New-York tribune., 1889-12-21
SlMOTHERED IN A SHIPS HOLD.
SHOCKING DEATH OF TWO wELL-KNOWN
SAN FRANCISCO MEN.
OVERCOME BY GASES FROM THE DAMAGED
CARGO OF WHEAT THEY WERE INSPECTING
NARROW ESCAPE OF THEIR COMPANION. r

! OVERCOME BY GASES FROM THE DAMAGED
| CARGO OF WHEAT THEY WERE INSPECTING
NARROW ESCAPE OF THEIR COMPANION.
II ,BY TELEGRAPH THE TkIBUSE.l
| San Francisco, Dec. 2o.-A great sensation was
caused in commercial circles this afternoon py
the sudden and terrible death of Captain John
Fl. Freeman, inspector for Lloyds, and +. X.
Cation, the wealthy wheat merchant. Both
were smothered while inspecting the damaged
cargo Of the British ship Durham, which was
on fire at Port Costa last Tuesday. The vessel
was brought here, and to-day was selected for
the inspection Of the damaged cargo. In conse-
quence of the heavy rains, tarpaullns had been
stretched over the hatchways, and thereby a large
amount of noXious gas confined in the hold !;
but of this thought.
The men who proceeded to make the investi-
CATION were Frederick R. Cation Of Falkner,
Bell & Co.; Captain Freeman and A. j. Cove,
grain inspector for the Produce Exchange. In
n few minutes the stcvedores and others on the
dock were startled TO see Mr.. Cove appear on
deck, staggering and apparently nearly exhausted,
and crying: Help Help! Help"
The crowd responded promptly. Looking into
the hold they saw Captain Freeman lying prone
upon his face ladder, and heard somebody
give a faint cry from between decks The crowd
then realized WIdU Dau Happcneu Inc uHlOIOu-
nate men had been smothered by gases from the
combustion of the wheat Three sailors Immediately
rushed into the hold but soon returned. reelng
like drunken men, and declaring that no one
could live there At this crisis Eugene NJ. Steele,
engineer for the Nevada Dock Warehouse Com
pany, gallantly volunteered for the work of
rescue, and ordered rope to be fastened under
his shoulders that he might descend to the hold.
The men hesitated for moment for it would be
sending him down to peril if not to certain death.
But as he was imperative a rope was hastily Sc
cured and he was lowered.
The gas was overpowering, and he almost lost
his senses before he had been more than few
seconds in it, But Steele is determined mar.
and he managed to attach the rope to one of
Freemans arms then he and the insensible man
were drawn to the surface. But the unfortunate
Captain Cation was still below, and Cove, who
believed he knew where the body lay, ventured
below, but fell overpowered. and the first mate
of the Durham saved him with difficulty.
AS no one volunteered to secure Cations body,
Steele again came forward, and second time
was lowered into the sitting hold After a
desperate fight he found Cation lying IN the mold,
but much further away from the hatchway than
Freeman had been, and therefore, where the gas
was denser. He attached rope to the proStrate
man, and again was hauled up. Freeman and
Cation lay on the deck, and every effort was made
u Tesuscitate them. Thirty or 1orty men worked
over them, stripping their clothes OF. rubbing
them and pouring whskey down their throats.
Freeman seemed to have little life in him. but
Cation lay like a corpse, with palld face and
staring eyes motiOnless. Both died in a short
time, WITHOUT recovering consciousness.
Mr.. Cove was so unStrung by his terrible eX-
perlence that he could scarcely talk lie saId
We went down into the hold. There were about
twenty five men around, and the captain warned
them of the danger; but Captain Freeman and
Mr.. Cation said they would prefer to go down
first. I went with them. WAen we went down
turned around. and just as did ! saw Captain
Freeman fall. Mr.. Cation fell. too. They must
have died instantly. Then i got out The burned
wheat and hearted corn probably generated a gas so
heavy that it could not rise Where ] was it was
lighter, and of course | did not feel the full
effect: hut where they were it must have struck
them with deadly effect Immediately"