Year: 1876

sci had lost her steerago way, and
feared she would sink the rudder being out OF water
thought that the rudder out of water from tho
feeling OF it, The Commodore said in reply that
there danger;' that ft was all right and
rocked very pleasantly at the time But upon my
insisting on his coming on deck and bringing up his
wife aud party he weEt into the cabin, and never
him again. A gentleman. Mr.. Rowland, came out
with lady guest, Miss May. at that time. was
holding to the wheel tbs time, which kept con-
stantly turning with me, obigIng me to constantly
shit my hold had given orders to lower one OF tho
boats aft to receive anybody who might come out OF tho
gaugway Some sailors at the other side Of the vessel
had been preparing to lower this boat and were just
lowering her, when lost my hold and dropped over
the side into the water aud partly underneath the
mainsail soon got up, however struggled to a boat
that by and got into Der and got the parties
to set mo On board OF steam tug Immediately took
tho yacht tow and for the divers at the wreck
ing dock The yacht was then nearly all under water
except very little Of the bow. Some parties wanted
to her on shore opposite where sho lay. did
not think proper to do this, as believed all parties
below deck dead that time and feared that tho
bodies would bo washed from the action OF the
fcrryboats constantly passing up down on their
way to and from New York towed the Mohawk
into the Kills and on to the flats, where she lies
As as the divers arrived cut holes In the deck





do this procured schooncrs, got them alongside
ana endeavored to right the vessel While the act
OF doing SO, and at about ten o'clock that night was
arrested on a warrant issued by tho Coroner, upon
afndavits made by Quartermasters Palm and Thomp
son, 10 the effect that had neglected my duty on
board the yacht Ono OF these p rites, Frederick
Palm, asleep at tho time of the disaster. He was
asleep in the sairoom underneath the cockpit IN the
after part of the vessel, and knew nothing what
OF the matter, Notwithstanding his oath the
rnry. Thompson had also deserted his post upon the
quarter deck had gone forward without ORDERS and
satisfied must have been below at the time. called
him several times without getting Mr.
Garner, whose vessel joined in November last WAS
OF the finest, best and kndest men with
in my life. had entire charge of his vessel and all
business connected with it. not only looked upon
him tho owner Of tho Mohawk and my commander.
but my friend also. cannot why should have
been arrested


In reply questions put by the reporter Cap
tain Roland stated that he would lose and prop
cry 10 the extent OF about ST. 600 by the loss Of the
Mohawk, the money ami valuables being in his room
He said that he was intoxicated in all his life
He had been twenty-seven years taking vessels into
and out OF New York Harbor and nis character TOR
seamanship could stand tho test The vessel he said,
had gone three times her length when the squall
seized her. There time except for
the promptest action, and even with that thcrc
was but little time, for at the utmost the
calamity over in less than three minutes II the
anchor had been up the yacht might have started
ahead little quicker But when the squal struck her
the anchor clear of tho bottom that is to saw 1t
did not hold the vessel by hooking into the bottom.
The squall and sudden, and so unusual,
being altogether aloft that all board were
astounded at seeing the vessel affected
cho I'M
Captain, for him to render any moro assistance
than he did for being aft at the wheel when the squal
struck he could not TO his life a hundred
others, go forward The yacht lying about half
way between the club house and the wrccking dock
when the party got board, and might, therefore,
be understood how little the distance made before
the accident Captain Roland asserted that his pres
ence OF mind did forsake him at any moment, and
'that he realized fully the desperate SITUATION but
powcrless to avert tho anger"


cARPENrER's STATEMENT.


Alexander Slegar, the carpenter of the Mohawk
gave the following OF the disaster, by
him


All the working sail was before the anchor was
weighed. The lorcsa was hauled over to starboard,
the mansa port the staysa and jib sheets to star
board. Then the order givcn "Hcavo the anchor
! up" by the Captain. When It was weighed tho
boatswain sung out, "The anchor Is weighed
haul of your sheets, port sheet jib and
saysaL" The rain then commenced TO fall
and the passengers went down 10 the cabin. The
all deck except the cooks and stewards When
the passengers had all gone down to the cabin the wind
struck the yacht and she began to careen. l was
down lceward and seeing all hands getting to wind
ward l commenced to get up to windward, too The
cooks funnel hit when got half way up and drove
me back ,ain. Then I caught hold of ropc and
hauled myself up When she leaning near
her bearings the Captain sung out, ''Let 60 the
forctopsaii hayards,' and it was done. There
wcro moro orders given after that
When l got to windward looked about and
sho was then past her bearings One could not stand
on deck her slde but had to hold on by the
rigging The Captain al this time was standing over
the wheel aud the stood the rigging ready for
orders The boatswain, a man named Charles Maxwell,
broke the skyight and tried tho passengers
STATEMENT NATE.


| Mr. George B. Osborn, tho mate Of the Mohawk,
| made the following statcmeut:-


| We commenced TO get under way about ono
O'Clock The Captain ashore in the morning and
ordered get the yacht ready for party at two
O'Clock At that hour we had foresail mainsaii and
gaitopsail with the anchor hove Short waiting for
| tho party About three O'Clock they board
and we hoistcd her fore saysa and jb and hove her
anchor up clear OF the bottom. About that time the
| squali struck u.s. The Captain at the helm. When
| found she going down went aft for orders.
Just as started the Captain sung out, "Let 60 the
topsa hayards" passed the orders forward for the
forcopsail and went myself for the topsail Be-
fore got there she had got SO far over hatit
possible TO stand deck. When she went down
slipped and under out OF sight. When recovered
myself she over with her sails under water and
no possible chance of doing anything with her.
SO far could IL was unavoidable accident II
we had been sailing and every man at his post 1t
might have been avoided, but everybody bad just been
at the anchor when the squall struck her. and tho
whole thing occurred quickly that nothing could be
| done The wind all alot. We lelt 1t on
deck at all /. struck her topsas and the upper part
OF her lower sails