The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-11-13
Cant. Lockwood,s Story.

tuS.
Capt. Lockwood's Story.
NEW YORK November 9.-The follow
ing is the full statement ofCapt. Lock
wood, with regard to the disaster to the
steamer Champion: 1--WE had remark
ably quiet voyage up to the time
of the accident. When we left New
York the weather was foggy, but this
cleared away before we were ten hours
out. On the morning Of the collision
left my room about five minutes past
and returned to the pilot-house for q few
seconds. had hardly got back to my
room again when heard some one sing
out, "Sail aheadw and "Hard byw
jumped into the pilot-bouse, rang the
bell to stop the steamer and then to back
at full speed. I saw that a ship was COM
ing down upon us and that 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 at US. We were go
ing under steam and had just set foretop-
sail. She struck US right on the bows
crushed right into US, staving in our
whole bows. I was afraid that my
vessel would sink in almost an instant
and at once ordered the first mate TO go
forward and see what water, if any, the
Champion was making, but before he had
time to return found my. ship was fast
sinking. I then ordered the second mate
to get the boats in readiness, that is to
cut them loose from my ship, as it was
fast going down. I also ordered
him to have life.raft cut adrift so that
it might be rendered useful in case the
steamer went down under foot, as I was
afraid she would give US no warning.
Ny next work was to warn the lady pas.
sengers of their great danger. I rushed
into the cabin and cried alout: Ladies,
ship is going down, you have not mo-
ment to spare! Never mind your cloth
ing, but come out at once" l believe
there were but three ladies there, but of
this am not sure. None Of them came
out, and the only response l received
was loud screaming and halloing. They
could have come out very easily If they
wished, but I suppose they became pan;
ic-stricken. My duty called me away, and
I was still in hopes that the women had
obeyed my summons, but unfortunately
I found afterN ards they had not. I be-
lieve they were all lost. There has been
but one female saved, and that is Stew
ardess Catherine Cross.
When the ship went down was stand
ing by the main rigging, and near me stood
a number of the crew. said, Boys,
save yourselves and don't mind me-
Each of them then took life preserver
and expressed their determination to
stand by me. After few seconds said,
Throw life raft overheard. I'll come
afterwards. Jump for your lives This
was rapidly done, and they left me. l
was the last to leave the vessel, and went
down with her. soon came to the sur
face again. This may seem strange, but
it is nevertheless the fact. kept near
the surface Of the water, and so suppose
did not experience the suction of the yes.
sci while she was going down. When 1
came to the top of the water found my
self close to the life-raft, on which l was
pulled by those already there. l have
been commander of Champion for the past
thirteen years. Leonard, the first officer,
was in charge when the collision took
place. Hc ran toward the moment the
crash occurred, and that was the last l
saw of him. He was tried and expert
enced seaman, and had sailed with me
for over fourteen years. He was man
about 4S years of age, a resident OF
Brooklyn, and leaves a wife and two
children. We were about thirty miles
from land from Cape Henlopen, which
bore fifteen or sixteen miles L. n. E. OF
Five Fathom Bank light.
MY room where went just before the
collision adjoined the pilot house, in fact
you could almost step from one to the
other. The Champion carried about five
life boats and a life raft. understand
that four passengers and two seamen
were picked up by bark that came
along some time after the collision. l
have heard since that she was a Norwe-
gian, but that was all. None of us knew
her narle or anything about her beyond
the fact that she was evidently bound
North. Tho Lady Octavia, the ship that
ran into us saved nine lives. We saved
the rest on the life raft, except, of
course, those who were picked up by the
unknown bark. The night was beauti-
full starlight ono with little moonlight.
The captain says the ship was in about
IA fathomns of water at the time. The last
I saw of the Champions wreck the top
masts were about two feet out of the wa
ter. Iwould rather not, just at present,
say anything about who was to blame
for the collision, but I think that the
ship could have avoided it.