The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-11-13
Capt. LocIswond,a srorx

tug.
Capt. Lockwood's Story.
NEW YoRK Novombor 0.-Tho follow.
Ing is tho full statement ofCapt. Lock.
wood, with regard to the disaster to the
steamer Champion: "Wc had remark.
an aeGiy, y,oq quiet qanesony voyage 1yp up to the time
York the weather was foggy, but this
cleared away before we were ten hours
out. On tho morning of tho collision /
left my room about five minutes past 3
and roturTei. TO tho piiot-house for q few
seconds. had hardly got back to my
OUT "Sail ahead" and "IInrd byp
Jumped into the pilot-bouse, rang tile
bell to stop the steamer and then TO back
ct full speed. / saw that ship was COM
Ing do%:: arca ns and that e collision
was inevitable. She was steering east
northeast. We were going south south
west, half west. The ship had full sail
on and headed right ut us. We wore go
Ing under steam and had Just set foretop-
sail. She struck us right on tho bows
and cathead on starboard side, and
crushed right into us, staving in our
whole bows. was afraid that my
vessel would sink in almost an instant
and at once ordered the first mate to 90
forward and see what water, II any, the
Champion was making, but before he had
time to return found my ship was fast
sinking. then ordered the second mate
to get the boats in readiness, that is to
cut them loose from my ship, as it was
him to have life-raft cut adrift so that
1t might bo rendered usefui in case the
steamer wont down under foot, rs was
afraid she would give us no warning.
My next work was to warn the lady pas.
sengers OF their great danger. I rushed
Into tho cabin and cried about: Ladies',
ship LII going down, you have not mo.
mont TO spare! Never mind your cloth
ing, but come out at onceW I believe
there were but three ladies there, but of
this am not sure. None of thom came
out, and tho only response I received
was LOUD screaming and hslloing. They
wished, but suppose Il sy became nan.
lc-stricken. My duty called me away, and
was still In hopes that the women had
obeyed my summons, but unfortunately
found afterW ards they hsd not. I be-
1ieve they were oil lost. There has been
but ono female saved, and that is Stew
ardess Catherine Cross.
When the ship went down was stand
Ing sJ the main rigging, and near me stood
number Of the crew. I said, BOYS,
save yourselves and don't mind me-
Each ofthem then took life preseryer
and expressed their determination to
stand by me. After few seconds said,
Throw lifo raft overheard. I'll como
afterwards. Jump for your lives This
was rapidly done, and they left me. I
was tho last to leave the vessel, and went
down with her. I soon came to the sur
:.ce again. This may seem strange, but
II Is nevertheless the fact. I kept near
the surface of the water, and go suppose
did not experience the suction of the ves-
sci while she was going down. When I
came to tho top OF tho water found my
self close to the life-raft, on which was
pulled by those already there. 1 havo
been commander of Champion for the past
thirteen years. Leonard, the first officer,
was in charge whom the collision took
place. Ho ran toward the moment the
crash occurred, and that was the last
saw of him. Ho was tried and expert
enced seaman, and had sailed with me
for owe. fourteen years. He was man
about 4S years of age, resident OF
i5rooklyn, and leaves, wife and two
children. We were about thirty miles
sso;s, land from. Caps Eeiiiop0n, which
bore fifteen or sixteen miles E. N. e, of
Five Fathom Bank light
My room where went Just before the
collision. adjoined tho pilot house, in fact
you could ,l,, almost step from one to the
life boats and fife raft. I understand
that four passengers and two seamen
were picked up by bark that came
along some timo after the collision. I
have heard since that sha Yves o Norwe-
gian. but that was all. None of us knew
her narie or anything about her beyond
tho fact that sho was evidently bound
North. Tho Lady Octayia, the ship that
ran into us saved nine lives. We saved
tho rest on the life raft, except, of
course, those who were picked up by the
bark. The night was beauti-
fel starlight ono with little moonlight.
The captain says the ship was in about
x iatiiouls 0f water aee tho time. The last
1 saw OF the Cnampion's wreck the top
masts were about two feet out of the wa
ter. would rather not, just ut present,
say anything about who was to blame
for the collision, hut I think that tho
ship coul6 have avoided It.