Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1873-04-11
SAD SCENES ON THE SEA.

A BRIDAL PARTY SWALLOWED Up-A lit
TIE Boy AND HIS MorHER-ScENEs AT THE
BOTTOM OF rHs SEA-A HUNDRED DOL
LARS FOR LIFE, &C., &c.
We gave in the last V1ND1cAroR a full
account Of the dreadful ship.wreck Of the
Steamer Atlantic and the loss Of 500 lives
Our North m exchanges continue to bring
he sad details Of this terrible disaster, and
We give below some painfully intere ting
extracts from them
BRIDAL PARTY SWALLOWED UP.
Mr.. James Merit. and bis wife and
sister, who resided in Thirty fifth street, and
Miss Scrimser. formerly living with her
amily 10 Forty fifth street, vera all lost to-
gether. The tale Of this family is a pecu.
iiarly sad one. Mr.. Merritt Was bachelor
Of about forty years of age. He came to
New York some three years ago from POUCH.
keepsie, where he formerly lived as mer.
chant. He was man of means and fire.
queutsd the best society Of the city. He
became acquainted with Miss Mary Scrim-
ser in this manner, and proposed marriage
and was accepted. On the % of April,
1872. just one year ago. the couple were
married. and for their wedding tour weutt,
Europe in the identical vessel in which they
SINCE met their death While in Europe
they visited all the continental countries,
md about six months ago they returned to
Paris, where Mr.. Merritt wrote inviting
Scrimser, sister of his wife. to join them
The two young ladies started alone. also, by
vessel Of the White Star line, aud arrived
in Paris 10 safety. The family. then con-
sistiug Of four persons. started out together
again, visiting Italy, aud dually arrived
back 10 London, writing to their family here
heir proposed return by the Atlantic
They did as they proposed, aud lett Liver.
pool by that steamer They all met death
in the same manner, and by this sudden
calamity the family Of the Merrit.s is
wiped out. as it were. in one blow. Mrs
Merritt and Miss Annie Scrimser, both
daughters o: the weilknowu dry goods mer.
,hant are said to have been ladies' Of great
personal charms and accomplishments. and
hey were well known BY large circle Of
acquaintance 10 this city. who will hear Of
this terrible ending with the greater sorrow
tina, their youth and beauty would seem to
have promised long career Of joy and hap.
piuess in this life. MISS Merritt was lit.
L. older than either of the other two ladies,
but also genial and kind-hearted Idly
Of all those who have been lost in the At.
iantic no ones story Is probably SO sad q
one as this. 1t was the FIRST trip any Of
Them had taken to Europe. A brother OF
Mrs. Merritt (Mr Scrimser) started for
Halifax as soon as the news of the ship
wreck had arrived
HORRIBLE SCENES ON THE BOTTOM OF THE
A newspaper correspondent who went
down to the wreck of the Atlantic in divers
costume says the hull lies we'll down on the
pert side and is broken 10 several places,
from the contact with the reef
Fish were swimming around eagerly de.
vouring particles o. food found floating
tUUu0 LIZ tOuuu tli'9 tOi warn HAT III open
and saw that the cargo there had broken
bulk aud lay 10 confused heaps with the
bodies of men and women jammed among the
cases and crates, brui "a aud torn. Fishes
were swimming in and oat feasting upon
The dead bodies. Limbs are strewn around,
having been brok n from the bodies by the
continual action Of the waters, which. when
as'tated, drive them agiust ug ly pieces of
broken hull that her project. The CORES
pondeDt then went t, the companionway of
the steerage cabins aud found hundred Or
more lying in an immens, heap, looking as
if alive, with arms dislocatel, eyes staring
wildly, and faces grinnpg and moving for.
ward and ba kward with the under Gu rent.
Some were dressed, but many were nude
Children were clinging together, and stout
men were clasping their wives, seeming t.
have met death with calm resignation The
scene was horrible beyond description =
The correspondent then went t. the COM
panicuway or the storage where the men
passengers were by themselves. Bodies OF
strong men, old and young. were hustled
together on the stairway with distended
nos'rlls, gaping mouths and staring.
CLASSY eyes, giving some conception Of the
terror which seized them as they vainly
struggled to gain the deck From another
part Of the vessel view was obtained Of
the sleeping apartment where, piled up in
heaps on the port side, were numbtrs of
bodies Of men with bed-clothing strewn
among them, from abrasion with broken
Sanctions and jagged splintered wood work j,
with the flesh tora from the faces of many.
Others are bruised and battered about their
heads, which are red and bloody, contrast.
ing horribly with the pale liv,d features of
the others.
LITTLE BOY AND HIS MOTHER.
A statement of the Quartermaster Of the
ship says:
A little boy and his mother, named Nun.
ney, both storage passengers, with her
brother. Alfred Munney, all from London,
were lost. She called to me after she came
out Of the after-steerago. and said, Robert,
where are your | said, Il am here.".-
She said, Save me- [ took the mt Their
and child on the saloon deck, and told her
to stay there until | could get the boat clear
to put her and her boy into. The ship sui.
denly listed over, and they lost their hold
on the rail and were swept over board. aid
sunk to rise no more. think they have
some friends or relatives st Yonkers, West.
chester county, New York, as received an
address to the same effect the night before.
William Purdy. qusttermaster, was the first
who attempted to swim ashore, but when
going sid. "Good-by, Thomas will you
come with me p | r"pl'd that l W ed
to save the boy and his mother. Then l
"a " that the bow and his mother we're sxent