The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-09-27

The search turned to Kenosha waters
late Saturday afternoon. Capt. William
Lahmann ST., aged 70, veteran lake
sailor and father of William Lahmann,
one of the members of the crew of the
missing boat, was i'll charge "The AL
ice," tug that has been in search
since the Forelle was first found to be
missing. For many weary hours the
father and his searching party cruised
between Milwaukee and Kenosha in
vain for some trace of the fruit ship.
Finally at II o'clock Saturday night
Capt. William Kincaid, in charge of
the United States coast guard station
at Milwaukee, received a telegram
from tug captain saying that he be-
lieved he had seen fruit baskets float
ing on the waters of Lake Michigan
near Kenosha.
Sea Gull Rides Basket.
The coast guard cutter, manned by
the crew which for hours had searched
the lake, again set sail and reached
Kenosha waters about 4 o'clock Sunday
morning. With a choppy sea, it was
hard for them to discover anything
floating on the top of the waters.
Capt. Kincaid finally sighted a sea-
gull perched high on the water. AS
the cutter approached the >seagull
tapped its wings and flew away. The
boat drew up to the birds hidden perch
and dragged an empty grape basket
from the water.
In that same vicinity were found II
empty grape baskets, all Of which have
nowN been identified as parts of the
cargo of the missing ship.
KenOsha Guard is Busy.
Capt. William McGaw and members
of the Kenosha coast guard who have
been on the watch since the boat was
reported missing, We're informed of the
find and began their search with new
vigilance. All day long on Sunday
they secured the Kenosha waters
About three miles out from the harbor
they found a starboard light screen
and a mile south of Kenosha the port
light screen was found thrown up on
the shore.
Capt. McGaw believes that these
screens were torn from the ship as i,
sank and that this constitutes Strong
evidence that the boat went to Davy
Jones' locker somewhere off the Keno
sha coast. A strict watch was being
maintained all day long for any other
traces of the boat or of its crew of
five who if the boat sank must have
gone down with it.
Found Life Preserver at Racine.
At Racine on Saturday life belt on
which was painted in red the name
Steamer Forelle" was brought by two
lads to the coast guard station there.
1t was thought at first that this had
been washed off the deck of the ship
and established without doubt that the
vessel had gone to the bottom some
where near Knosha or Racine. Later
investigation revealed that the life
belt had been found between the har-
Dor and Wind Point light on either
Monday or Tuesday, two days before
the boat left the Milwaukee harbor.
This is indication that the. belt was
lost on the trip from Milwaukee ano
not on the Inflated return.
Sank Trying to Reach Kenosha.
Capt Kincaid of Milwaukee believes
that the boat sank while it was trying
to make the Kenosha harbor as a
refuge from the storm.
"The tale of the laundering of the
Forelle is the tale of battle between
an experienced courageous sailor and
Lake Michigan, dashed to the fury, by
TIE elements" declared Capt. Kincaid
as he related his conclusions regarding
the ship.
Capt. Tamms and the Forelle clear
ed Benton Harbor, Mich, at 4:30 p. m
Wednesday. The cargo was 5000 bas-
kets of grapes for the Milwaukee mar
ket. This was about half the capacity
of the tug. 1t was not overloaded as
has been reported. Some of the fruit
was piled on the deck, to speed un-
loading. After five hours of good
weather came the storm. dashed by 0
40-mile wind the hitherto calm waters
beat high. The. Forelle, weatherina
the gale, continued on its course, tack.
ing to avoid the east and west through
of the waves.
Something Went Wrong.
"Had everything gone we'll, the tug
,and it's crew would have arrived safely
IN Milwaukee, despite the gale. Blu
one of two things happened. Eithe,
they had engine trouble or somethins
went wrong with the steering appara,
tus, when about five miles south Of
Kenosha.
"In either case, it appears that Capt
Tamms, sensing the danger, tried t.
make Kenosha. Because of the Grips
pied condition of the tug, he was un
able to tack and keep out of the troug!
of the waves. The Forelle, wallowina
helplessly in the heaving water, mus
have been turned over by huge wave
finding its way to the bottom quickly
"The men may have been imprisoned
in the engine room and gone dowr
with her. They may have been tossed
into the water before they could pull
on life preservers. All of the men arr
Gead. There can be no question o.
that. 1t would have been physical
impossibility for any person, with OF
without life preserver, to have livet
more than an hour in the storm"
The crew consisted of Capt Tamms
Engineer Julius Never, 642 Hanovel
street; William Lahmann, 1923 Green.
field avenue and Carl and Walter Ro.