The New York herald., 1922-12-27
GALE BLOWS RESCUE
TO SINKING SCHOONER
Drives Freighter Fifteen
Miles From Course to
Sight Derelict.
AMERICAN FLAG HELPS
Hoisted After Storm Had
Ripped Away British
Ensign and Sails.
SPIED BY RESCUE SHIP
sPIED BY RESCUE SHIP
The Menominee Saves Captain
and Grew and Schooner
Goes Down in Flames.

three masted knockabout schooner
Gordon c. Fudge, plaything OF tenn
pests many days. radioless and quite
as isolated as if she were sailing the
atlantic In the primitive era of the
old Yankee clippers, gave thanks yes
terday for the storm that drove an
Atlantic Transport freighter fifteen
miles cut of her course and thus saved
him and his crew Of five hardy young
Newfoundlanders from death IN boil
ing seas. The skipper believes he may
be classed with the concentrated crew
OF the famous Nancy brig as master,
owner. agent and navigator of the
Fudge.
Also Capt. Fudge is proud of the
part big American flag played in
The rescue by the Menominee. His
schooner flew the British merchant
ensign, but she was originally a Yam
I1ee ship. having been launched IN
Essex. Mass, as the Marine in the
year the United States entered the
world war, and was therefore true
nautical war baby.
American War Baby.
When Capt. Fudge bought her he also
got her ensign. At the elimination Of
shreds the skipper thought of the Amer
ican flag in the locker. and that was
lashed, union down, TO the mizzen top
mast. That is why Capt. Ernest Finch
and the officers of tho Menominee first
supposed that they were about to have
n hands across the sea tubilation by
saving Yankee crew.
After she had taken off all hands and
found that they were OF the far flung
British Empires sea rowing stock the
world ashore n photographic account Of
the rescue. After rescuers and rescued
arrived here yesterday afternoon they
spun the real yarn. The unfinished
voyage OF the Gordon C. Fudge began
on September II, when she sailed from
Grady, on tho Labrador coast, with salt
fish for Gibraltar for orders that took
her to Valencia. She ran into bad
weather, carrying away bulwarks, and
vas forced 10 jettison ESQ quintals OF
fish She was patched up at Valencia
and went to Tcrre Vaja. where she took
aboard $50 tons Of salt.
On the homeward trip after passing
the Azores the Fudge had nothing but
weather. Sails were blown from bolt
ropes or torn TO ribbons by the fiercest
gales the skipper ever encountered in
his rough weather career. Tho climax
of the turbulence came on December 90.
when the schooner was about 1909
miles east of Sandy Hook. Seams had
opened and all hands were weary from
constant work at the pumps and dodg-
ing graybacks that roared aboard
smashing and carrying away tho two
boats, and thus all hope Of abandoning
the ships without help
American Flag sighted.
Finally the rudder went and the little
ship drifted into the trough of the sea.
They hoisted the British ensign upside
down, and II was whipped to tatters In
the blast. That was on the morning OF
December 81. Then the Stars and
Stripes was lashed to the mizzentop and
the Menominee's second officer Harold
Foster, on the bridge, spied the Yankee
bunting DclOIt lie bOl Nlit iuAl Oulilbco
OF the schooner, which had lost all can
vas except shred of staysail and a
mere handkerchief of q foresail Every
other stitch of muslin had been carried
away.
II happened that at this particular
time. 2 30 in the afternoon, there was a
iull between cyclones. and IL was possi-
bic to launch boat without seriously
irnperiling the crew. Fourth Officer
G. -f.t- g.. r..<Y
hard pull over the long ewells. Before
this Capt. Finch had asked the New
toundland skipper what he could do for
him and Capt. Fudge answered that the
Fudge was sinking and all hands wanted
20 be taken off.
Although there had been little sleep
board the battered wreck ror many
iays. everybody was unusually cheerful.
particularly Pat Hickey. able seaman.
who shouted 20 Mackie as the ifeboat
cane alongside. I've got cheroot (;
have YOU got natch?" Mackie grlnned
Mt the optimistic Hickey and tossed him
n match He lighted up and n moment
later. putting contentedly, was helping
to pull the lfoboat by her painter closer
20 the wreck.
Schooner Set ON Fire.
In half an hour the rescued skipper
and his men were aboard tho Menom-
inee. Before leaving the schooner her
skipper set fire 20 her, and when he
looked back. with many Of the men OF
the Menominee, he saw the stars and
Stripes shining through the smoke and
remarked that II was her privilege to 20
down flying the flag under which she
Sid down the ways Ave years ago.
The next day another mighty blow
humpbacked the sea, and Capt. Fudge
reflected yesterday that this would have
meant his doom II the Menoninee had
not drifted down his way we had
luck" he added. getting away when
we did. for. although all hands at the
pumps had managed to keep the water
n the hold from swamping her. when
we left she filed rapidly and we never
would have kept afloat another night"
The skipper and his men will be sent
hack TO Newfoundland by the Red Cross
timer Sylvia, sailing to-day.
POLICE PASSES REVOKED.