The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1875-06-01
THE WRECK 0FTIsESCHELLER
A Most VYOfsis Disaster.

letters published about the steamship
Schiller disaster is one written by Mr..
Dane, the ightkeeper in charge of the
Bishop Rock lighthouse, TO his wife. 1t
is an Interesting and at the same time
startling communication for here We
have the narrative of man who saw the
ill-fated steamer beating to destruction
on the rocks, and yet had no power to
afford relief, no means of communica-
ting to the people on shore what was ia
king place before his eyes.
MR., DANES LETTER
The letter OF Mr.. Dane reads as, fol-
lows:
BrsHop Rock, May 10, 1875.
DEAR WIFE: With heartsick grief |
write this to inform you of the dreadful
wreck that has happened here. less than
half mile inside of us, On Friday
night, the 4th inst, | had the watch up
to P. NJ, wher the man who is doing
duty here during the absence Of the
principal keeper took on: but seeing a
thick fog coming on still kept on the
lantern, and ordered the bell to be set
going AT 40 minutes past s NJ, fog
very thick, timed the bell properl y at 9
strokes per minute, ,and saw all was right,
and left the lantern at 10 P NJ, and went
to my bunk, but | could not sleep At
30 minutes past 1 P. NJ, William Morti.
mer came running down and called to
me,and said he could see vessel on the
rocks. ! jumped up and went out ~
the parapet without stopping to dress
and saw the masthead and starboard
light of q large vessel by telescope. ]
should take her for large steamer, She
was burning blue lights and firing off
guns and rockets She seemed to be
sinking The last gun fired was at half.
past N, S;h inst.-I relieved G
Gould at 4 An Fog again raised at G
NJ. conll just see the topmast Of
the vessel out OF the water. We could
count about 26 people in the rigging
could see one lady in the lee side rigging
two men by her She was in a sitting
posture / should think lashed. 1t was s
dreadful sight Atabout A. NJ. the mas
fell, land | suppose every one perished, but
still hope few or some might be saved
SUNDAY.
Three bodies foateG past us this after
noon, No one knows what was felt in
this house by all hands to see so many o.
our dear fellow creatures suffering and
dying so near US,
Mrs Christine Toens, the only lady
saved from the Schiller, having recovered
somewhat from the shock on her nervous
system, relates to a lady corresponden
the following incidents of the shipwreck
"sAvE ME AND MY CHILD
She said among the passengers was 6
lady who had beautiful little boy; he
was everybody's pet on board, and would
be seen playing all day long with his
mother or other ladies and gentlemen -
After the steamer had struck the rock, the
lady, with the boy in her arms, rushed
frantically upon deck, and fell upon hel
knees before sailor. ''Save me and my
child, for Gods sake, save us! / ar
rich. immensely rich-save me, and thor
shalt be wealthy and without cares for
ever. will give thee enough for all Thy
life. Thou need not be a sailor then
only save me and my child
A big wave swept over the deck anc
carried away the rich mother, her beauti
tul child and the poor sailor.
JUMPED INTO THE SEA WITH HER CHILD.
! Another lady on board had a little cir
about three years old, who looked like al
angel. The mother being mostly sea
sick, would not allow anybody to take th,
child away out of her sight. Many ladies
offered toplay with the child on deck, bu
tue mother always objected, on th'
ground that the child might be hurt o.
even fall overheard through carelessnes
or oversight. Her child in the water :
The bare idea would almost make he
mad When the catastrophe came th
mother rushed on deck with her child OF
her arm and at once jumped into tn
sea. The idea of seeing her child in th
water made her mad Mrs. Teens furthe
said:
| NOT ONE CHILD SAVED.
1--WE had great many handsome chill