The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-03-13
The David White Disaster---Further Partic-


From the Louisville Democrat, February ESD
| Dr. T. J. Shaw, relative of Captain II. B. Shaw,
the principal owner of the ilfated boat arrived in
the city yesterday, on his way to his home in Clarks
vile, Tennessee. To him we are indebted for the
following additional particulars concerning the expo-
| sion. DR.. Shaw the first clerk of the boat and
the otcesae, books, pabSTs &c, were destroy ed,
it will be almost impossbility to give a correct list
of those killed and wounded of the freight she had
on board.
The David White, in command of Capt Dan. Kinney,
left New Orleans on Thursday of last week, with
about one hundred passengers and five hundred tons
of freight for this port, Nashville and points the
Cumberland river. She arrived at Greenvile, MSsiS-
sppi on Sunday morning She left Grcenville and was
running at the rate of about eight miles hour until
she reached Point Chicot, about eight miles above
Greenvlle, when her larboard boiler exploded with
terrific force, scattering death and destruction in every
direction. The entire cabin from the aft part OF the
wheelhoases to the jackstaf literally blown to
atoms But few moments before, DR.. Shaw went
back into the ladies' cabin, and fortunately escaped.
He says the scene cannot be written described. 1t
just before dinner and quite number of passen-
gers were gathered around the stove almost. mtnedi-
atey over the boilers. Captain, Dan. Kinney WAS
talking to Mr. F. P. Buckner of New Orleans, at the
! tme near the bar. Both blown high in the air
and fell among the fragments in the river. Captain
Kinney was saved, though his thigh was broken. He
is in Memphis, doing well. Captain H. B. Shaw, the
second clerk, Mr.. Mcknight, Of this city, and mate
sitting in front of the boiler the lower guard
They were never seen heard from afterwards. The
second clerk, Mr.. Davis, from Nashville was sitting at
a table in the cabin writing letter to his wife. lie
was blown up and never heard from. Mr.. John Rich
ardSon, who at the wheel was blown up and fell
amid the debris; Fortunately he escaped with few
slight bruises. Mr.. Jack DeIIart the other pilot was
in the Texas lying down; he cxtricated from the
wreck though badly hurt. He and Richardson are at
Greenville where they will remain until DeIiat can
come home. The engines in charge of the sec
and engineer Story, and Robert Ea&n striker both of
| whom are killed and went down with the hull John
and Robert Ray the other engineers, badly hurt
Charles Gross, of this city, who bar-kecpcr was
badly scalded, and is at relatives in Memphis Mr.
! William Lilly and Mr. Brewster who went down with
stock, and were On their return, were both standing
together in the cabin. Both killed. Brewster's
| body was recovered and taken to Greenvle Mr.
Shute, of Ohio, blown into the river and killed
His body recovered and taken to Greenye. Mr.
p Doran, correspondent Of the New York Merop0li-
tan Record, was blown into the river and saved.
There were many others whom Dr.. Shaw does not
remember and whose he has forgotten, who
either drowned when the hull went down. killed
by the explosion wreck falling upon them, or losing
their lives by attempting to swim ashore. The boat
in the middle of the river half mile from either
shore. Tie boiler part OF it, went down through
the bottom of the boat, causing her to sink in few
minutes. The ladies' cabin hoated off, with quite a
on board Mrs. Or. Shay, of Clarksvile Tennessee
Mrs. DR.. Shaw, of Memphis, and Mrs. Kline, Of New
Madrid, Missouri, adj OF whom saved. The
stove the ladies' cabin upset. and set the cabin on
fire. but Or. Shaw extinguished it. Mrs Kline's hus-
band was sick in his ROOM but was carried out and
saved by DR.. Shaw. She lost a little son, who was
blown overheard and drowned Some deck hands had
taken the yaN and gone ashore but the carpenter Of
the boat broug it back to the floating cabin and Dr.
Shaw put the three ladies and Mr.. Kline into it, and
started for shore On the way he picked up Captain
Dan Kinney and Col. P. Doran in tile river Dr.
Shaw started to shore with the ladies in the ehoat
but about twenty-five or thirty persons jumped into it
and sunk it, many Of whom were drowned. He saved
the ladies by pulling them back upon the floating
cabin, and several persons saved from drowning
by hanging on to the dresses of the ladies.
At the time of the explosion little boat was
floating down the river, about mile above. The
owner of it, and lady named Mrs Thompson, with a
little boy, pulled the boat towards the wreck and
overlook the floating cabin. They saved all who were
left upon it.
When all became quiet about the wreck and on
board the little flat, cries family heard across
the mighty waters for "hep!" Death had hold Of
its victim, wrestling with it upon the bosom of the
mighty Mississippi. Mrs Thompson stood for mo-
nent with an in her hand while her eye surveyed
the broad waters, and her drank in those appeal
ing words "help!" "help!" Looking far across the
river she object c!inging to piece OF the
| wreck but the cry of "help" had passed away.
Without hesitation, she placed her little son in shiff
manned the herself, and rowed away from the
fat in the direction of the object she had With
wonans heroism and bravery she rowed her boat
until she reached the object. Dropping her oars, she
lifted the lifeess form of young from the cold
water but not until she had wrenched his grasp from
the piece of wreck to which it was fastened with the
grip Of death. Covering the body with her dress she
rowed back to the fiat. The young man showed signs
of life, after tender and nursing, and, when able
thanked his deliverer with words to by tears
+ 1t Mel Rhorer, of this city. He was taken to
GreenviIle and brought up to Memphis, where he was
doing we'll at last accounts The scene was closed
about the time the Peter Baen, bound down, came in
sight. She picked up all the survivors along both
: shores and took them to- Greenville The Emerald
from New Orleans, bound up, brought number OF
the survivors to Memphis.
Military Territories-- " Wendell Phillips Views