The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1911-10-05
CONEY IS LIABLE
FOR L0SS0F THE
MARIE PALMER
JUDGE sPEER RULES THE TUG
ToWED THE SCHOONER roo
D. CLOSE TO SHORE.
The Vessel Was Lost of Frying Pan
Shoals in 1909 and the Case Has
Been in the United States Court
Since.

The following from the Savannah
Morning News of yesterday will prove
of interest to Brunswick people:
"a decision in the Marie Palmer ad
miraltv case, which was triea in Sa
vannah before Judge Seabrook as spe-
cial master, has been rendered by
Judge Speer sitting at Highlands, n
C. The findings favor the libellants
the tug Edgar F. Coney and the
South Atlantic Towing company
claimants, being held to be liable for
the loss of the schooner Marie Pal
mer, which foundered in Frying Pan
shoals, December /. 1909.
The case was one in which ship
ping interests all along the Atlantic
coast were vitally interested. The
Marie Palmer vas being towed from
a harbor in Lookout Blight near Beau
fort, N. c., by the tug Edgar F. Coney
of Brunswick. The weather was pro-
pitious when the voyage was begun
the proof showed, but late that after
noon the Palmer was towed aground
on Frying Pan shoals, one of the most
familiar and dangerous shoals on the
Atlantic coast.
Schooner Lost on Shoals.
The fine weather continued thai
night and the next day, but in a few
hours, notwithstanding the efforts or
the part of the tug Coney and other
tugboats and United States revenue
cutter, the Palmer was a complete
wreck. 1t was in this same locality
that the United States s1oop of wal
Huron and the steamship City of Sa-
vannah were wrecked.
"The Palmer was loaded with a
cargo of about $500 tons of fertilizer
in bulk, and thirty-fo tons in bags
The schooner, which had a carrying
capacity of about 3,100 tons, had foul
masts and was nine years old. She
was owned in New England by Will
liam F. Palmer and Others. During
the month previous to the accident
the schooner was completely over
hauled and put in first class condition
The voyage was begun at Carteret
N. j., and was bound for Savannah
with the fertilizer cargo.
"The Marie Palmer was in com
mand of Capt Arthur C. CLANCY
competent and qualified MASTER He
and his father owned 2-64 interest il
the vessel On her voyage near the
Virginia capes the schooner encoun-
tered heavy weather. When off Caps
Hatteras Captain CLANCY found thai
some of the fertilizer in the cargo ha(
been carried down by the waves TAX
en- aboard in such manner as to choke
all of the pumps save one. Under
these conditions the master sought ar
harbor in Lookout Blight, near Beau
fort, n. c. This-was done to cleal
the pumps and have an official sur
vey made of the cargo.
The. tug Coney was at that tins
lying in the harbor at Norfolk. She
was engaged to tow the Palmer Il
Savannah for s525 1t was while con
tinuing this journey that the acci
dent happened to the schooner ant
she was lost
"The claimant respondents denied
the schooner was seaworthy or prop.
erly equipped, and insisted that the
contract of towage was induced By
fraudulent concealment; that tht
schooner was badly leaking and un-
seaworthy; that the master and crew
continued in the work Of salving the
vessel until December 8, two days af
ter the wreck; that because of thu
leaky and unseaworthy condition o
the schooner she was CONSTANT!
sheering, making it difficult for tn
tug to steer and Keep her true course
Warned by Schooner's Master.
1T was shown by the evidence tina
the master of the schooner hailed th'
navigator on the tug about 6 o'clocl
of the afternoon Of the wreck an
warned him against going too near il
toward the shore.
Are you not pulling me too clos.
in here?' the master says he halle
the tug.
No, the chart gives US plenty O
water here; we have the gas buoy o.
our starboard beam; don't you see tn
gas bu 20 the master of the tug an
swered.
The master Of the schooner claim