Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1854-11-24
xvhera Rerfs ana nesponslhIIitr.

Inc Iull uetaile OF Tue loss Oi tue sup
Nsw Era, on Long Island on the 18th,
have been received, and heart-sickenine
they are indeed. The loss Of life is far
greater than was at first supposed to be-
or the 427 persons on board only about leo
were saved. As the facts in the matter
are developing themselves, Il seems pretty
evident that the Captain and officers Of the
boat by their humanity and selfshness in
deserving the ship and the hundreds Of hu-
man beings thereon, are in the eyes Of the
public, the guilty ones, and upon their
skirts their blood will be found.
Capt Henry says that when the ship
struck, be ordered the first mate. cook and
FIVE men 10 take a boat and carry line
on shore. Immediately on leaving the
ship they cast the line off on account Of ito
weight, and saved themselves. The re-
mainder of the crew with two or three ex-
cep.ions then seized the other boats, and
deserted the ship, taking with them but two
Of the passengers. After some hours OF
toll and many frui,less attempts. line was
conveyed to the ship and life boat sent
out In this the Capt and four or FIVE 9TH
ers reached the shore, the line then break
ing, those on board the ship had no other
prospect before them than that Of a watery
grave. OF the conduct Of Capt Henry
the ~ Y Tribune, says:
"The time was when the commander Of q
|, ship was the last man to leave its deck, and
in those chivalric days of nautical heroism
the officers and crew stood by, pobly sec
onding every effort to the death. Such a
man, however. the Cap.siu Of the New
Era is not. The truth seems TO be that if.
instead of deserving his trust,.he had re-
manned on board, most if not all those then
alive on bis ship might have been safely on
shore by nightfall. AT noon, when it was
nearly low water, he had line on board
connecting the ship with the shore. This
line was strong enough to haul the life
boat through the heavy sea TO the ships
side; but, as was shown by its capsizing
three times in reaching the ship, it could
moi live in the sea then running. 1t was
therefore his duty, assisted by The nine sea
man that remained with him on the ship
to have secured the boat along side, anC
then by the aid Of the line from the beach
; TO have either hauled hawser to the ship
or to have sent one to the shore, upon which
= the life-ca could have been slung, and ev
cry soul on board taken off in it in safety
before the night came on, even had it beer
; high water, and the heaviest sea breaking
over the ship. There is no doubt, whatev
e-, that this might have been safely accom-
plished by the Captain and the remainder
OF the crew. had he possessed but one sparl
Of true manhood but the fact is apparent
Notwithstanding his excuses, that he wal
blind to everything but his cowardly fears
and for the satisfaction of getting his owl
person on shore two or three hours earlier
he bssely left the haggard remnant of hi
passengers to suffer all the horrors Of des
pair, and long, lingering, agonizing death
by cold, starvation, and The Overwhelming
waves.
. We have not here considered who shoul(
r be held responsible for the original disas
ter the running of the ship into the break
ers. In regard to that the second matt
must we think, share the responsibility will
the Captain. The two had the watch oil
deck at the time; until few minutes be
fore the vessel struck, the Captain was be
low in his cabin. while the mate was in tn,
steerage with the female passengers, wher
it seems he was wont to resort during hi
hours Of duty at night This fact touche
upon cause to which the insubordinatior
Of the crew must probably in great meas
ure be attributed. We refer to the liccn
,iousness prevailing upon our emigran
ships. We have heretofore had occasion
to speak Of this subject, and now agaiI
earnestly invite the attention of ship own
ers of the Atlantic cities TO give it q arigit
investigation. II is asserted that on thes,
/. vessels the grossest lewdness is practices
. with the female emigrants. by the officer
, especially, if not exclusively. OF cours
: such a state of things is not consistent will
discipline among the sailors. II the mer
Z chants Of New York and Boston wish {,
e have their ships return to them in safety
f they will adopt some measures TO suppress
this gross and dangerous evil.