January 4, 1935
Local Fisherman Upset - Dies in Water
Antonio Patrao Caught in Swirl of
Craft
Found Clinging to Strap When Rescued by Skipper
Hurled into the icy waters on Cashes, 60 miles
southeast of Thacher's, when his dory capsized close to his vessel, sch. Natalie
Hammond, yesterday noon, Antonio Patrao, 55 years, native
of Portugal, died of heart failure, and was picked up a few moments later by Capt. Frank
Rose, skipper.
The Hammond arrived
in this port at 5 o'clock this morning, docking at Pew wharf, her flag half-mast, and
having aboard the body of Patrao. Dr. Ira B. Hull, medical
examiner, ascribed death to heart failure. Undertaker James C. Greely took the body
in charge. Patrao leaves a widow and two daughters in Fuseta, Portugal,
from whence he came to this country several years ago to engage in fishing.
The Natalie Hammond,
once owned and commanded by the la e Capt. Charlie Colson, was acquired a
year ago by Capt. Rose. They sailed Wednesday evening at 7 o'clock
from this port, for Cashes. The schooner is single dory haddocking and has 14 dories
out, and crew of 17 men, including the skipper.
About noon yesterday, Capt. Rose began
picking up his dories. He was at the wheel of the vessel, and Janio Priore
of this city, the cook, was the only other man on deck, while the engineer was at his
controls. The skipper started to pick up Patrao first. The
latter had about 700 pounds of haddock in his boat. The sea was a bit choppy, but
the average for this time of year. In some manner, Patrao had rowed
his dory in the swirl of the schooner as the vessel maneuvered to get into the correct
position to get him aboard with his trip. Suddenly the dory with her load capsized,
and as Patrao went overboard, he grasped at the gunwale strap, and
clutched it.
Capt. Rose from the pilot
house, saw the accident, and hollered to Patrao to "keep calm"
while he ordered the cook to take the wheel. The skipper then quickly launched
another dory, had it overboard within three minutes at the most, he said, and rowed to the
rescue of Patrao. But when he reached the side of the dory, Capt. Rose
saw that Patrao was stiff in his oil clothes, rigid, apparently
dead. Capt. Rose tugged to get the man aboard his dory, and after
considerable difficulty, he finally secured him, and brought him to the vessel, where
other members of the crew aided in getting the fisherman on deck. Patrao
was a very heavy man, and in sub-zero weather, the task was no easy one.
While Capt. Rose continued
collection the other 13 dories, the fishermen as they came aboard, worked the prone method
of resuscitation on the man tying to arouse a spark of life in him, but to no avail.
The Natalie Hammond had
a trip of 12,000 pounds of fresh haddock and cod, which were landed here. The
captain and crew will attend the funeral of their shipmate tomorrow morning and will sail
again for the fishing grounds by nightfall. |
