December 18, 1922
Believe Quadros Fell
Overboard
Sch. Ralph Brown Arrived With
One of Crew Missing
Nothing Seen of Man After Leaving Forecastle
Reporting the mysterious loss of one of her
crew, sch. Ralph Brown, commanded by Capt. Alvaro P. Quadros,
engaged in shore fishing, put into port last night with her flag at half mast for the loss
of John P. Quadros, a brother of the skipper.
The Brown left here
Saturday morning at 2 o'clock for the grounds, and was returning home last evening with a
small trip, when the accident happened to Quadros. The vessel was
then about 20 miles south southeast of Thacher's and the sea was comparatively calm at the
time.
Quadros, who was engineer of
the schooner, came out of the engine room and went forward to the forecastle for a
"mug up", the time then being about 5 o'clock. His brother, Capt. Quadros
of the schooner, was talking to him in the forecastle, as were other members of the crew,
all being in the best of spirits.
Capt. Quadros came
out of the forecastle and went aft to his bunk in the cabin, leaving John
in the forecastle. After remaining there for some time, he came on deck. From
the time he ascended the stairs leading from the forecastle to the deck, he was never seen
again, neither was any outcry heard which would indicate he had fallen overboard. It
was dark at the time and the schooner was lying too, jogging in the light wind.
On watch at the time were John Qualen
and John Baptiste. Neither saw Quadros come on
deck and neither of them heard him cry for help.
Just what happened will probably never be
known, for the loss of Quadros was not noted until some of the crew made
the usual inquiry "Where's Johnny?" Then someone went into the engine
room, but found no one there. The engine was running, but unattended. Search
was then made of the cabin and the deck, but no signs of the missing man were found.
The deck was icy at the time, the flying spray freezing as soon is it landed on the
schooner's woodwork. It is thought that Quadros stepped to the
railing and when the schooner rolled down on her side, slipped overboard.
From his friends this morning it was learned
that he always had a horror of the sea, yet some strange fascination held him to his work
as a fisherman, a vocation followed in the Ralph Brown since
last February. Before he took up fishing, Quadros was a cook an
worked in various cafes and restaurants about the city, making a host of friends, who were
shocked at his sudden loss. He married Marguerite E. Grady, who with two small
children survive. A search of the locality was made after his disappearance was
noted, and for three hours the schooner cruised back and forth, but without securing any
trace of the missing man.
[The Ralph
Brown was lost in February of 1926, with three men losing their lives,
and in 1927, Capt. Alvaro P. Quadros was swept from the deck of his
schooner, the Mayflower.
He went over without a trace, and was not missed for several hours, as the crew
fought to save the vessel.] |
