Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-17
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
Buenaventura, Makes
San Francisco
Associated pressl

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 16.-Capt.
Paul Rappmundt. his wife and g.
months-old son Paul, jr., and the seven
schooner San Buenaventura arrived
here tonight on the steamer FairhaVen,
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 berore 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
iured on Wednesday afternoon when
the cargo of lumber shifted. Three OF
his ribs We're fractured, and 1t is
probable that he is internally injured.
J. CosscoVey, a 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 bapy
and the Rappmundt boy were taken
into the lifeboat. Then Mate Erlck-
sen was lifted over the side. One by
ono the members of the crew, nearly
exhausted after their many hours at
the pumps, deserted the wrecked
Rnt Captain Rappmundt refused to
leave the ship.
"She'l STAY afoat for a week yet,
and I'll stay with her, he shouted TO
his men. ,z
They pleaded with him in vain, and
it, was not until Mrs. Rappmundt
threatened to leap into the sea VIII
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 O'CLOCK
Wednesday, morning for Altata, Mexico
with a cargo of redwood and pine lum-
ber. much of it slowed on deck. Inc
bar was breaking high as she passed
out of Humboldt bay and headed fol
the sea. Twenty miles off shore she
encountered a gale, and early in the
afternoon was hove-to, and her main
sail double-reefed.
Lose Mainsail
AS the afternoon wore on the storm
Increased in fury, and before nighttal
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 Sc
to the pumps. From then Oh until the
rescue they never left them.
! Thursday the schooner was buffetec
around like a cork. She was beyonc
control, and her seams threatened tC
open. Capt. Rappmundt ordered the
declxload 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, anc
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 in water
| On Friday Capt. Rappmundt took his
| bearings and determined that he was
off the coast near Coos Bay. Late thai
| afternoon while the schooner WalloWeC
decks under, twenty miles north of Tho
| northwest seal rocks, the FairhaYen
| bound from Port Gamble for San Fran.
| cisco, hove in sight.
The crew of the San BuenaVenture
are F. w. Beecher, j. Anderson, j
| Cosscovey, Gus Malerdaers and A
| TOmiSSen.