Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-25
OORY DRIFTS TO SHORE;
EATRACEDy REVEALED
Two Men Freeze to Death,
Others Unconscious, in
Small Boat.

NANTUCKET. Mass, March %
Startling evidence Of sea tragedy was
revealed at Great Point, Nantucket Is
land. yesterday. when a dory from the
barge Stonington containing the body
Of Capt. Nelson Davis Of the barge and
that of a seaman, together with two I'M
conscious sailors, one OF whom was the
captains son. drifted ashore near the
Great Point life-saving station. Both Of
the bodies were frozen stiff. The sur
vivors suffered so severely from cold
and exposure that it is feared they, too,
will die.
The unconscious men were taken from
the beach to the Great Point life-saving
station, where the keeper and crew made
every effort to revive them. but with only
partial success. There was delay in find
ing medical assistance, and although the
stranded men were picked up yesterday
forenoon it was not until late in the att
ernoon that physician arrived from
Nantucket, six miles distant. The physf-
clan said that both of the men were In a
very serious condition and that their re-
covery was uncertain.
Disclosure of Disaster.
In moment Of consciousness one OF
the sufferers managed to say that they
left the Stonington about midnight Thurs
day night while off Bass river. when they
discovered that the craft was sinking.
Further than that nothing was CLEANED
from the lips OF the wreck victims.
The Stonington was the stern barge Of
three in tow of the tug Daniel Willard.
bound from New York to Boston. AL
though no details Of the story could be
obtained tonight from the barge men,
it is believed that they abandoned their
vessel only after they had attempted In
effectually to signal the men on the tug
and barges in front Of them. When they
found that they were unable to attract
attention they decided to take to the
dory. as their one small chance Of es-
Gaping death in the clustering north
wester.
Tossed by Seas for Hours.
For hours they were tossed about by
the heavy seas in their little craft until.
overcome by WEAKNESS and exposure, one
after another gave up the fight and sank
to the bottom Of the boat. 1t was about
ten hours after they pulled away from
the Stonington that their boat washed
ashore and was sighted by the life
savers.
Late last night the names Of the two
Scdiucu HdO not Deem learned. Capt. OdVlS
was native of Maine. It is understood
that his wife lives in New London, Conn.
After the finding Of the dory word was
received here from Vineyard Haven that
the tug Daniel Willard had arrived there
with the two other barges Of her tow
and that the Stonington had sunk.
Tug Anchors OF Bass River.
VINEYARD HAVEN. Mass, March Is.
The story of the loss of the Stonington
was told here yesterday by Capt. Fftz-
gerald of the tug Daniel Willard. Thurs
day night. as the wind increased in vio-
lence and a tremendous sea was pound
ing on the Nantucket shoals, Capt. Fitz-
gerald anchored of Bass river.
Capt. Fitzgerald and some Of the tugs
crew boarded the Stonington and were
astonished to find the boats gone and
that the four men of the Stonington's
crew had abandoned the barge. Further
investigation showed that there was an
eight-foot depth Of water in the barge's
hold.
Capt Fitzgerald tried to tow the barge
to this port, but the water gained rapid
ly. and at length the barge sank in
twelve fathoms Of water.
The Stonington was owned by the Erie
Railroad Company.