The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-06-14


NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. or A PAssENGER-A
RxMARKAsLE EsoAPE-sADFATE OF TWO
CHnDREy-A GRANDMOTHER HERO.
IsM-FuLLEsT AND LATEST DETAILS OF
A LAMENTABLE OCCURRENCE.
New York, June 12.-Tbe steamer Mar
ragansett, which LEFT this city last evening
for Stonington, and her companion, the
Stonington, which left StoniDgton for New
York, coIlIded off the Connecticut river in
a dense fog about 1l:l5 p. NJ. The former
took fire and sank in four fathoms OF water.
The passengers OF both vessels were trans
ferred to the City OF New York, which ar
rived in this city at 10:15 this morning. 1t
| Is impossible to ascertain the loss OF life.
Thus far only two bodies have been recoy-
| cred.
THE PARTICULARS.
ST0yNGroN, CoSS., June 12.-Tbe
steamer Stonington arrived at $50 this
morning with about fifty survivors OF the
Narragansett. The bow Of the former
struck the NarTagapsett three feet aft Of the
stern, cutting her down nearly to the wa
ter.line. She struck the Narragansett at
1880 O'Clock on the starboard side forward
OF her wheel-house. The shock burst the
gas-tank, and In fifteen minutes the Nara
gansett was on fire. She sunk In four
fathoms OF water.
The steamers City OF New York and Pro-
violence came to her assistance, and all the
boards and Iife-raits OF four steamers were
lowered and put in service. Two hours
elapsed before the last passenger was picked
up, most Of whom were transferred to the
| City OF New York. The passengers say
the officers and crew Of the Narragansett
behaved with great GOODNESS and nerve,
On their arrival at StonIngton the village
aroused and men and women fastened with
clothing and assistance. twenty-five wo.
men were on board in their night-clothes,
one OF whom died before reaching here
from the shock. She has not yet been iden.
tilted. One man also died, Rev. f.. ID. Lock
wood, OF the Sixty eighth.Street Methodist
church, New York. He was on his first
| trip East
Another account says the surviving pas
sengers from the Inflated Narragansett al
agree that ont OF q passenger list OF more
than three hundred large number must
have been lost, as the water around the
burning steamer was alive with struggling
people clinging to RATS and every concev
able thing. IL is feared that most OF thu
passengers who were i'm the berths below
the main deck did not have time to save
themselves.
| FIFTY LIVES LOST.
NEW YORK, June 2.--Second-O Officer Nc
Donough, OF the steamer City OF New
York. says in his estimation not over ffty
lives were lost by the collision OF the Sto
nington and Narragansett.
A Passengers Account.
NEW YORK, June PA passenger or
the Stonington gives the following account
of the disaster: Soon after the steamer lei
Providence the weather became thick. By
lip. NJ. nearly everybody was in bed, and
all on board was quiet. At about ia;
there was a sudden crash, and in moment
there was q terrible confusion. Men, wo
men, and children, in all stages Of undress
rushed frantically from their berths, ant
rushed TO the upper decks. For few mo
ments everybody thought the boat wa:
sinking, and there was struggle for life
preseryers. 1t was soon seen that thu
steamer into which the Stonington had rur
was the Narragansett. The latter had beer
struck amidships, and two or three minute
after the collision flames burst out from tb'
eugine.room, and almost Immediately en-
yeloped The entire vessel.
FRIGHTFUL SCENE.
The scene was frightful. The sbrieks ant
cries Of the passengers on the Narraganset
were distinctly audible on the StoningtoD
They could be seen leaping into the water
and rushing franlically in all directions
The boats OF the StoningtOn were lowered
after delay OF several minutes, and by tina
time the Narragansett had settled and wa
sinking. By some blunder the plugs in III!
lfe-boats were left out, and they tIled Will
water. This caused additional delay. Tb
men in the boats did not know how to row
them. At last they reached the scene o
the wreck, and picked up number o
persons who were fo3ting on lie
preseryers, mattresses, chairs, tables
blanks, &c. The scene was appalling
At this juncture the City OF New lorl
from New London came up and lay oil a
some distance. She lowered her boats ant
picked up as many OF the drowning pas
seneers as she could find. When all hop
OF further rescues were abandoned Tn
Stonington, after transferring some OF tn
rescued passengers, 175 III number, TO IN
CITY OF New York, returned to Stonington
The City OF New York, which was alral.
OF going ashore, then started for New forl
with the rescued passengers on board.
is not known how many, II any, remained
on the Stonington. Many OF the passen
GERS rescued were badly scalded. Other
were half naked. The passengers on tn
New York exhibited the greatest sympath
and compassion for the sufferers.
SINGULAR CASE OF SUICIDE on BOARD.
Mr.. F. NJ. Forward, another passenger
said When the crash occurred my stale
room door was burst open. | rushed Of
deck. and with several others Jumped oven
board. all having life preservers In thei
hands. Before going | reused several per
sons. and saw one young man deliberately
shoot himself through the head when b
realized the danger he was in. j, Wit
several Others, was picked up by one OF th
small boats Of the City Of New York, whicI
had come to our rescue.
A Remarkable Escape.
PROVIDENCE, II. l., June ia reporte
OF the Journal gathers from passengers til
annexed statements j. III. Wilcox, adjust
inp agent OF the New York Life-lnsuranc
Company, and a present resident OF Chic,
on. gives the following story OF his remarh
able escape from the wreck OF the Narri
gansett. Dir. Wilcox has had the misfol
tune to lose a leg, and when awakened D
the collision instantly feared be should b
penued in his stateroom by the fastenin
on The door il he did not quickly &c
out. So, without dressing, and making BIT
one futile grab for his pocket-book, cor
: tanning $500, which he had left under b
pillow, he made his way out into 10
aisle with his coat and trousers in his hand
E By this time the boat had taken fre iroI
} the blazing gas, and there was scene
tho utmost terror aud confusion. A woma
flung herself upon him, screaming SAY
me and my child" but Of course Mr.. WI
q cox could do nothing in his helpless cond