Richland beacon., 1875-05-15
OCEAN HORRORS.
Three Vessels Wrecked and
Four Hundred and Seventy
seven Lives Lost
Intense Excitement and GRIEF OF
Relatives OF the Victims.
Only Forty-Four Savel.


of the steamship Schiller, Capt. Thorn
as, of the cage line, which sailed
from New York for Hamburg on the
18th ultimo, is the most distressing
and hcartrending and when a tc!c-
gram of the Sth inst. from London
announced the awful calamity that
had just taken place the excitement
and anguish of the relatives ana
friends N New York of those who
had taken passage on the Inflated
vessel were Understandable. The YES
sci was said to be new and one OF the
hest ahOat: but it was utterly I'M
possible for any vessel to live where
it went ashore on the reefs oil the
Sicily Islands. We copy below the
further details Of this terrible calamity
as photographed on The dates named:
LoNDoN, MAY All day details
Of the Schiller disaster have been
coming in. Unfortunately no more
are reported saved. Bodies are con
stantly being picked up. Among
them are Geo. Lconhard, Carl
Schmidt, Mrs. Rridcrrr and child
Mrs. Becker, Mrs. Rid-eway, and
Mrs. ilermicuc West, and five men,
five women and children unknown;
altogether u. Total number of lives
lost is 3ll. Mr.. Policeman, second
officer, Henry Stern and Mr.. Frahl,
irsI-claSs passengers. say the voyage
was moderately good until the last
three days. 1t was Impossible to
take observations and the ship. was
out of her course half at the time of
the catastrophe. Capt. Thomas was
on deck night and day foT four entire
DAYS. At : O'Clock III the evening Of
the 9Th there was Il dense f1g sails
were taken in. engines put on half
speed and the to~-bcllS used. Bishops
light was unseen though only a half
mile distant At 10 o'clock we struck
on "a reef, and after four bumps, the
steamer settled down There was a
violent sea, and the tide was rising !:
the darkness was intense. Most of
the passengers were awake, and there
was the usual rush for the boats, but
nearly all were stove in. One boat
with few sailors left the ship, cow
ardly refusing all aid. Two boats
were saved. The captain endcavored
to compel obedience by shooting over
their heads. During two hours six
canon shots We're fired, when the
powder became wet; distress signals,
rockets and blue-lights were un-
answered. At midnight the fog lifted,
revealing the lighthouse. The waves
were sweeping the decks and carry
ing away the victims At two o'clock
The deck house, in which were the
women aud children, was swept away;
the cries and shriekS of the victims
were heartrending, then followed a
ghastly silence. The smokcs;ark fell,
crushing some Of the boats, and two
' others were carried away. The re.
1 maindcr of the passengers followed
c the captain to the forward bridge
' each succeeding wave taking its
victims. Some sought refuge on the
mainmast and some on the f,remast
! At2 o'clock the captain and two
. other officers were on the bridge, but
, the captain, for moment, to render
= assistance, went to the deck AID wa!
swept away, thus persisted a brav,
man. Mr.. Stern says, at this tim,
about ten persons were clinging t
the rigging of the mainmast, ant
thirty to that of the foremost. Th,
, ship had careencd SO her yards touch
# cd water, and the tide was rising
!. At 5 o'clock the fog lifted. Tn
i survivors shouted, but their erie
n were unavailing. At I o'clock, tn,
|. maiumast, and at quarter to 8, th,
!, foremost, both Of iron, fell then tw
G Of st. Agnes boats came aud rescue,
ii the few who had managed TO keel
i afioat. 1t was reported that ther
u.
~ survivors were taken from Pensanc
~ to Plymouth to-day, and will
nj forwarded 10 Hamburg, where grea
at excitement prevails. 1t is asscrte
no that lite-saving belts were issued I
of the women, but it is certain that mos
# of the passengers found none. A
r.. order was given that the first boa
d should take the women and children
re This boat capsized. Policeman say
nv seven boats were launched, and onl
two lived The others were stove i
and swamped Immediately. erie
for help lasted until three o'clocl
The last voice heard was that Of
ny little child in the cabin. 1t is NJ
or probable boats could have lived eve
he if successfully filled. Tie whol
,e. number saved is forty-four. Fort,
ry, four bodies have been recovered. Nj
The Smith, Of the Islands, writes to tn
- Times that many additional liv,
4. were lost because the guns and rUcl
ed cts fired from the Schiller wer
ave thought 10 be merely ordinary sigma
w. of arrival, which were frequentl
ne cause of false alarm. Among til
rs. bodies found are those of Georg
of Leonhardt, Rowue Lcurchner, Andr
ci. Peterson, c. Schmidt, Mrs. Riedere
w and daughter, Mrs. Becker, Mr.:
-, RiGreway and Mrs. West. FIT
er. bodies have come ashore at 81. Mary