The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-07-10
BY HARRY p. MOORE.

fate Of the crew and the five
masted schooner Carroll A. Deer
ing, which came ashore at Dia-
mond Shoals on January 307
Miss Wormell has been of in
valuable aid to the various Gov
eminent agencies who are investi-
eating the sea mystery and who
are trying to learn whether the
Deering fell prey on the high
seas to pirates who either kidnapped
the crew or made them walk the
plank to their deaths.
Capt. Willis b. Wormell, who
was the skipper of the Deering,
is the father of the nervy and
sturdy young Maine girl who has
displayed remarkable detective
abilities in her deductions and in
vestigation Of the mystery which
shrouds the disappearance of the
crew and the appearance off Dia-
mond Shoals Of the schooner with
all sails set.
NOTE FOUND IN BOTTLE
With the finding Of the note in
bottle which was washed ashore at
Buxton, N. C., stating that the Deer
ing had been seized by an oil-burn-
ing boat-something like a chaser
and which the authorities frst be-
lieved was a hoax. Miss WormeIl set
out to learn the identity Of the writer
OF the appeal.
Setting out with the note. Miss
WormeIl visited the home of each
member of the crew, showed the
handwriting and compared 1t with
letters the sailors had sent to their
relatives. 1t was at the home OF
Herbert Bates, engineer OF the
schooner that the letter writing was
Identified as his and this Identified
tion later was further confirmed by a
handwriting expert.
This young woman, who never
read detective stories or cared for
thrills in the movie films. further
set out to find from which country
the paper on which the writing ap-
peared had come. as well as the |
source of the bottle in which IL was |
found when washed ashore.
Her ingenuity has puzzled and |
caused the admiration of the Federal
authorities and agencies who are |
trying to unrayel the mystery
Should Miss Wormell succeed in
her determination to learn the fate |
of her father and the other members
of the crew OF the Deering the in
vestigating forces of the Government |,
believe the net result of her efforts
will clear the mystery of several |
other vessels which have disappeared |
on the high seas, not single member |
Of their crews being found to tell |
the fate of any of the boats.
Captain Wormell was one of tho !
best known shippers in America He
was regarded as an expert navigator. |
an excellent ship master and q /,
thorough sailor. In the language OF
the sea he could "set a course and |
reach his destination without a com |
pass" !
So when tho DeerinE. mastered By |
such a man as Captain WorTnell, came |
ashore with all sails not set and |
nothing alive on board except q |
parrot. 1t excited the interest Of
the maritime world.
MISS wORMELL sTIRs PROBE
After days elapsed and no word |
was received from the crew, Miss
Lula Wormell, daughter of the Deer
ing's skipper. came to Norfolk in the |
hope that she might learn something |
of the fate of her father.
II. do not believe my father was
she came ashore" she told guard
officials here.
81 am confident something has hap
pened to the Deering and my father"
She declared she was going to
make an Investigation.
How well she has progressed Is
shown by the CONNIE ndation she has
received from Secretary of Commerce
Herbert Hoover. the Departments OF I
Justice, Treasury, State and Navy.
1t Is mainly on the facts gathered
by Miss Wormell, that the depart
ments of the Government set agents
had been captured by bolsheviks or
ment sleuths tended to strengthen the
case made out by Miss WormeIl, and
today 1t is generally believed in WASH
ington that the Deering and the
steamer Hewitt were seized by IN
lawful hands en- the high seas The
of the steamer and the
fate of the crews of the two ships
to be ascertained.
1t Is the belief of Miss wormeII and
agents that the Deering
was seized by a gang of sea rovers
who sailed the vessel until they sight
ed the Hewitt Then they seized the
steamer and turned the schooner
adrift to be tossed about at will by
the sea and tide.
Miss Wormell found her biggest
clue as to the probable fate of the
behring's crew in a note that wash
ed ashore near Buxton, N C. This
note was picked up on the beach by
G. Gray, a resident of
Buxton. 1t came ashore in a bottle,
and 1t read:
'Deering seized by oil burning boat
like chaser. Handwriting
crew. Crew hiding all over ship. No
chance to make escape. Finder notify
headquarters of Deering."
Gray sent the note to tho head
quarters OF the coast guard at Nor
ok. Miss Wormell asked permits
lion to carry It back to Portland.
Me-. from which port the Deerinx
rallied and where several members
" the crew. including her father,
made their home. She went to the
tomas of eayh member of the crew
Who lived in Portland or nearby
owns She finally reached the hama |