Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-17
CAPTAINS WIFE
FORCES RESCUE
THREAT OF SUICIDE BRINGS
LEADER TO TIME
SURVIVORS OF THE WRECKED
SCHOONER LAND SAFELY
Steamer Fairhaven, Having on Board
Passengers and Crew of San
5uenaventura, Makes
San Francisco
Associated PressI

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 16.-Capt
Paul Rappmundt. his wife and g.
months-old son Paul, jr., and the seven
members of the crew of the wrecked
schooner San Buenaventura arrived
here tonight on the steamer FalrhaNen,
Capt. Hans Paulsen.
They were rescued from the sinking,
waterlogged lumber schooner after
three days of terrible hardship and
suffering, and had despaired of escap-
ing death in the ocean when the Fair
have hove in sight just before dusk.
The first news of them came from
the steamers signal flags as she
steered in through the Golden Gate.
First Mate Chris Erickson of the
San Buenaventura was severely in
jured on Wednesday afternoon when
the cargo of lumber shifted Three or
his ribs were fractured, and it is
probable that he is internally injured.
j. Cosscovey, seaman, sustained an
injury of the right hand. These were
the only casualties.
Rescuers Brave Seas
When the Fairhaven sighted the dis
abled San BuenaVentura captain
Paulsen sent Second Mate Johaan
Sivertsen and four men to the rescue
in a lifeboat. After an exciting bat
tie with the heavy seas the small boat
reached the side of the San Buena-
ventura. Mrs. Rappmundt, the BABY
and the Rappmundt boy were taken
into the lifeboat. Then Mate Erlck-
sen was lifted over the side. one by
one the members of the crew, nearly
exhausted after their many hours at
the pumps, deserted the Wrecheo
coaster. ..., A.
D,rt ut
leave the ship.
"Sheu STAY ahoat for a week yet,
and I'll stay with her." he shouted TO
his men.
IT. was not until Mrs. Rappmundt
threatened to leap into the sea Wltn
the baby in her arms that the snip
master finally yielded.
The San Buenaventura swung away
in the swash of the sea and-Was lost III
the darkness, a derelict.
The schooner left Eureka at 10 oc!ocR
Wednesday morning for Altata, Mexico
with a cargo of redwood and pine lum-
her. much of it slowed on deck. The
bar was breaking high as she passed
out of Humboldt bay and headed FOL
the sea. Twenty miles off shore sht
encountered a gale, and early IN the
afternoon was hoVe-to, and her main
Lose Mainsail
AS the afternoon wore on the storm
increased in fury, and before nighttaU
the mainsail had been carried away
During the night she sprung leak
and by midnight three feet of water
stood in the hold. The men were SCI
| to the pumps. From then Oh until the
rescue they never left them.
Thursday the schooner was buffeted
around like a cork She was beyond
control, and her seams threatened tc
open. Capt. Rappmundt ordered the
deckload lashings cut. This was done
and the cargo above deck was washed
away in the sea. Then the boom went
by the board.
All this time the San Buenaventura
was driving before a southwest hurri-
cane. She was constantly awash, and
was rapidly being driven toward the
oregon coast.
Thursday night the men asked Capt
Rappmundt to give his attention to the
woman and child, and all night long the
two parents and the little one sal
huddled on the afterdeck. The captain
and his wife We're waist deep i'll water
| On Friday Capt. Rappmundt took his
bearings and determined that he was
off the coast near Coos Bay. Late that
afternoon while the schooner wallOwed
decks under, twenty miles north of tho
northwest seal rocks, the FairhaVen
bound from Port Gamble for San Fran
cisco, hove in sight.
The crew Of the San Buenaventura
are F. w. Beecher ]. Anderson, j
Cosscovey, Gus Malerdaers and A
TomisSen.