January 6, 1923
Three Washed Overboard When Sea Breaks Over
Craft
Antoine Dias One of the Crew of Sch. Louise
B. Marshall Drowned—
Two Companions Escaped Similar Fate When Second Wave Landed Them Back on Deck Again
Antoine Dias was drowned, and two others
narrowly escaped the same fate, when the trip members of the crew of sch. Louise
B. Marshall, Capt. Matthew Sears of this port, were washed
from the deck of the schooner in a heavy gale last Thursday. One of the two who were saved
is confined to his home where he was taken up on the arrival of the schooner in port
shortly after 8 o’clock this morning.
According to members of the crew, the accident happened at
4 o’clock last Thursday morning, while the schooner was fishing on the southeastern
part of Brown’s Bank. The crew had made one set of the trawls the day before, and had
turned in for the night, leaving the schooner to jog along.
The night was calm, and the ocean practically smooth, with
no indications in the sky or by the reading of barometer of an approaching storm. Suddenly
the wind began to freshen up from the eastward, and the seas roughened more and more.
Shortly before 4 o’clock the gale had reached such alarming proportions that the
watch feared the sails would be stripped from the vessel, and called to the skipper. When
the skipper came on deck and took in the situation, he immediately called all hands to
take in sail. Before this could be accomplished, however, the foresail was ripped to
shreds, and the schooner was being washed from stem to stern with the waves, which had
reached great height.
Lining up along the rail, standing at the sheet preparing
to lower the mainsail with the others of the crew were Frank Dias, Frank
Batiste and Manuel Leeman. Without warning, a huge sea arising
to a height of about 20 feet above their heads, buckled over and broke, sending tons of
water down into the midst of the fishermen and sending them sprawling over the deck, some
were dashed up against the rail, and pinned there, while Antoine Dias
went clear of the rail, and out of sight. His two companions were also hurled into the
ocean in full view of their shipmates, while another large sea, breaking again over the
craft, landed the two stunned fishermen back on the deck of the schooner.
Manuel Leeman was rendered unconscious,
and received a deep gash on the head. Frank Batiste was badly used up,
and complained of soreness about the body, caused by his contact with the rail as he went
over the side. Both men were taken into the cabin and made comfortable, and schooner
headed for port, running before the wind as fast as her skipper dared to push her.
The Marshall arrived this morning
with a 10,000 pound trip of fresh fish. Leeman was rushed to his home for
medical treatment.
Members of the crew say that the escape of the two men was
remarkable, for once the huge wall of water swept the schooner it was feared that
everything movable had been swept from the deck, and the crew missing.
Staggering under the heavy deluge, the Marshall
trembled and shook herself, regained her bearings and with nose pointed homeward, started
her thrilling run for port to the aid for her injured member.
Dias, the man who lost his life, was 48
years of age, married, and leaves a wife and three children. |
