The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1961-03-17
This Man Fell Dead.

Il Surfman Land was the second 10
). approach but before they could
reach him he was soon 10 relax his
i efforts; his head fell forward upon
his breast, and when drawn from
the water he was quite dead. Surf
man Tedford was the next man
landed. He was unable to speak al
though conscious and having the
use of his limbs. His hfe-belt was
removed, and with men rubbing his
limbs he was supported in walking
a short distance to quicken circu-
lation, until he gave those as
sisting to understand by signs that
he could reach the station without
further help. He got to within a
few yards of the house and there
fell prone upon the snow from ex-
haustion. Fortunately, his wife,
who lived near the station, was on
her way to the shore, having just
learned of the dreadful accident.
Her coming at that moment seems
providential.
Seeing her husband fall, she
FASTENED to his assistance, and with
the help Of another woman, carried
him indoors to the station fire,
where he soon revived. After leav-
ing Tedford, Keeper Barco turned
his attention to Etheridge. Two of
the party were endeavoring to
bring him to, but it seemed a hope
less case; he was unconscious and
appeared to be dying. The medicine
chest was at hand, but Keeper Be
langa had taken the key in his
pocket.
1t took but a moment, however,
to burst it open with boat-hook,
fort was made to administer slim
that had washed ashore, and an eff
ulant. This did not succeed as the
sufferer could not swallow, so after
doing all that was possible by rub
bling his limbs and using other
means to induce warmth and start
the blood circulation, he was put on
the boat carriage and hurried to
the station where the women took
him in charge. Under their care he
slowly recovered, and in few
short hours could sit up.
Brave Keeper Persisted.
Keeper Belanga by this time had
also been dragged from the water,
some distance farther south. He
was unconscious, his eyes were
fixed and bloodshot and his breath
ing short and labored, indicating
congestion. The life-belt was torn
from his body and brandy sent for,
but before it could be brought from
the medicine chest a short distance
; away, the brave keepers life had
ebbed away. He lived not more than
three or four minuts after leaving
the water. In fact, life was nearly
gone when aid reached him.
Surfman Etheridge declared that
he owed his safety in "a great meas
ure to the Keepers assistance the
latter, as they swan in company
towards the shore, encouraging him
to hold out and helping him to re-
move his cumbersome long rubber
boots, expressing his regret while
doing so that he could not remove
his own, which were hold by straps
or suspenders passed over his
shoulders inside his oil skin coat
and life-preserver, which he could
not disengage. Could he have
shaken the boots off he would have
reached the shore sooner and
doubtless been saved. He was an ex-
cellent swimmer.
The bodies of two Of the German
sailors were. recovered shortly
, after Belanga's death, farther
south; also the bodies of Surfman
Stone, Spartley and James Be-
langa, all with belts on. The body
of Captain Halberstadt, also wear
ing a life-belt, was washed ashore
an hour or so later, just south OF
the Little Island station, or three
miles from the wreck. By that time,
; the boat of the Dam Neck Mills
Station had arrived, but it was too
late, the sad affair was over.
The bodies of the rest of the
ships company, save five, all with
out life-presevers, were recovered
on the following two days miles
further south, the hast one being
found thirteen miles from the
wreck. thus, out of twenty-nine
men, but two escaped Etheridge
and Tedford. With the exception of
the Captains and that of one pass
enger, (Hollmann), the names of
the Germans who persisted were not
ascertained, as the ships papers
were lost.
The names added by this melancho-
" disaster to the roll of heroes of
the Service who have given up their
lives that others might by their eff
forts be saved, are as follows:
Keeper Abel Belanga and Surfmen
George w. Stone and John H. Land
of the Little Island Station and
Surfman James E. Belanga and
Joseph Spartley of Dam Neck
! ~ IT..