Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-10
THREE MEN AOR|FT
Members of Steamers Crew
in Small Boat.
FOURTEEN ARE RESCUED
Steel Vessel. Wrecked on Reef in
Lake Erie, Causing Heavy
Property Loss.

Special Dispatch 10 The Star.
BUFFALO. y. Y, December 1o.-At 10
o clock this morning the steel steamer ".
4. Paine of Cleveland got into Buffalo
harbor with the first authentic details
of the sinking OF the steamer W. G..
Richardson. also of Cleveland, on a reef
outside of Buffalo harbor yesterday MORN
Ing. The Paine was the boat which res
crea fourteen members of the Richard
sons crew after the latter went on the
reef tho wreck causing loss of up
ward of half million dollars.
From the story told by survivors three
members of the Richardson's crew are
stiil adrift somewhere on Lake Erie in an
open boat, if they are not drowned or
frozen to death. The weather conditions
have been such here during the past
twenty-four hours that it Is regarded as
certain all three are dead. They are
Z. ]. CIary, first mate, whose home was
on Joseph Campau avenue, Detroit.
Mich; a Waterman named Gransey, who
lived near Toledo, Ohio, and Sidney
Smith, a fireman, address not given.
Two Persons Drowned.
Two members of the crew We're drown
ed while the rescue was in progress
They were Mrs. John Brantford, cook,
of Cleveland. Ohio, and Chief Engineer
Samuel L. Mayberry of kingsville, Ohio.
W. c. Richardson of Cleveland. owner
of both the Paine and the Richardson.
was on the dock when the Paine came
into port He issued orders to the crew
of both boats not to talk to newspaper
men. AS soon as the Paine locked the
survivors of the Richardson were hustled
a office the
of the boat obtained statements from
them.
Despite these attempts at secrecy, it
was learned that the Richardson was
helpless and adrift on Lake Erie for
about fourteen hours before she went
on Wayerly shoal. about two and a half
miles off the entrance to the Buffalo
hsrbor. During the last eight of these
fourteen hours, it was stated, the boat S
Eold was filled with water and the en-
CINE room fires were put out by this
water. 1t was while the boat was help
less that Clary, Gransey and Smith are
said to have left the vessel in open
boat in an attempt to save themselves.
to stay by the boat and take chances on
a rescue by some tug from this port.
Heavy Gale Blowing.
At the time the three men left the big
boat the wind was blowing about fifty
miles an hour and the sea was very
heavy. Clary. who has relatives in this
city, was familiar with sea conditions at
this port. and, it Is said. decided to take
chances of getting to the shore In the
small boat. This small boat, it is said,
rode the waves safely as long as it could
be seen from the big boat. Inasmuch as
all this happened early yesterday morn
ing and nothing has been heard Of the
small boat since then. il is believed all
three were drowned.
That the Richardson's men were badly
buffeted was indicated by their condition
when they left the Paine. Some of them
were bandaged. and they limped as they
walked. The clothing of Capt E. J.
Burke of Detroit, master of the Rich
ardson, was bloody, but it was said his
port was made regarding the injuries
received by other members of the crew.