The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-01
MIR. HoFFMAN's STORY.
How German-American Escaped and
Was Rescued by Fishermen.

MIX. HOEFMAN'S SIOh1.
How a Recommendations Escaped and
Was Rescued by Fishermen.
LOWESTOFT. England Jan. 31-Carl
Hoffman. one of the cabin passengers of
the Elbe who was rescued lives in Grand
Island, Neb. Last night he gave brief
story of the disaster and this morning he
gave additional particulars. He says that
had the vessel which colded with the Elbe
stood by the latter steamer the majority of
the passengers and crew might have been
saved for. he says. the. EIbe remained per-
fectly steady for many minutes after the
collision before the volume of water poured
into her and caused her to lurch. Then
all be came confusion. When the survivors
were informed that the Crathie was sup
posed to be the vessed which sunk the Elbe
apparent inhumanity in not making an eff
fort to assist the disabled vessel or to res
Mr.. Hoffman this morning, speaking of the
disaster, said: Those who were drowned
suffered less than we who were saved
as he made the statement He is a German
american, about thirty years of age, of
United States His face was scanned with
tears which had wet his sleepless pillow
all all night. Continuing, Mr. Hoffman said:
sengers. They behaved well and the only
confusion was with the crew. who tried to
save themselves. Out of the small number
Of lives saved there are fifteen members
of the crew.
but they were useless The noise of the
collision sounded no louder in my state
room than the single beat Of a big drum.
passengers crowding about the boats and the
crew running here and there and cutting
they ars Teey aere oo
have been oiled, then they would have been
11anr 1ivY,ho r 9th al and No
other light except the Elbe's lights.
When I entered the boat they took my
Sir. had 1 known it was not the captain
who ordered the women and children to
the starboard side Of the ship "a they , would .isl
me. But, you see, i have been military
man and obey orders"
I'm the Fifteenth Prussian Uhlans. for
three years
"Were YOU married in Germanyg'
mo. In America. My wife was only
twenty years old. She was good
woman. sir. She was born In Nebraska Of
German parents. Her mother is now at Grand
from from Berlin. who was going to Mobile. Ala,
comical-sang songs and told funny stories
In the saloon.
deal Of OFT trouble. the Eibe being right on top
of us at first. we had hardly got hundred
Yards from the ship when saw a woman
something to her. but somebody shouted
No: save ourselves I could not do that
and. with h' the help Of another man, / drew
her into the boat, which was an ordinary
ships boat, about fifteen feet long. after
wards found out that her name was Anna
Bueckner Poor girl. She was almost dead
with fright and cold We put her in the
help her. We were all wet from the water,
which was pouring In at our collars and de-
scendlng into ,o our boots we FIRST rsad tried
and, therefore, rugged up a sort of mast,
and with small sail tried to keep the bow
of the boat to the wind and seas. After
a while we saw a smack and did all we
could to signal her, although we failed to
attract her attention. We had cut piece
Of canvas and made a small flag. which we
used for signaling and soon after we had
failed to let the smack know Of our dis
tress this flag blew away and the smack
Here fresh paroxysn of grief overlook
of his wife and child; his utterances were
almost choked with grief. Some minutes
elapsed before Mr.. Hoffman nina was asa, able xr 70
made new flag with our handkerch,efss
and an undershirt which somebody pulled
of. i held them up against the mast, and
we eventually sighted the Wildfower. But
a full, long terrible hour elapsed before
| we We're taken aboard. She had her nets
out, and it was difficult to approach her
| Oh account of the heavy seas. After five
of the persons in our boat had been trans
| to slide back into the water, and it APP
peared as if the others might be lost. But
| gradually hauled UP and all of us were
| transferred to the Wiidfower When
reached her deck I fell down down ex-
| hausted and offered up, prayer to God
| for my. dead darlings and thanked Him for
| having saved me. Oh. sir, they were SO kind
/ to us that smack, although they were
/ only fishermen. They had some hot
| tea ready, and covered us up with every
| thing warm they could lay hands upon
| Why, of those poor fishermen actually
i gave me the only shirt he had, and have
/ 1t on now. God bless him. AS for poor
/ Miss Bueckner. I have tended her as a
| mother might have DONE"
/ Mr.. Hoffman concluded by asking whether
1 his eyes shooting piteous. appealing
l glance at the reporter as ever the latter be-
| held, and the poor man sank back upon his
/ pillow, exclaiming: oh for some tele-
/ grams. But she is dead. And so is my
| darling boy. and I cannot go to their
| graves"
Miss Anna Bueckner, the only lady sur
| vivor of the Elbe. is the heroine OF the hour.
| She Is besieged with visitors anxious to pro-
vide her with money and clothing. In con-
versation with the correspondent this after
| noon Miss Bueckner said:
| II can't remember feeling afraid after the
was the terrible cold l and another lady
| kent on the port side of the Ship which was
the lee side. The majority of the passen-
| gers crowded to the starboard side how
| ever ] do not know who ordered them
| there. did not hear the captain give any
| order. But the officers did their best to re-
| assure us. saying that there plenty of
| room for every one in the boats.
1 "