New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-11-06
ABANDONED SHIP SAFE;
4 Who LEFT HER LOST
Needless Tragedy of the Sea
Follows Grounding of
Fishing Schooner.
CAPTAIN AMONG MISSING
Men Picked Up in Dories Had
Thrilling Escapes-Vessel
Is Brought Safely
to Port.

Portland Me, Nov. 5-The death OF the
cook and the probable loss Of their cap
tain, Vincent Nelson, and three Of their
mates form part of a tale of the sea
brought here tonight by the survivors OF
the crew Of the Gloucester fishing schoon-
er Annie NJ. Parker.
The fact that their abandonment of the
stranded schooner near Nantucket and
the loss of life were unnecessary was not
known TO the crew until word reached
them tonight that the schooner was in
port at New Bedford, practically UNI
damaged.
Nine survivors of the Parker's crew
reached here aboard the lumber schooner
Triton, from Jacksonville. which had
picked them up from dories thirty miles
off Nantucket Sunday morning, after
they had been afoat twenty-four hours
without food or drink
Reuben Kenney. the cook, was swept
overheard from a dory while his mates
looked on, poweress to help.
The Annie VI. Parker, bound home from
the fishing grounds, went aground on
Rose and Crown Shoal, off the Nantucket
coast, early Saturday morning. The YES
sci was wracked by the waves, and the
crew agreed with Captain Nelson that
hope for safety lay in getting clear Of
their craft. So they abandoned her.
Three boats were put over the leeward
side before one was launched. The first
was smashed, and the second was
swamped, but the third was flcated and
eight men put out in it. Two other boats
were dropped overheard safely on the
windward side. The first held three men:
the last contained Captain Nelson and
three Of his crew.
II was pitch dark, and the dory crews
were lost to the view Of each other al
most in a moment The last seen of the
boat in which Captain Nelson left his
ship was when it was rounding the bow
of the schooner.
The men Of the other tow boats did
not see each other until daybreak When
they got together it was found that
neither had water or food.
They drifted about all that day and the
following night, constantly buffeted by
heavy seas, one of which carried Reuben
Kenney, the cook, over the stern. Ken
ney fought hard TO swim back TO the
boat, but went down before his comrades
could reach him.
When they were picked up by the Triton
on Sunday morning all the survivors were
nearly exhausted. The supplies aboard
the Triton were low and the ten added
hungry mouths taxed the schooners sup
ply TO the utmost. The Boston fisherman
Josie and Phoebe was sighted and hailed.
The skipper had no fish on board but he
set a trawl. lie pulled in a goodly catch
which, with flour and meal, was turned
over to the Tifton's captain.
Harry Nelson remained with the Josie
and Phoebe. in the hope that he might be
able TO obtain some trace of his father
and three mates.
BY an odd chance the Annie NJ. Parker
preceded her crew into a port. Staunch
and firm apparently, with only jib miss
ing, she was towed into New Bedford
to-day. raising the questions: why
should good ship be abandoned by her
crew." and Where was the crew."
The Parker had floated herself from
the ledge and had been sighted on Mon
day, drifting with all sails set, by the
British steamer Astrakhan. The steamer
placed a prize crew aboard and the
schooner arrived at the whaling port in
tow of the revenue cutter Gresham,
which was summoned by wireless.
The Parker sailed from Sydney, n. s.,
for Gloucester on October 26. Shortly
after leaving Sydney the fisherman ran
into northwest gales. With the run of
the tides she was driven far off her
course. After days Of jockeying with the
elements Captain Nelson found himself
on last Saturday morning near Nan
tucket, and was unable to work his vessel
off the lee shore.