The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-05

through and were pulling hard,
straight into the crests, eastman
in the stern sheets steering with
an oar.
IRON the shore a cheer from
Il the hundreds gave them
grace. But it did not help much
when they drew near the founder
ing steamer. There, in the bright
ness of sudden, cold sunshine,
they found vast green and white
sheets rising and sinking around
the stricken. vessel and their own
small craft rose and dipped like
hobbyhorse.
1t rose once on a roller-while
passengers above them, as though
under some dark enchantment
and as those ashore peered with
silent, terrified intensity-and as
a second comber caught its stern
it tipped upside down.
Eight men were out in a heavy
sea. -Four got hold of the capsized
boat and hung fast. Another
caught the painter. Two more
chung to oars. The other floun-
dered feebly in his oilskins and sea
boots.
Far out where rescue ships that
morning hove to, staying a safe
distance from the heaving wreck,
dory then set out, then a power
boat, and along the cliff ashore
hundreds raced toward Stage
Point, which jutted out 100 yards
into the foaming surf.
Past that point the lost crew
f1oated, not so yards offshore, but
with none able to give them aid;
past it and on along the coast, as
two airplanes began to swoop
down and circle over them-swoop
down within five feet of the
blanched, distorted faces, but
without avail.
THEY drifted past Stage Point
l. and into the fight which lies
between Stage Point and Indian
Hill, four now clinging to the boat.
the others f1oundering grotesquely.
One let go of the floating oar to
which he had chung and disap-
peared. Another began to slump
face down in the water.
Ashore the crowd rushed out an
old dory. The power boat, too,
went to the rescue. Seven of the
eight they got, four from the cap
sized boat and three from the
water-while other Coast Guards
men were beginning the rescue
work on the Robert E. Lee.
eastman was brought through
the surf and placed on a stretcher.
Men made human chain along
the icy, winding stairway of the
cliff and handed the stretcher up
ward. Six steps UP the railing
broke and heavy, helpless Cash
man fell into a snowdrift.
They tried again. They got him
up. But when DR.. Walter Shurt-
left saw him little later he said,
I'm afraid we can't save him."
MEANWHILE, as the sea grew
1VI calmer, Coast Guard YES
sells rush the work of rescue on
the Robert E. Lee. The steamer
obviously was doomed, the emer-
gency growing more acute every
moment.
But every man, woman and
child on the ship was saved that
March II, 1928, 20 miles south
of Boston.
The Coast Guard patrol boat
Bonham brought in 96 passen-
gers. The patrol boat Active
brought in 81. The Bonham went
back and brought in the re-
mainder.
Presumably, in the storm. one
fash buoy off Manomet Point
had been mistaken for another,
and the ship had piled in direct
ly upon Mary Ann rocks.
Chief Mate R. r. McDonough
would not commit himself.
1--WE drove ashore in a snoV-
storm" he said. That's all there
is to say"
DR.. Shurtleff, caring for Bill
eastman. who had taken the
first mighty chances, had some
thing to say, though, later. While
the rescued passengers were
speaking happily, in the loud and
jovial voices of relief after stress,
the doctor came into the Coast
Guard Office, and said:
eastman has just died, boys"
1t was quiet after that. No one
even reached for a telephone.
TOMORROW-HIbe S25-a-
month dream, by Forrest Davis.