The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-11-03
TELLS OF WRECK
Schooner Abandoned on Voyage
From Georgetown North.
BRAVE LIFE SAVERS
Bodies Island and Nags Head Crews

BOGIeS kSlanQ anu NaSS dcaU SFeWS
Worked for Hours-Captain and
Wife Thrice .Wrecked-Rodgers
Carried to Charleston as Prize os
Steamer Fert Several Years ago.
Capt. s. E. Lawry, Of the abandon
ed schooner Flora Rodgers, a we'll
known trading vessel at Charleston.
tells an interesting and thrilling sto-
ry of the wreck Of his boat, few
days ago at Bodies Island and the
rescue of himself, his wife and the
crew. The following account Of the
wreck and rescue we take from the
Charleston Post:
1t Is not the first time that the
Flora Rodgers has been wrecked,
having had the same experience sew
eral years ago off the Carolina coast,
when she was towed into Charleston,
a.s prize of the Italian steamer
Fert, being later libeled and sold
by order of the United States court.
In an interview in The Norfol:,
Virginian-Pilot, Captain Lawry re-
lated few days ago in dramatic
manner how Mrs. Lawry, his wife.
his crew of six men and himself
stood waist-deep in water with waves
from thirty to forty feet ID height
leaping and swirling over the wreck,
nine hours before line was shot
over the vessel and how two anchor
chains of links of an inch and half
in thickness were snapped like pipe
stems which sent the vessel to her
doom.
1t was also brought out how Mrs.
Lawry had been in two other wrecks
with her husband and how on one
occasion she was willing for every
thing aboard to be lost-that ID,
property-but to only save her ca
nary bird.
When the gale was sweeping the
coast and carrying everything before
1t the Rodgers, lumber laden, was
tugging at her anchors. She was
from Georgetown, S. c., for New Ha-
ven, and Captain Lawry seeing that
he could not sail in. such a storm.
had the vessel anchored of the
island.
Two anchors were thrown out and
these were held by many fathoms
Of chain, the links Of which were an
inch and half of solid iron. The
vessel was double-reefed. Every
thing was done to prevent the craft
from stranding, but to no avail, and
at 10 o'clock at night the anchors
tore loose and two and one-nalf
hours later the. stern Of the Rodgers
was battered away.
Masts and rigging and spars
crashed to the deck and lay In an
inextricable mass. The wind was
increasing from the southeast, and
presently the vessel bega nto be
working broadside on the beach.
Inky darkness prevailed. The waves
by this time were running to d
height of from thirty to forty feet,
and at one time it appeared that "a.
must be lost. The life savers had
discovered the wreck and they SO
notified those aboard the vessel by
the Costen signals.
When daylight came the surfme1
from the Bodies Island station at
tempted to launch surf boat, but
they were beaten by the wind and
waves. Line after line was fire /
and fell short, and those on the
wreck despiaired of being rescued.
Word was sent to the Nags Head
station and soon the crew was on
the scene.
If ever a set Of men worked tc
save eight human lives it was the
crews from the Bodies Island an
Nags Head stations, and at Z O'Clock
in the morning line was shot over
the side of the vessel and made fast
to the stump of the mainmast. Then
the breeches buoy was run out.
The captain and crew insisted that
Mrs Lawry step into the buoy first,
The brave woman was reluctant u
do this but was finally persuaded AMI
she was hauled through the mouh-
famous waves to the beach. 1t was
dramatic scene. Then the crew,
one by one, we're hauled ashore and
Captain Lawry was the last to step
into the buoy.
All hands we're drenched to the
skin when they hit the beach anil
they lost all OF their belongings,
which went down in the wreck. The
captain, his wife and crew had not
long been off the vessel when she be-
gan to break up and the lumber ca;-
go to come ashore. One Of the
masts washed ashore and there is
hope Of securing the other two.
Captain Lawry said tnat the spara
and rigging might also be saved AMI
practically all OF the lumber cargo
that has washed ashore will be save !.
The cargo was insured, but the yes
sci was not. Captain Lawry had
$1,000 interest in the Rodgers.