Year: 1878

IMPORTANT STATEMENT OF ONE OF THE


CEEw-wAs SHE ABANDONED AND BURNED


pURposELY?


icw days ago there was published In the HERALD
an article giving account Of the late abandonment
and less at sea OF the American brig Lizzie H. Kim
oalL The statement which is given below was mado
by John +. Nelson, at present living In the New
Sailors Homo Pearl street. OF tho Of the
vessel HIS story d ners iu many respects with that
given BY the officers OF tho KimbalL He SAYS


shipped on the brig at Pensacoa,v Fla, on
the 7th OF November. There wero the Captain
(Stovcr), two mates, four seamen and boy. The
Captains wife board. From Pensacola the brig
sailed Tor Havana with load OF lumber the 10th
OF November ON the run out the weather being
somewhat rough, but not unusually for the
time Of year. We found on tho second day that tho
orig made considerable water. We were watch and
watch at the pumps until We reached Havana on the
l'h. Here tue cargo was discharged, and We took in
one OF sugar Tor Baltimore Tor which we sailed on
the 18th OF December The cargo was not heavy, the
capacity Of the vessel being of 300 tho sugar
measuring $50 tons, more or loss. When wo cleared
the MORO the vessel was making no water. In the
oiiing we encountered heavy sea, with strong
breeze from tho northeast, which carried up
through the Straits OF Florida. The wind con-
tinuod to blow steadily until our fourth day
out, when tho brig began 10 leak again. There
was no alarm, however, though the vessel
pumped out every two hours. The weather
continued heavy on the fifth day and the leakage
creased, which kept the watch on dock at the pump
pretty much all the time. This continued till we
doubled Cape Hatteras. Hero we were struck by
heavy northca5er winch drove us 10 the stward of
the Gulf Stream. While crossing the stream n
countered the most severe weather Upon sounding
the pumps on December 81 II was found tnst there
Hate
were then called TO the pumps. Alter six hours
tinuous pumping she 'sucKed, and the watch below
turned in, and. the watch on deck continued at the
pumps 10 keep her free. Things continued in this
state-sometmes the water would gain little, and
sometimes we were able To keep her ry by OCCASION
ally working both watches until we abandon cd her ON
the Sth OF January.


SHOULD LEAVE HER?


On the morning OF the Sth the weather was fine,
light breeze blowing from the southwest the
vessel carrying whole sails and heading tor Cape
Henry. Al about elght O'Clock We sighted vessel on
our starboard quarter which aferward proved TO be
the three-inasted American schooner Eva Z. Yates
steering Tor u.s. The Captain ordered a sgna OF dis.
tress To DC run up, being ut the wheel While thus
employed the Captain came ait TO mo and asked what
thought about ieaviug the brig, l SAID that dld
not know. then asked him now tar were
OF Cape Henry. He sad about hundred and forty
miles, Ho asked me how long thought could re.
at the pump under the circumstances. / told
HIM that under the circumstances could stand long
timc He then inquired OF mo how ioug thought we
could keep her in case We fell in with another neavy
gale l replied, saying no man could tell what he
could do until he was tried He SAID, 'What 10 you





was not my place to know what to do We had
fair wind, and II would be u pity to leave
water was not then gaining upon us. II We
had Kept constantly TO the pumps l believe
we could, by hard work, have got her tree hvc
hours. The Captain wanted 10 know what
would do In case We got into another storm within
fifteen miles of the lana aud hand 10 take
of. replied that II such thing should happen we
would have to do the best could. When tho
schooner down close starboard, at a dis
tanco OF about one-third OF a mile the Captain aud



remained away about three-quarters OF hour, wa
being engaged at the pumps and getting our things
ready, as the Chief mate told US that the Captain
wanted TO leave the brig.


HOW WAS ABANDONED.


After she Captain and second mate returned, tho
Captain who found us all standing round The pump,
told us that there was vessel TO take Us oil II We
wauted 10 20, ana that II we did not there was
saying when another opportunity might offer itself
He asked II wo wanted To loave One OF the mon, al
20. The Captain then asked u man named George
what he thought OF IT, After "a little talk George
said he thought had better 20. He then asked mo-
say 90, / say so, too" The Captain then SAID,
''fnen we' 60" We then got tho big boat
over the side and went all OF Us with
personal property aboard the schooner The mate
and three from Tho schooner boarded the brig
their own boat So tar as | know they passed no
opinion 70 the necessity oil abandoning the vessel
the three visitors unbent the main staysai aud got
coils Of new rope, canvas and things that were
handy TO get oil, and took them IN thor own boat,
together with Mr. Rue, the briggs rst matc, board
the schooner. We made three trips to the brig with





sonal effects, as well as some ships stores nautical
instruments aud a few things from the cabin. Alter
leaving the vessel for tho last tme when about 3Ou
yards away from her, one OF the men IN the boat,
ItaiIan, "Auton, who could speak little English,
called out, "Lookl Smokel FireW He pointed
IN the direction VI tho vesseI All tho crew,
with the exception OF the mate, were thon IN tho
boat The second mnie III reply to the exclamation OF
the Italian, sald IN onsensc; the galley lire amt
yet; IL Is the out OF the stovepipc." We all
looked ut the vessel and the smoke out passed
further remarks just then. We got on board
the schooner about TOUR O'Clock In the alter
noon and she Immediately made sail
and got on her right COURSE When We lett the brig
her yards were bruced up and tho sails ul, thut
she could make about the same northery course
that we were taxing. AT dusk We saw a hrc In the
direction IN wnicn We last saw the brig and about
where she then ought to be. All hands on the
schooner, and our own crew. with the exception Of
tue Captain and mate, said II must De the brig
should have stated before that we brought Win Us
pump gear, and tho Captain, seeing II on
board the schooner, d--''If anybody boards
her they Will not be able 10 pump
her OUT that's good job." Win
regard 10 the lire we saw, 1t was arae and in the
opinion Of those the schooner II could bc nothing
else than the brig had lett 1t tcon'inued TO bum
brightly until turned la at eight O'Clock. The men
watch said they saw tho last ol II about Ten O'clock
didnot hear the captains OF the schooner or OF tho
brig any oil tho officers OF tho latter vessel pass
any remarks about the Ere. The next morning We
lW nothing Of the brig. Wo reached New ork last