The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-08-11

TUCV MOO EI.TT
clssped in each others arms. Their life
preservers. were not fastened, and they re-
talnea them with great difficulty. Mrs.
Eastman, remembering that sic had once
neard boy say that in swimming he
paddled with his feet, initiated the action.
ana was thus enabled to approach and grasp
door,, TO which the two chung until towed
ashore by Mr.. Huff, of Kentucky. This
gentleman, photographer, alone saved six
persons, four ladies and two gentlemen.
sex A MIRACULOUS ESCAPE. -
One of the most thrilling and mir
aculous escapes was that of Miss LII.
Williams, resident of Louisville, who was
coming to this city to pay visit 10 her
mother and sister, who reside at 37s Rich
mond street. Miss Williams chose between
certain death by fire and possible escape by
water, and throwing away her clothing and
valise, secured the services of a gentleman
in throwing overheard a crate of peaches.
and leaped in after il, without life-pre-
server. She reached the crate. but when
she attemrted TO cling to il, found that it
revolved like reel in the water. For two
terrible hours she struggled with the re-
fractory box, and had Just closed her eyes in
despair and resignation, when..ar apparently
gigantic form loomed up over her and she
was drawn into the skiff OF Mr.. Hui. who
rendered such signal service in half q dozeu
other cases. While Miss Williams was 5. rug
Cling in the current, she became aware that
the weight of the little clothing she had on
was surely dragging her downward. She
had placed her iewelry in an underskirt
which sue wore, but now, actuated by tue
same spirit which had prompted her i'm cast
ing aside her yalise, she unfastened the gar
ment from her waist and LEI it sink to the
bottom of the river. This undoubtedly
saved her life, since when she was res
cued her face alone was out of the waser
Miss Rowden, of Louisville, unfortunately
leaped from the boat towards the Indiana
shore, and the hungry tongues of flame lick
ing along the surface of the water horribly
burned her head and face. She, too. had no
life preserver, and only secured one end o.
plank by clinging TO the pansaloon leg OF
man who swan past her. She says thai
while moving through the water, several
gasping, drowning wresches extended
their hands toward her, some
even grasping at her hair, and tear
ing out handouts in their terror. The heat
was so intense that the man upon the
other end of the plank threw water upon her
face to keep her from being scorched to
death. Mrs. Jones, who was upon the
American when it burned, was drawn un-
derneath the burning boat, and suffered Sc
we're contusions about the bead. She finally
extricated herself from her perilous position
and chung 10 mattress, from which she was
rescued by Mr.. HUFF.
SAD PENALTY FOR BoYIsH FREAK.
Among the lost is little Roliy Drucker, a
fourteen year old son of acitizen of Cincin-
natl. A few days ago the lad, fancying HIM
self sggrieved by his fathers chidings, ran
away from home with a lai OF has own age.
The two went to Louisville and applied for
work, which they failed to get. they were
returning on the Rogers, when lutte Rolly
paid the awful penalty for his boyish impel-
uosity. The lad with whom he was
travelling SAYS that young Drueker
walked him. aud the two went on deck
together. Drucker jumped into the
yawl, and he followed, but missed his aim,
and Tell into the river. from whence he was
rescued by one of the deck hands VINO met
with like misbap. The yawl was sfterward
found empty. One of the passengers says
that the last living objects seen on board the
burning boat, we've little child, thres
or four years of age, and a Newfoundland
dog. The child was alone upon the deck, al
most entirely surrounded by the greedy
flames, its legs, arms and face exposed 10
the terrible heat. The poor little hing ran
about the deck, screaming with alright, IN
til death happily released il from ITS mis-
cry.
INTERVIEWS WITH PASSENGERS.
INSTANCES OF HERoIsM AND sUFFERING-THE
AND SEVERAL PASSENGERS.
The Commercial gives the following state
ments made by the parties referred to relative
to the disaster: Capt. Charles David says:
We had about 80 cahinlpassengers on board,
including eight ladies, at the time of the
disaster. Two ladies went ashore at Nadl-
son, three at Will Barker's (Hunter's Bot
toni, and one al Vevay. / sm of the oDiu
ion that four of the eight ladies on board
were saved, including Mrs. Williams and
Miss Emma Rowden from Louisville, ana
! Mrs. Eastman and Mrs Sturges, OF Hanover,
| Ind. The latter is destined for Washing
ton City. Mrs. Eastman Intended visiting
I her brother, Presbyterian minister IN Gen.
| trail OHIO. was off watch and asleep IN my
room in the texas when the alarm OF IRE
was given. fastened down stairs into the
cabin, which was enveloped IN flames nearly
to the Office, and discovered that all the lie
preservers had been taken from the available
| rooms forward, and procured mastrs sSes,
passing them to the forecastle below, where
| all the passengers were hu3dled together,
the flames driving all to that portion of the
boat. told Mrs. Smith, of Madison, who
was visiting brother named Craig, a painter
in Cincinnati, and young lady whose
name could not learn-.he balance OF the
passengers having been provided for, or
gone overheard with mattresses, doors ana
other life-preserving articles-I told these
two ladies to jump into the river, after had
thrown mattress for them, but they failed
to rise, or at least i did not see
them again. jumped overheard, grabbing
| the mattress as i rose TO the surface OF the
water. One of the cabin bows also caught
hold of the same mattress, and after we bad
fioated and swan down the river some six
or seven hundred yards, we made
shore, completely exhausted. The heas
from the flames was too great %
make the inside or Indiana shore, and L,
with the majority of those on board, leaped
| into the river on the outside OF the boat, as
the wind was blowing the flames to the
shore. A young lady from Coving5op. re-
turning home from visit to Warsaw, XIV,
was lost. She leaped overheard with Mrs.
Smith, and did not see them afterward.
! STATEMENT OF GEORGE W. BAKER, ESQ.
| / was awakened by some one running