New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-06
Twelve Lost as Seas
Sweep Over Helpless
Lumber Boat
SIIRVIVORS SEE
MATES DROWN
Three. Lashed TO Cabin
Top. Tortured by Thirst
and Hunger

and Hunger
Tbr,. shipwrecked sailors reached
~. city yesterday. One was half
,,.z,d for they had spent eighteen
5,7s on 3 ship that was sinking foot
~ foot. Twelve Of their mates, includ-
~ Their captain. J. J. Ellis. Of Port
Richmond. Staten Island, and three Of
s,,rs. had been swept into the sea.
The three we're the survivors Of the
f,,.mssted schooner Marcus L. Urran,
Which foundered 400 miles east Of Ber-
nvds on December 4. They were res
,pss in a semi-delirious condition by
,hs Mar Del Norte. and taken to s..
Michele and brought from that port
here on the Barber liner Omega.
aNever shall I forget the screams
sf the men as the big rollers sucked
them down. while I stood powerless to
help said Leonard Fuller, Of Port St
Joe. Fla, one Of the survivors.
az sure an glad TO get back to the
Z. S. A." continued Fuller, in his
slow Southern drawl Seated on
, bunk in the Onegs's fo'castle, the
youngster spun his yarn, for youngster
/, all he is, despite his twenty-four
Years. and there was no trace of great
deeds done in his clear blue eyes and
quiet smile.
Shipmates Tell Story
His two shipmates, Angelo Dova,
Greek, forty years old, who occasion
slv starts and looks wide-eyed and
nunbles "Donta forget Angelo; An
rso. he there, too; he saw everything"
and DAILY Dueett, a Nova Scotian, who
speaks coekney. his words tumbling
over themselves ahead Of his ideas,
both nodded approval to the "hd's"
story, occasionally supplementing a
date, or making other minor corrcc-
tons.
Modesty as though he were reciting
the adventure Of another and not his
own rscking experiences, Len Fuller
told how Daily and he had struggled
with the Greek who had been driven
insane through suffering and attacked
them. They bound him and kept him
.ashed until the rescue ship came.
"Well, ] guess you all want the yarn
from the beginning, so ! might as well
begin there began Len. I'VE left
Port St. Joe, Fla, in the Urran on Oc-
tober 26, bound for Naples with cargo
OF Florida pine. The Urran was a good
old fve-master, and we had all sails
set as we passed the capes. A little
outside 10 began 10 blow and blow
harder every day. Our cargo began to
shift as 10 vas piled about seven feet
high on deck, and the waves would oc-
essonally wash over, and pretty soon
It became waterlogged. Waterlogged is
rght, as on each wave she didn't rise
nearly as high as to the one before.
Schooner Springs Leak
Then on November II we sprung a
bad leak. We we're beating to wind
ward about 400 miles off Bermuda, and
ne would come about occasionally TO
ny and fix 10. but it was no use. The
water just came pouring in, and al
though we all pumped for all we were
worth the water kept getting higher
shd higher. The next day we all had 10
20 sft, as We couldn't remain in the
mold any longer.
That night Captain Ellis sent me
ana DAILY here up in the rigging to see
we couldn't sight a ship. About 9
p m. we saw the lights OF a vessel
toout three miles distant, and | bawled
Gown to the captain, and he fired sew
eral rockets, but the ship didn't pay
any attention.
Ny, but it was cold. We were
soaked through from sea spray, and
we WIND just went right through us.
l"o nours later we came down, and
hIedled up together in the lee Of the
C@oin house, but even that wasn't much
protection. Angelo here had lost his
ooois and had to rip of his shirt and
We II about his feet to keep from
freezing lie had an oilskin jacket,
but no hat.
When morning came l climbed for
Nsid and rescued about four gallons
u fresh water we had in the fo'castle.
nst was better, because we'd all been
eyhg Of thirst. Tho salt spray makes
we powerful thirsty, can tell you.
Crew Put on Life Belts
That day We all put on lfebelts,
aaa Hyed best We could, and got some
eep' When ! woke up nearly all our
eeek load had washed over. ripping a
o'g hole in the deck forward The
ss@,er Just sloshed around back and
lotih, and we couldn't do anything 10
sop II. When the deck load went il
eSrned away our forward lifeboat,
which we hadn't been able to save, as
!. was too risky business crawling over
Hst big pile Of shifting lumber. That
hlght the captain sent me up TO the
nggng again 10 look for a boat. |
made me a torch out of oakum soaked
" turpentine, and waved it about for
nearly an hour. All our rockets had
Oeen used the night before.
Pretty soon ! saw another steamer
IN the distance, and she headed toward
Us All right, Cap | shouted; we're
saved now But then my old torch
vent out. Yes. sir: they tried TO send
NE up another, but 'twssn't any use.
None Of 'em would burn. The steam
~, which had headed for us, came on
eute bit, then stopped still and
vent on her course again. most
Sfied when | saw her lights dipping
uoNn yOnder over the horizon.
=, Next day all our water was gone,
lnough We all tried TO drink as little
ss Possible, and We had to find some
arrangement TO distil sea water.
'nauy Capn Ellis hit upon a plan OF
Continued on page 10. column