The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1867-03-08
The David White Disaster-Further
Particulars.
[From Che louisville Democrat, 2a.l

DIR. L. j. Shaw, relative of Captain H.
b. Shaw, the principal owner OF the i'll fated
| boat, arrived In the city yesterday, on his
way to his home in GAINESVILLE, Tennessee.
To him We are indebted for the following
additional particulars concerning the expo
| sion. DIR. Shaw was the first clerk of the
boat, and as the Office safe, books, papers,
&c., were destroyed, it will be almost an
lmpossibility to give correct list of those
killed and wounded, or of the freight she
had on board
The David White, in command Of Cap
tain Dan Kinney, left New Orleans on
Thursday of last week, with about one hun
bred passengers and FIVE hundred tons of
| freight for this port, Nashville and points
on the Cumberland river. She arrived at
Greenville, Mississippi, on Sunday morn
ing. She left Greenville aud was running at
the rate of about eight miles an hour until
She reached Point Chicot, about eight
miles of Greenville, when her larboard
boiler exploded with terrific force, scatter
ing death and destruction in every direction.
The entire cabin, from the aft part OF the
warehouses to the jackstaff was literally
blown to atoms But few minutes before
DIR. Shaw went into the ladies' cabin, and
fortunately escaped. He says the scene
cannot be written or described. 1t was just
before dinner, and quite number OF pass
engers were seated around the stove, almost
immediately over the boilers. Captain Dan
Kinney was talking to Mr.. F. P. Buckner,
OF New Orleans at the time, near the bar:
Both were blown high in the air and fell
among the fragments in the river. Cap
tain Kinney was saved, though his thigh
was broken. He is in Memphis, doing well.
Captain FL. r. Shaw, the second clerk, Mr..
Mcknight, of this city, and mate were
sitting in front of the boiler on the lower
from afterwards. The second clerk, Mr.
in the cabin, writing letter to his wife.
He was blown up and never was heard
from Mr. John Richardson, who was at
the wheel, was blown up and fell among
the debris; fortunately he escaped with Il
few Slight bruises. Mr. Jack DeHart, the
other pilot, was in the Texas lying down ;
he was extricated from the wreck, though
( badly hurt. He and Richardson are at
, Greenville where they will remain until De-
Hart can come home. The engines were IN
charge of the second engineer Story, and
Robert Elan, striker, both of whom are
killed and went down with the hull. John
and Robert Ray, the other engineers, were
/ hurt Chas Ross, of this city, who was
bar keeper, was badly scalded, and is at a
y relatives in Memphis. Mr.. William Lilly,
and Mr.. Brewster, who went down with
f stock, and were on their return, were both
standing together in the cabin. Both were
) killed. Brewster's body was recovered and
| taken to Greenville, Mr.. Shute, Of Ohio,
was blown into the river and killed. His
body was recovered and taken to Gleenvllle,
! Mr.. 2. Doran, correspondent of the New
York Metropolitan Record, was blown into
the river and saved. There were many 9TH
ers whom DR.. Shaw does not remember,
, and whose names he has forgotten, who
| were either drowned when the hull went
down, killed by the explosion or wreck fall
ing upon them, or losing their lives By at
tempting to swim ashore. The boat was in
er shore The boiler, or part Of it, went
ing her to sink in a few minutes. The la
dies cabin foated off with quite number
on it. There were but three lady passen-
gers on board, Mrs DR.. Shaw, of Clarkes-
vile, Tennessee, Mrs. DR.. Shaw, of Mem
rhis, and Mrs. Kline, of New Madrid, Mo-,
all of whom were saved. The stove III the
ladies' cabin upset, and set the cabin on
fire, but Dr. Shaw eXtinguished it. Mrs.
Kline's husband was sick in his room. but
was carried out and saved by DR.. Shaw.
She lost little son, who was blown over.
board and drowned. Some deck-hands had
taken the yawl and gone ashore; but the
carpenter of the boat brought it back to the
floating cabin, and DR.. SHAY put the three
ladies and MIR. Kline into it, and started for
shore On the way he picked up Capt.
Dan. Kinney and Col. p Dorau in the
river. DR.. Shaw started Or shore with the
ladies in the life boat, but about twenty.
five or thirty persons jumped into 1t and
sunk it, many of whom were drowned lie
saved the ladies by pulling them back upon
, the floating cabin and several persons were
saved from drowning by hanging to the
dresses Of the ladies.
At the time Of the explosion a little store
mile above The owner Of it, and lady
named Mrs Thompson, with 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 fiat, cries were faint
ly heard across the mighty waters for
'help! Death had hold of its victim,
wrestling with it upon the bosom of the
mighty Mississippi Mrs. Thompson stood
) for a moment with an oar in her hand,
while her eye surveyed the broad waters,
and her ears drank in those appealing words
"help !" 'help!' Looking far across the
river she saw an object cllnging to piece
Of the wreck, but the cry of help had
passed away. Without hesitation, she
placed her little son in skiff, manned the
oars herself, ami rowed away from the fiat
in the direction of the object she had seen
With true woman'sI herois,n and bravery
she rowed her boat until she reached the
object. Dropping her oars, she lifted the
lifeless form OF young man from the wa
ter, but not until she had wrencbed his
grasp from the piece of wreck to which it
was fastened with the grip Of death. Cow
ering the body with her dress, she rowed
back to the fat The young man showed
signs of life, after tender care and nursing,
and, when able, thanked his deliverer with
words sworn to by tears. 1t was Mel Ro-
her, of this city. He was taken to Green
vile and brought up to Memphis, where
he was doing well at last accounts The
scene was closed about the time the Peter
| Rolan hound dour came in Sipht She