The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1872-11-28
The Missouri Disaster.
Four Survivors Rescued After Extraol
din1rv SufferinU.

dinary Suffering,
HAVANA, Nov. 2l.-The steamship
Moro Castle arrived to-day from
New York via Nassau Nov. Is. She
brings news of the safety of another
of the boats of the ill-fated steamship
Missouri. and that John Freaney, first
assistant engineer; David A. North,
third assistant engineer; Charles Sim
clair, oiler, and Charles Conway, fire.
man, who survived almost incredible
sufferings. were at Nassau, and will
leave for New York on the return
trip of the Moro Castle. The follow
ing statement of Mr.. Freaney is pub
lished in The Nassau Times:
"The ship stopped frequently during
the trip owing to the foaming of her
boilers. The fire originated around
the boilers. We at once began to play
the hose from the donkey engine, but
soon found it was unavailing, and the
captain ordered the boats launched.
All was confusion and at the attempt
to lower the first boat thirty persons
jumped into her, but owing to the
mismanagemento of the davits, one end
fell into the sea while the other re-
manned hanging in the air.. All ex-
cept myself and eight others, owing
to the rolling of the ship in the heavy
sea, let go, and were washed into the
sea. Nine clung to the boat until
some person on board the ship cut the
davits, and the boat, which filled with
water, went free of the ship. We saw
boat bottom upwards with two men
clinging to the keel; threw them
line, and talked while with them !;
wanted them to come and join us, but
they considered their position better
than ours and refused. One of our
men Joined the two, and one ofthe
two swan over to us, being one of the
saved. We met Mr.. Culmer's boat.
and asked him to admit us as we were
in sinking condition, but Culmer re-
fused, saying that he had enough on
board. We told him his boat could
hold more. Culmer threw us bucket
and we tried Intellectually to bail our
boat. Culmer steered towards Abaco.
We had four oars. At nightfall we
pulled back toward the steamer, hop
ing the fire would prove beacon and
| that some passing vessel might pick
US up. We came within half a mile
of the Missouri. About Z O'Clock in
the evening the steamer disappeared
suddenly. We then put our boat be-
! fore the wind. 49,
"On the second and third days we
were still before the wind and suger-
ing terribly on the latter day we saw
a vessel come within mile of us.
We shouted and hoisted our clothing,
| but were unable to attract attention,
and the vessel hoisted sail and steered
away. On the fourth day one of our
crew died, and that night two others
having become crazy, jumped over
| board. The boat was always full OF
water and ourselves sitting waist deep.
! On the fifth morning another man
died. We were still before the wind.
That evening was calm, and we sue
ceeded in bailing the boat with two
hats, a crazy man having thrown the
bucket overheard. From three life
preseryers we made small sail, spread
| it, and steered south, but our exhaus-
tion was so great that we could do
| little.
.On the sixth and seventh days our
! situation was unchanged. On the
eighth we sighted land, and succeeded
in landing at Powell's Bay, near Aba
co, in the evening. We had eaten
and drank nothing since leaving the
ship, and we laid down on the beach
in horrible condition. After time
of rest on shore, we gathered strength
| to reach some deserted houses and
found spring of fresh water. We
lay huddled together all night. On
the ninth day we found few toma-
toes, which we boiled, having found
matches and a pot in one of the houses.
This produced little strength, and
we launched boat and tried to reach
the main land, but failing. we returned
4 to Rpwell's Bay, sleeping there. The
next morning we made a final attempt
to reach the main land, but were so
exhausted that we were hardly able
to stand, and then lay down near the
boat in dying condition. Shortly
afterwards we saw small sloop cruis-
ing near the island. We hoisted some
clothes on the oars, and again Law
down on the beach. A son of William
Curry was on board the sloop, and
saw the signal Immediately. Curry
came to our rescue, and took us and
landed US on Green Turtle Key, where
we remained seven days. Four days
afterward we reached Nassau. The
] American Consuls at Green Turtle
/ Key and Nassau treated US kindly"