The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-24

lence OF his embrace. Tears of Joy rained
IRON both their eyes, and soon the crowd
left them alone. while the overjoyed hus-
band half.dragged, half-liited his wife to
the carriage in waiting.
In the rear section OF the sleeping-car
sat jolly old Billy Banker, first clerk of
the Kate Adams, bless his good old soul.
For forty years he has been identified with
river interest and a more generous soul
never drew the breath of life. Passengers,
officers and crew, all have learned to love
his genial personality. He weighs about
l75 pounds and most OF II is heart. A truer
man and a more faithful officer than Billy
Banker the world does not know. lie had
q narrow escape. lie was dressing when
the alarm was sounded. Partial paralysis
has made his action cumbrous and he moves
with difficulty and effort. Hegot to the stern
of the boat, escape from the front having
become impossible, and there found Capt.
Cheek helping despairing crowd to
means of safety. The Captain flung a
life-preservcr around his trusted clerk,
and then lifted him into the river.
He floated down stream about two miles,
and struck a steep embankment about
fifteen feet high. Here some chartably-
disposed negroes, armed with saplings,
reached out for him, and, by the united
efforts OF dozen or so Of these dark
skinned Samaritans he was pulled safely
to shore. Mr.. Banker estimates the loss
OF human life at between fifty and seventy
five. lie gave the number of bales of
cotton on board as l,l6l, sacks l0s, and
sacks OF seed as 1000. He thought there
were about 100 deck passengers. Three
OF the cabin boys, he said, we're known
to be lost. There were about thirty white
cabin passengers aboard, and twenty-five
colored, who found accommodation in the
upper cabin, known as Texas.
PASSENGER WITH 4 DEAD MANS CLOTHES.
Among the passengers on the train was
Mr.. J. NJ. Hunter, a life insurance agent,
OF Louisville, KY, who stated that he had
oversight himself and found himself in his
night clothes when the alarm was sounded.
lie looked into the cabin and saw n sheet
OF flame aud clouds Of thick, black smoke.
lie saw there was not time to dress, and
seizing liie.prescrvor made a plunge into
the river for safety; floatcd about two
miles and then found himself stiT with cold.
lie managed 10 make for a safe place and
landed about two miles below his point OF
embarkment There he found body frozen
stiff and soon.appropriated the clothes OF
the corpse and clothed himself with them.
Saw the cabin watchman stiff with cold
and shiyering into unconsciousncs.; urged
him to brace up, and helped Others rub
him, but without success. lie soon died.
Mr.. Hunter claims to have escaped in his
night clothes, leaving $1,000 in currency
behind him. When seen by an ArrEAI
reporter he wore n mixed selection Of
garments taken, as he admitted, from
corpses. lie was travelling without charge
TO Louisville, where he has friends, who
will doubtless put him on his feet again.
HARRY best, SECOND CLERK
Of the Kate Adams, was found at his home
with Mr. Spccht, on Madison street lie
said. ~ was at breakfast Heard an
alarm Of fire. Mr.. McLcmorc, Of Ncsbitls
Landing, Ark. called to him on the for
ward deck: For Gods sake, help me
save my wife and babies did what hc
could TO assis, Mr. Mclemorc and family
ashore. Does not know Of any loss Of life.
Al whites believed to have been saved,
except George Corbeit, ihiri clerk. who
had been swamped in n yawl, whore hc
had taken refuge, by a swarm Of drowning
neroos trying to share his place Of safety.
They al went down together"