The Mystery of the Capsized Sloop Martha

The little sloop Martha, about four tons, was found bottom-upwards by the steamer George E. Starr on Monday night on her way to Fort Townsend. The sloop had the appearance of being overturned while sailing, as the sails were set and the anchor was on deck; it is supposed that those on board were drowned. The overturned boat was taken to Fort Townsend. The mystery was partly cleared up by the arrival of the steamer Sehome. Jack Lery, an employee of that boat, said that early Tuesday morning while the steamer was on the way to Port Townsend from Seattle, two men were seen on the bottom of an overturned skiff off Marrowstone Point. Captain Stetson steamed slowly up to the wreck and rescued the men, one of whom was Dutch Frank of Binkley. They were on their way to Port Townsend when rough weather knocked a hole in the bottom and capsized the boat. The men had been clinging to the bottom from 10 o'clock in the evening until 3:30 in the morning. The boat was described as a skiff, twenty-four feet long and eight feet beam, but was the same boat picked up by the George E. Starr.