Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-08-31
BOY OPERATOR
SAvES56FR0M|
WATERY GRAVE
Lad Sends Out Plea When
Lexington is Breaking to
Pieces and Revenue Cut
ter Comes to Rescue.
FIFTEENLIVES
LOST IN THE STORM

Reports From Districts
Around Charleston, S. c.,
Swell List of Victims
Damage 81 100000.
Charleston, S. c., Aug. 3O.-To> the
courage of Wireless Operator Sheesley
is year old lad, the liner Lexing-
toms twelve passengers and crew OF
forty-four say they owe their lives.
Storm-ruled for hours, her nose driven
deep in the quicksands off Hunting
Island, with seas dashing over her,
the Lexington threatened to break up
and fling her human cargo into the
sea. But Sheesley, the wireless oper-
ator, did not despair. Persistently he
licked out his call for help and kept
the terror-stricken passengers from
abandoning hope. Finally a terrific
wave swept the ship and wrecked the
wireless station on board. For a
moment it seemed that hope was
dashed, but Sheesley climbed into the
rigging and hastily fixed up station.
In imminent danger of his life from
the high wind which threatened to
tear him from his seat and blinded by
the spray, Sheesley sent out his plea
for aid. Suddenly through the storm
he was answered by the revenue cut
ter Yamacraw, which had heard his
call, and came to save the lives OF
the Lexington's crew and passengers.
The twelve passengers. q steward
and three negro employees on the Lex.
ington were brought h-re by the Yam
acraw. Two firemen were reported to
have drowned and third to have been
terribly scalded when the vessel
grounded. First Officer Chamberlain
suffered fracture of his right shout
der.
The Lexington was bound from Saw
vannah to Philadelphia. Three times
she was covered with water, the
pumps expelling enough to clear the
upper portions and float the stern.
Passengers incessently prayed for
the abatement Of the storm and when
the government steamer hove in sight
q mighty cheer of relief went up from
the stricken people on the Lexington.
When the captain realized the danger
of the liners breaking up at any min.
uate he had life preservers strapped
on every passenger.
Crew Rescued In Storm.
New York, Aug. 30.--The steamer
Mohawk, of the Clyde line, report in a
message via the United Wireless early
today that she had rescued all but one
of the crew OF the schooner Malcolm
B. Seavey, which, according to the
message, went down off Georgetown,
s. c., during the recent hurricane.
The dispatch received here was as fol
lows:
ION board s. S. Mohawk, Buxton,
Aug. 30.-Captain Kendall OF the
Clyde liner Mohawk rescued the crew
of the schooner Malcom B. Seavey,
whicn was sunk in six fathoms of wa
ter off Georgetown, S. C.
Captain Henry NJ Dodge, first OF.
f1cer, A. E. Southard, second officer
w. Norton and all the crew were saw.
ed with the exception Of one man who
was lost overheard Saturday night.
"The sea was running high and and
the first officer and four sailors of the
Mohawk experienced much difficulty
in reaching the Seavey."
The Mohawk is bound from Jack.
sonville to New York.
Death List Placed at 49,
Charleston, S. c., Aug, 30.-Addi.
tional reports from the country sur.
rounding Charleston received here
bring the list of dead as result OF
the disastrous storm of Sunday night
up to fifteen. This list is expected to
be enlarged when reports are received
from the more remote sea islands. Es
Inmates place the property damage to
the neighborhocd of $1,OOO,0OO and re
ports of losses to shipping interests
continue to come in.
The bodies of Miss Ida Morgan and
Miss Rose Robinson were found buried
beneath their house which had been
floated off in the storm. Five persons
Mr. and Mrs. Goodson, Mrs. and Miss
Richter and Lillian Slender, lost their
lives when the Wappoo mills, just
across the Ashley river, from the city
were swept away.
Charleston now rests tranquil, under
slear skies. The streets are strewr
with wreckage and with uprooted trees
The waterfront is In many places dis
mantled It is feared, however, that
the cotton and rice crops have beer
dealt staggering blow. Efforts are
being made to clear the debris to pre-
vent an epidemic
Man Killed at Davenport.
Davenport, Aug. 30.-A man, prob
ably a laborer, but unidentified, was
struck by Rock Island train at Lin
wood near here at o'clock this morn
ing and sns.,~tlY killed