbor.
At midnight the wind rose to hurricane
force and the vessel battered by the
waves finally turned over.
Allen says that when he last saw them
the captain and mate of the Lawson and
the pilot were lashed to the rigging.
Another Sailor Saved.
Another sailor from the Thomas W.
Lawson has been picked up alive by St.
Agnes boatmen.
Carried a Fortune in Oil.
PHILADELPHIA. December 14.-The
news of the wreck of the big seven
masted schooner Thomas w. Lawson at
the Scilly Islands was received her to-
day with much sorrow. The Lawson clear
ed from this port Novembe- 10 for Lon
don with a cargo of 2.OO3,O63 gallons of
gas oil in bulk. valued at ~I1,2O5. She
was commanded by Capt. Dow and car
ried crew of eighteen men.
HOW SHE WAS BUILT