The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-01-06
TWELVE LOST
In SHIPWRECK
For Seventeen Stormy Days
StewardesS Cheered Starv-
ing Crew of Urann.
LATER SWEPT INTO SEA
The Only Three Survivors of
American SchOOner's Crew
Finally Reach Port.

Yankee ingenuity and daring still ex-
list on the deep sea traversed in these
war times by the finest of American
fore-and-aftes. as was revealed yes
terday by three survivors of the five
masted schooner Marcus L. Urann In the
yarn Of the tragic struggle OF a gallant
ships company. including a young
American woman, Mrs. William Johnson.
wife of the steward. in tempests that
finally claimed the ships eleven men.
who were inspired by the lone woman's
fortitude.
The lucky trio who arrived here yes
terday by the British steamship Omega.
are Leonard Fuller OF Port ST. Joe. Fla,
Angelo Dova. American citizen of Greek
birth. and Daily Ducett. Nova Scotian.
The Urann, oak clipper. Maine built
and stanch as they make them Down
East. got a war order of lumber for Italy,
and the skipper, J. J. Elliot. and all
hands were offered bonus IL she got
through the submarine peril in the Med
iterranean. She sailed from Port St.
joe Fla early In November with her
hold jammed and her decks piled high
with half dry and green pine.
soon Became waterIoRRed.
The schooner ran into heavy weather
on November IA. when nearly two weeks
out and about 400 miles east of Ber-
muda and sprang leak. The logy green
josts absorbed the water swiftly and the
next morning the schooners deck had
, sunk almost to sea level.
Capt. Elliot decided to abandon ship
the first chance he got In the evening,
4 ,I nf
men were in the shelter OF the after
. house. the skipper saw the lights Of a
, steamship about five miles away. Fuller
! and Dova went to the masthead and shot
. off rockets. The steamship might not
, have seen them. as she kept on her
course.
The next day. November IS, found the
gale unabated. The two llfeboats had
! / been carried away with the deckload,
the iashings of which had parted. Heavy
timbers lifted by the crests were hurled
against the ships sides and pounded
, holes in her.
Another steamship hove in sight that
night. The rockets had been exhausted
signalling the night before. and Fuller
: who is young and active. was sent alpft
2 10 wave a torch made of oakum soaked
in turpentine. The steamship stopped
for a few minutes and then sailed away.
I Sea Rises Again.
a There was a lull in the turbulence and
q the skipper and his mate improvised a
distilling apparatus of n lavatory tank
. lead pipes and a metal cover Tor the
!. tank The salt water was heated in the
tank and steam from it. condensing on
9 the metal cover, drpped into bucket
h from the pipes. This was done in the
cabin of the after house, the only part
81 shin that was COmDletely out OF
the sea.
The sea rose uproarlously again on
November 81. carrying away the main
and mizzen masts. All hands dashed
themselves to the after house.
The cheerful manner OF the steward
ess acted as spur to the men. She
bore all her troubles like veteran
, Naturally, everybody tried to make hei
= | comfortable The next day was not sc
stormy and the second mate, John Nc
Neal of Gloucester, decided to make a
lifeboat and risk with any one whc
cared to go with him the dangers ol
the open sea. At the end of six days the
boat, made of planks covered win SAIL
IS cloth, was finished.
l., Meanwhile. on November 25. the fore
IS mast went by the board. partly through
J. the force of the gale and partly through
If the action of the loose lumber under
= the swaying decks. Bunks were impro
It vised in the cabin of partition stun ano
,e sailcloth the stewardess getting tht
IS best, which she did not want, and ar
IF effort was made to keep warm from 6
d Are in a big pan in the middle or tht
floor Invading seas put out the hre.
= The skipper knew that the old huik
= floating on her cargo, might drift fo'
a weeks. but his fear was that in succeed
X ing storms all hands might be washed
n away despite lashings, and all wore lie
NH lnn
% and when Second Mate McNeal wa
q ready to launch his lifeboat the skippe
Q gave him four gallons of distilled water
"a The mate elected to go with McNeal
n and when in comparatively calm SEA
they nut their fimsy boat over the res
"A of the crew shook hands with them
= commencing their pluck and wishing
,S them luck.
% They had besides the water some po
tatoes, hardtack and a compass. The.
set a handkerchief Of sail and soon van
I ished below the horizon. They have no
been heard from since
e Others swept to Death.
The fiercest blow Of all came out o
ID the frosty northwest on December
be kicking up chfflike crests. There wcr
IN four lashed to the top Of the after house
1t. the skipper. the steward and his wifi
H. and Able Seaman Simmons. One or tn
* crests swept them to death.
H. The rest of the ships company ha
tied their lashings to the taffrail. whic
p was almost intact. Another monste
he wave that smote the taffrai carries
We away all except Ducett and Simmons
he Fuller, mighty swimmer. got bac
Of within q few yards OF the wreck an
ly caught q line thrown out by Simmon
mt and got back to the rail, Fuller tor
p Off his lifebelt and sent 1t flying towar
ut the Greek, who seized 1t and was haule
i" aboard.
The stern of the vessel was In DANCE
of being pounded out by the swayin
rudder. and Simmons volunteered
: make it fast with lashings While h
was trying to do the hazardous trick
- great sea tore him away, and he wa
seen no more. After this Dova, tn
-. Greek. went mad from his suffering
~, and Fuller and Ducett bound him. Raj
a.. came, and they caught 1t In piece {
tie canvas.
ia The welcome steamship smoke cur
spelling their salvation came the ne,
mt day, December 4. and the Spanish steam
he ship Mar del Norte took them aboar
tly killed a special COW for them and iande
10 them Mt st. Michaels. where they boardt
W. the Omega. Fuller lost the third fng,
ri. of hiA. left hand and the Greek. WI
. swiftly recovered his reason. was bad
ilacerated on the legs.
i.