Daily Los Angeles herald., 1882-05-19
IS. F. Chronicle, May 18th. !

q IS. F. Chronicle, May 17th.l
e A startling and what might have prov.
! en- distressing outcome of the quar-.
anting of the British steamer Altonower,
occurred yesterday morning at l0:45
o'clock. At that hour one of the ships
boats used for conveying smallpox pa.
tients from the vessel to the pesthouse,
, by way of Mission creek, capsized with
its load of human beings, and one Chi
naman was drowned. A few moments
before the accident occurred the quar-
antine launch, having on board Quaran-
tine Officer Lawler, and his crew of three
men, came alongside the steamer to take
in tow the boat containing the forty-two
cases of smallpox verified by DR.. Law
Ter and the ships doctor, and who had
been lowered in boats previous to Dr.
LAWYERS arrival to facilitate matters and
save time. These forty-two victims of
the smallpox were in two boats, twenty
six in the first or the one nearest to the
launch, and sixteen in the last. To the
second boat had been attached third,
which contained seven of the ships
crew, who were to row the cargo of
smallpox patients up the creek after
having been cast loose from the launch.
Being assured that all was in readiness
for immediate departure, the Quarantine
Officer gave the word to 60 ahead, and
the signal was given by the man at the
wheel. The tow was in such position
as to necessitate complete turn, at the
same time the wind being very strong
and heavy sea rolling. In making this
turn swell came upon tho second or
middle boat in such manner as to
frighten its occupants on the weather
side, who, in moment of. fear at get
ting drenched, sprang to the other side,
which action had the effect of complete
ly capsizing the craft so quickly that all
sixteen of the stricken coolies were sub
merged in moment.
| AN ATTACK ON THE DOCTOR.
This sight was as spark to keg of
gunpowder to the mass of infected and
filthy coolies on the steamer. Without
exaggerationit may be stated that at least
500 were electrified in an instant, and
more than fifty in frenzied moment
rushed upon the ships doctor, who was
sitting in chair ON the deck, with the
intention of throwing him overheard.
The doctor realized his dreadful situa-
ton, and rushed aft and into the YES
sells cabin, in his desperation slamming
the door so fiercely that the portable
articles inside in close proximity fell
| from their lodgment on to the floor.
Baflled, the Chinese threw the chair on
which he had been sitting over into the
bay, and it sank. With great presence
of mind, one of the crew of the launch,
the instant the luckless boat turned
over, let go the line and sent the tow
adrift. The work of rescuing the help
less and pestilential boats cargo then
began. DR.. Lawler came out upon the
deck, loaded down with six life preserv-
ers, and to all that he saw struggling in
the water, threw one, and they were
clutched with avidity by as many
heathens. The next thing done was
the casting loose and lowering of the
| lifeboat of the launch.
RESCUE OF THE CAPSIZED.
She was manned and pushed off to
the rescue of those in the water, and to
one terrified Mongolian who was desper-
ately clinging to the keel of the capsized
barge. During the minutes of this in
tense excitement, the first boat load of
infection gazed stolidly upon the scene,
never once reaching out helping hand
to their drowning countrymen. In the
course of at least twelve minutes the
steam lalnch's boat, assisted by
seven of the steamers crew in the last
boat, managed to set the six men out of
the water, and the one off the the boats
keel. The righting the overturned barge
was then begun and soon the laborers
were rewarded. When she came right
side up, to the complete surprise of all
Fthere were found no less than eight of
the unfortunates clinging for their lives
to the seats, and all apparently none the
worse for their apparent submersion of
at least twelve minutes. Their escape
is accounted for by the fact that the boat
capsized so quickly as to cause current
of air to sweep into her as she dipped
| lltT Sluc lutO Uuc WdUtI SulllClCHU w hCcp
her above water distance of at least six
inches.
AN ATTACK ON THE CREW.
During the interval between the cap
sizing and the rescue of the Chinese the
hundreds of coolies who had witnessed
the scene, believing that the vessels Off
GERS, doctor and crew were responsible,
and had put their countrymen in the
boat with the sole intention of drowning
them, set up most frantic and deafen-
ing yell, which, augmented as it probab-
ly was by the escape of the doctor from
their merciless clutches, grew louder
as the mob began their demonstrations,
which in another moment, amounted to
an outbreak and vengeful attack upon
the crew of the steamer. To save them
selves the officers rushed into the cabin
and there barricaded themselves as best
they could to prevent the pagans from
taking their lives. Some of the crew
went in great haste into the rigging and
forward. A mob of Chinese procured
axes, marlinspikes and battering rams of
every description, and with these again
renewed their attack. During this de-
moralizing scene one of the crew, at the
Captains orders, managed to run up the
signal of distress. Eventu ally the mad
dened mob, becoming convinced that
their coolie brethren had been rescued,
ceased in their efforts to kill the whites
and retired within themselves.
MISSING MoNGoL.
When the capsized smallpox patients
were put in the third boat again they
Were counted by DR.. Lawlor, who found
| but forty-one, while forty-two were re-
ported to him as being in the two boats
when he came alongside to tow them
away. This discrepancy of one patient
leads to the belief that one of them must
have been drowned, although he was
not seen to go down, nor was the body
at any time observed after the accident
. occurred. Without further delay the
boats were towed to Mission Creek and
. the nestilential cargo deposited Mt the