The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-11-19
ANOTHER SURVIVORS, STORY.
Mr.. Mitchell'S Narrative Of the Loss
of the Champion.

Among the passengers reported rs missing,
after the steamer Champion was run into and
day morning, was Mr.. Joseph Mitchell. To
the surprise Of his many friends In this city,
Mr.. Mitchell arrived here last evening. 10 a
reporter for the Star he said: AT the time OF
the accident / was in my berth. / went to
bed carly, about 8 o'clock, but 1 did not take
of any OF my clothes except my coat. ]
placed my shoes within reach, for something
warned me that an accident would happen. l
could not sleep, for l was restless and nervous
About 3 O'Clock IN the morning ! heard a sud.
den thud, but l paid no attention to 1t. as 1t
was in n distant part OF the vessel. l was IN
the after cabin, while the Lady Octavia struck
the steamer forward In q momen / heard
loud voices on deck, and men running about
Then l heard voices outside Of my stateroom.
i jumped up and opened the door OF my room
and saw the stewardess knocking at the state
steamer Is sinking Slipped on my shoes
and threw my coat over my arm, and rushed
on deck, leaving my valise and other traps IN
my staterOom."
Twas there much confusion on deck 2" ask
cd the reporter.
Everything was in confusion, - was the re-
ply, land there seemed to be no one to direct
operations. Men were running to and fro,
looking for life-prcservers."
Were there no boats?"
ayes; there was q large boat on either side
of the deck, dashed down. We tried TO get
them loose, but they resisted our efforts. We
tnen nunteu lot IN axe, put Coulu hnu note'
Not less b five minutes were consumed In
this way-tlve precious moments, rs the steam
or was rapidly sinking.
"Thcn the boats were not used?'
mo; they seemed to me to be more for or
namcnt than for use. Seeing we could do
nothing with the boats, we begun looking
around for other means OF safety. BY this
time the steamers bow was down beneath the
surface of the water aud the deck was at an
angle of almost forty-five degrees. By catch
ing our hands In various portions OF the deck
we managed to reach the stern. During all
this time the steamers whistle was blowing
and 1t continued bio wing until she went
down. When / reached the stern I found
everybody hanging OH by their hands. l had
just reached there and secured q hold on the
rail when the vessel gave a sudden lurch for
ward and went down. AS she lurched we
were all thrown into o heap n went rolling
down thedeck and into the water"
"Did You strike out and swim?"
"No; Just rs soon rs struck the wates I felt
myself sucked down by the steamer, and l
went down, d.wn, down. M! thought !
moment, md l will remember 1t to my dying
.;Of course you soon came to the surface?'
ayes; l felt myself ascending, and, being an
excellent swimmer, I felt that had q chance
for life. Just rs l came TO the surface 1 felt
body passing me, going down. and the next
moment u hand grasped my arm and pulled
me under. Whether 1t was d man or woman
i Ola not Know, unu ucScT Will, Uut i utO W
struggle forlife. knew that unless / could
release myself I Was q dead man, SO I used
every means In my power to dlsengage my.
self. Finally, Just rs / gave myself up for
lost, / succeeded in shaking off the dead-like
grip of that terrible hand, and l was quickly
on the surface again. l began to swim, and
strove to get rs fur as possible away from the
place, for tho waters were tossing about In a
very rough manner One large wave caught
me and carried me up with such force that l
seemed to fly away up In the air. The next
instant | was thrown on O window sash which
was floating on the water. The conclusion
was very severe. and my legs and arms were
badly cut by the broken glass. In the course
OF half an hour l saw a man floating on n
approaching me rs ! chung to the WIN
dow sash, andI recognized Il fellow passenger
named +. G. CARRIER, Of No. 10 West Twelfth
street, New York. GARNER. Immediately on
seeing me, swan for the sash and secured q
position beside me. In Il few moments an-
other cabin passenger, named Martin Brown,
came In sight, floating, and held up by an
empty butter tub. Seeing the sash he swan
toward 1t. cried out, My God! don't come
here; this sash will not hold three men, But
he saw 1t was his only chance, so he swan
close up and graspcd the sash. For over an
hour all three Of us shouted rs loud rs We
could and called for help. We saw a boat
from the Lady Octavia come toward us twice
and then return. ] gave up all hope, feeling
that ! must soon ink became unconscious.
The next thing ] knew | found myself lying
on the deck of the Lady Octavia. INT a sailor
was pouring hot coffee down my throat
NeD York Slar November III.