Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-09-12
A survixor,s s,orv

Mr.. G, W. Howard, one of the survivors of the
Metis disaster, formerly lived in Leicester, and
has many friends in this vicinity who may be
interested in the following narrative:
On the 2Sth of August, at the home of the
BRIDE in Sharon, Schoharie county, N. Y, Mr.
George W. Howard of Rome was married TO
Miss Mann Engle, and started TO visits friends
in the cast. They left the city of New York on
the fated steamer the Metis. Mr.. Howard says
that about four O'Clock on the morning of Fri
day he heard an excited noise in the cabin of
the steamer, which induced him to believe that
all was not right. He opened his stateroom
door to find the cabin filled with excited passen-
gers, the ladies screaming and crying for help
He then went back to his stateroom, opened the
window and looked out, but could see nothing
save the rough sea and the driving rain. He told
his wife that there was trouble, and that they
had better prepare for leaving the boat, if
obliged to do So Just at this time there came an
officer of the boat into the cabin, and said all was
right MIR. Howard went to the window of his
room again, and could see that various ar
tices were being thrown from the upper deck
of the boat into the water. Fearful that they
were in danger, he procured life preserver
and put it on to his wife, also his coat. About
this time he saw boat with four men in it
pass around the forward part of the steamer, he
suppoSing at the time that they were going to
examine in regard te the extent of the damage.
one man jump onto it. He found another life
preServer and put it on, and prepared to leave
the sinking steamer by getting out of the win
dow and standing on the outside, while his wife
was standing on chair near the window in the
state room. They remained in this position
some eight or ten minutes. The boat was sink
ing very fast so that the water has risen to the
place on which Mr. Howard was standing. He
then took his wife out of the window prepare
tory to leaving the boat. just at this moment,
lady came to the window and request
ed Mr.. Howard to assist her out also,
which he did, but says that he does
not know what became of her after
wards He then took his wife in his arms and
jumped from the boat into the water When
thsy- varnv to tho suIfuCc, they occurred fur
chairs dashed together, Also, raft of boards
about three feet square; upon this he placed his
wife. They remained in this condition about
oue-half hour, when he saw plank floating
near them. While trying to secure this, wave
passed over them and washed Mrs. Howard from
off the raft. He then tried to get her on his
back, but she was so far exhausted as to be able
only to place one arm about his neck and rest
her head on his shoulder, while with the other
she held on to the chairs, he holding her and
the chairs also They remained in this cOndi-
ton about one hour, all of which time they did
not know whether they were drifting to or from
shore.
The waves at this time were running very
under water. Mr.. Howard, not being able to
hold her breath while under the water was
strangled, more or less, by every wave, and
became very much exhausted and chilled, an d
it was evident that she could not endure tn
exposure much longer. They were in this po-
sition about two hours, when a wave washed
her away from her husband. 1t was some min
utes before he could reach her, and when he
did, she was dead. 1t was now daylight and
he saw the shore at Watch Hill, about a mile
distant.
He then secured the body of his wife, and
started for the shore. When he had made about
half the distance, the wind changed and the tide
too set out so that he found it impossible to
reach the shore with the body of his wife. There
being no prospect of immediate assistance, and
his own strength fast failing him, he resolved
to try and save his life. Knowing that the body
of his wife would float, and would in all proba-
biity be picked up, he let it go and endeayored
to swim to the shore. He found that he could
make no Roadway against wind and tide and
was carried further away every moment. Con-
Scious of his situation, he used the best means
to save himself until he could be picked up by
the boats thus engaged. AT about III O'Clock
in the forenoon a life boat came to him, and he
was rescued from his perilous condition, but did
not reach the shore until five in the afternoon.
The body of his wife was brought back to her
home in Sharon and there buried The funeral
was attended by a large circle of friends and
relatives, made sad by the sheer carelessness of
those'who are entrusted with the lives of the
travelling public.