New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-07-26
OVER THE UMBRIA'S STERN.
SUPPOSED SUICIDE OF GENERAL JAMES
Il. VAN ALIEN.

Il VAN ALIEN.
cohEs TO MEET HIM AT THE PIER AND
LEARNS OF HIS DKArH-T1 aEK.
ERATs MIND AFvEcTED.
Among the passengers on the Cunard
steamer Umbfta which sailed from Liverpool on July
II for Fsw.York, were General J. Il Van Allen. ven
crsblelookinG old gentlemen Of seventy years, and
MAJOR K n. 0rinnell, middle agsd man Of perhaps
nfy. Both had the vessel st Queenssown and
their names did not sppsar the regular passenger
hse Inc older man was weak In health and under
martial air and gallant bearing well pre-
showed signs Of mental preoceupauon
ana worry He had left New.York only shors time
before for London with three Of his In
tsndng to put them in school Southamton They
had scarcely Got fairly settled in England whom tee
am announcing the illness Of his only son. the
father OF the three little children. recalled General Van
Alien to this country He plainly too much Affected
oy his sons danger to make the long voyage alone
ana Nj. GrlnnclL fearing tbst some socioens
miRhs happen TO the General In MS
nervous and excited condition. determined to sail
with him 10 Nsw-YorK Coming the ship 90 lats oy
the captains Kindness they made their quarsrs In his
own double cabin the upper deck. opening ont from
sne assistant Stewards room. Here they made them'
selves - comfortable they could and set TO passing
the days between sailing and landing easily might
ba
Tho General slept poorly for the nrst two or three
nishts, talked excitedly ct tmes and at othor times
seemed listess and depressed He had presentiment
hs SAID, that hs would never see his son again
and the three little children loft behind In England
seemed also TO weigh his mind Tho assistant stew
Ard. whose neGhbor he took interest In bis
case and. with Mr. Grnnel did all he could 70 amuso
and divert him quiet watch too. pus upon the
Generals movements during the day, and both the
steward and Mr.. Grnne hoped that the General would
DO himsef again long before port reached. The
patient meanwhile, had become greatly interested
in the ships machinery. He watched tie work
Ing Of the engines In the engine-room, tho
wheel In the pothouse, and tho propeller with ell the
inQustveuers OF small boy the subject OF watch
Wheels AZ far a. he could ho mastered the names and
OF tho different spars and sails Occasionaly no
mounted the ships rail and hung the vast
hull plough through the rolnug as II instinct
with life
Everything went we'll enough until the Wednesday.
July 21 The Uwbria had bssa having smooth seas and
pleasant weather. Bus on Wednesday thero WAS not
breath Of sirrnx the whole evening. and the sutry
heat OF the cabin became ALMOST intoerabe. Every.
thing polluted . before morning General Van
Allen broke down under the close. staing air Of tho snip
He became feverish and talked inooherently At inter-
vas he dashed his head against the walls OF the
narrow room kept applying oe to tho old
gentleman's head and face. For long Time he would
not sleep. but was finally queted after midnight, into
uneasy doze. The Generals berth was close to tho
wall of tho cabin, next to the stewards room.
Mr. Grinnelrs over by the further wall
At ts foot Q door opening out on tho
upper main deck, and behind It was q bulls
head window Both were open and thinking his own side
perhaps the cooler. Mr.. Grnnel onauged berths with
his patient ana after watching until nearly O'clock,
fell asleep himself Whom he awcke an hour later 0on-
eneral Van Alen Only Ms overcoat and lug
gage were left lying In disorder about the cabin.
The General had evidently got up about q mr
dressed himself carefully. putting on his COLLAR necktio
high whte hat aud Gloves, and taking his waknsssck
hal passed out through open door upon the deck
Tho Sea was running high ana tho ship wss
pitching and tossing. Tho third odicer 10 confident
that no saw passenger dressed like the General juss
about dawn outside the whaback. part OF the rail st
the very stern OF the ship Before he could look again
the figure had disappeared. The Umbria rides high and
It Ia scarcely possible that luckess old gentleman
could have been washed overheard by the wsvea He
must have climbed the wnaebaok deliberately ana then
Jumped fallen into tho sea.
A general alarm was given Major Grinnell
realized tho situation. The ship was searched thor
oughly In the hope, at nrsk that tho old gentleman
might DO found at his favorte psstime OF
watching the machinery below. Half an hours
hunting. aud the testimony Of the third ofcer soon put
al end TO all uncertainty Tho news spread quickly
through the ship aud everybody looked solemn 1t
breakfast and for day or two afterwsrd
The rest of tho voyage was made In fog and gloom
morning the Umbria lay of sandy Hook. At p M she
reachod the Cunard pier No. 40. North River. Hero
there was q touching soene Tho Genorars con had so
from his Illness to come from Newport
his father and Major Grinnell, a. he Thought.
Tho gangwsys were lowered and the crowd began
to pour out. but neither the General nor
the Major appeared. Tho young man waited
and then at last made his way on the Umoras DECK
Major Grlnnell waiting for him in tho captains
cabin. Almost breaking down himself no manAxcd 70
let the what had happened In midocesn. Ihe
shock was sudden and heart-brsakns The young man
away sank into chair and buried bis face 10 LIS
hands the captains table For Two
hours he neither raised his head nor said word'
Finally Major Griune who had passed In and out sew
eral tmea waiting for the first burst OF sref 10 pass
over. quietly took tho young mans arm ana ieaa nip'
still sobbIng, slowly down on the pier csrrAso was
called and the two drove away about p m " 'uo
Westminster Hotel
Major Grinuell was seen at the hotel by TRIBUNE
reporter. He 10 . nne-oOkiug gentleman With white
hair, musache and side whiskers He was AN omcerin
Confederate army and boars scars received In aeor
Both hands wero msimed BY o fragment OF . she!
Major Grnnel much Affected by tho deatn Oh us
broher.inlaw and frequently was unable to proceed
With mis- sad narrative "The Genora he said. sailed
for Liverpool sbous month ago. having with him n's
three little grandchildren tho children OF his only sou
James. whom he took abroad to be educated IN IN"
homo OF Engsh clergyman near southampton no
fond Of his grandchildren that no would no'
hear of any one else taking charge OF them and. al
though over seventy years Of age. did nos
hesitate TO take tho voyage ON his mis-
sion OF love. He contemplated making
somewhat moro extended tour and possioIy vis'lnk
France, but received telegram Informing him tnAt h
son Was dangerously III at his Newport home, anu mas
tened to return Mra Grunsl and myself met General
Van Allen In London ami became so Impressed Win
the fact that condition to make tho voyage
sloue that determined to accompany him an ussd
TO ocean travel this being my orynrst voyage sorosa
60 did not mind it; and Mra Grinnsh was
90 worried over her brothers condition that
would have made any sscrinco rather than allow MIN 10
10 alone We Joined tho Unbris as Queenstown ana our
old friend Captain MeMicksm. gave his own c~oin
70 ua promised MIS- Grinne to keep journal Of our