Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1850-06-27
IIearf-rending observation-disclosures Grif-
ffIi Burned---Two Hundred Lives
Lost.

Lost.
BUFFALO, June II, p M.
The fine steamer Griffith. while on her way up the
Lake. took fire about O'Clock this morning, when
about 20 miles below Cleveland. and burned to
ihe waters edge. The mate, VIM swan ashore from
the burning boat for help. has resehed Cleveland aud
reports that only thirty-iive Of those bpard
saved, and these had to swim ashore, there being
vessels Il, render assistance. Capt Robey. his
wife and child are among the lost. II is supposed
there two three hundred passengers board,
most of whom emigrants their way to the
West. If this is n correct estimate. the number of
the lost may probably exceed two hundred
The the burning wreck is described as
having been ngonizing in, the extreme. Ii is impos-
sible yet TO ascertain the of this disaster,
to- give further particulars 1t is the greatest calam-
ity that has occurred Lake Erie since the burning
of the Erie SOME years ago.
CINCINNATI, June 10.
By the cars | have some particulars of the burning
of the steamer Griffith. The following account is
from the Cleveland Democrat. death has visited
us in a fearfn! form and with terrible effect. The
steamer q. p Griffith was consumed about daylight
yesterday morning, and / fear some two hundred
souls have perished by fire and water. When first
the alarm was given, the passengers were cool and
collected, and it thought, could reach land, for
which she was steering, but the steamer struck
sand bar half a mile from shore. and then panic
reigned; the passengers. according to those who
madly into the water, If life was safe there !:
death also to them amid the gurglng sounds of
the watery waste, and by scores left their homes on
earth, for their home hope, IN heaven. The
cause of the fire is unknown and unfortunately we
can explain nothing. The passengers were all
asleep, and oil those who saved know, is that
about three o'clock or near aybreak, the alarm of
fire given. and shore in sight, which it was
thought could be reached. and all quiet, but
when The boat struck the bur, all hope of safety
converted into despair, and the evident death by re
Stunned 10 meet death amid the waste of waters
The passengers plunged into the lake and but few
saved The number of souls on board is stated
steerage passengers 256 cabin do, and crew %, ma
king total Of 326
r. G.. Parks of Rochester, Pa, was board at
the time, and is among the survivors. The account
we have gven is as he related il to us. Mr.. Parks
was up al A. NJ, and that time the fire burning
near the rims of the chimneys. The boat was about
three miles from land. The I'd mate ordered the
boat be headed for the shore, which was done, and
when the boat grounded the flames had burst out in
the forward part of the cabin, but Immediately nbaft
the pilot house all enveloped In flames The
cUmmand was then given to the passengers To save
themselves. and many jumped overheard, both from
the cabin aud the lower deck and in crowds of
ly twenty at a time. The Captain called to the men
below to throw overheard oil The wood which on
fire.
The Captain remained on the upper deck his
state rooms and forward of the wheelhouse, until
after all the passengers jumped overheard. He threw
the 5arbers wife, hls mother, wife and child, into the
lake, and then plunged in himself. He remained for
a time on the surface of the water, when with his
wife in his arms, they both sank together. Not fe-
male child of fifteen saved, with the ex-
ceptIon of the barbers wife. There at least
$50 emigrans board, chiefly from England and
Germany. The number of those saved was about 40
Mr.. Parks was on the wheel, he could not swim, and
while three foated around him. shrieking wild
ly, Save me Save :! he could do nothing, and
felt like giving up. hut with few Others he held or
and the struggle over. when oil quiet
the sound of the they beat against the
charred hull of the steamer.
This the first trip Capt. Roby had made. The
people shore did all they could to relieve the su
ferers. The scene on the lake shore was melancholy
in the extreme $50 dead bodies strewed along
IT, which boats had gathered up. Five six were
found casped together in The frmest grasp.
long trench was dug. in which the poor emgrants
were laid and buried "Rury my child here" said
lone heart; "Lsy my wife there" huskiy spoke
bereayed husband. Babes. children, men and women
from Ireland, England and Germany were buried to-
gether under the sod. near the spot where tLei
| lives were suddenly taken.
The Mayor of the city, a number of the council
and about hundred citizens chartered the steamer
Diamond and le al quarter past three, P. NJ, for tho
scene of The disaster yesterday, with the necessary
materials, &c., to make the collins and bury the dead
The Griffith of the Toledo and Buffalo
packets, and was owned by ROby e. S:uddefer, ant
nearly new
We left the ground at l o'clock on the afternoon o
the disaster, aud the number of bodies then found
was l54. The trench in which "a bodies were
hurried was forty feet long and six. feet wide; Al
bodies were brought to Cleveland. 8 taken 10 Buffa
10, and 10 were buried in the country.
The whole number saved was 40, and l54 bodies
/ hav hpen orod loov rde nf IN
be found.
Those who were saved were mostly foreigners oui
of English colony; of "a bound for Madison
county, Ohio, only were saved.
The Cincinnati Enquirer says SIT appears that the
steamer striving TO beat the 81. Louis, and had
passed her. As il was the first trip of the Captain
on this boat, he was probably ambitious to make q
quick one. The firing was kept up. and it is sup
posed that the boat caught from the heat Of the chin
| neys. As it discovered. the boat was
headed for land, about two miles distant. The pilo
was faithful to his post, and stood by the wheel unit
the boat struck when he burst from the pilot house
his clothes in sheet of flame He was lost.'
MURDER AND SuIclDE-The Evansville Nndiana
Journal. of the 1lth inst, records most terrible
transaction that occurred that place the Saur
| day night previous. man named Samuel Carlisle
! living about three miles from Evansville, ex
cellent farm, returned from his home Sat
urday evening about 8 o'clock in an INTOXICATED con
dition, and with jug of whiskey. He made his wifi
arise, and young man sleeping adjoining room
and commenced quarrel. Finally, after ordern!
the young man to bed again, he took down his riff
and fred at his wife. The bullet grazing her shoulder
He then struck her several blows on the head with III
butt of the gun, mashing in her skull She died al
most Instantly. The young man entered The apart
men but fearing for his own life, fled neighbor'
for assistance. On his return with others, Carsl
was seated the edge of bed dead. II