The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-31

dl the tllne OUT ilidiiy Ol tiiSili WcAc @""'-
ened by the shock, Slight as 1t was.
They could hear the rush of the rapid in
flowing water. and with cries of terror
sought to make their way to the upper
deck. The steamer being loaded by the
stern, water naturally rushed aft, and this
allowed many of the passengers forward to
reach the deck. In the case of the saloon
passengers however. the result was fatal.
AS they rushed from their state rooms
into the saloon they were met by the tor
rent, against which IL was impossible for
them to make headway. They were caught
up and swept aft toward the cockpit.
where they were probably drowned before
the ship foundered. although about fifty
of the passengers reached the deck where
the widest confusion existed Wild rushes
were made for the boats, but the terrible
excitement prevailing impeded the efforts
of those who were trying to clear them
away. Many heartrending scenes were wit
messed between parents and children in the
few moments preceding the sinking of the
vessel
SANK IN TWENTY MINUTES.
There is some disagreement among the
survivors as to the number of boats that
were launched. One survivor, Karl A. Hof-
mann, declares that only two boats were
Launched. One of these swamped in
stantly, and the only one of its occupants, a
girl named Annie Booker. who was bound
for Southampton, was rescued. She clung
to piece of wreckage which she grasped
so tightly that it only with difficulty
that she dragged into the second boat.
She was returning from the death-bed of
her father and mother. Meanwhile, the cry
was raised on the doomed vessel for the
women and children to go to the other
side of the steamer away from the port
side in which was the great gaping hole,
caused by the Crathie. The half-fainting
women and terror-stricken children hurried
to the starboard side, but they had scarcely
reached the boats when the huge vessel
lifted her bows high in the air and then
slowly and silently sank, stern foremost,
beneath the waves, taking with her her
human freight Barely twenty minutes
elapsed between the collision and the sink
ing of the steamer. A heavy was run
ming and the wind. which was from east
southeast was bitterly cold.
The small boat containing the survivors
tossed about until II o'clock in the morning
Several vessels were sighted in the mean
time, but they made no replies to the sig
mails that were set for them. The survivors
were nearly frozen, having barely any
clothing, and their sufferings were intense.
Eventually the fishing smack, Wild Flower,
L..
In a short time the survivors were taken
aboard of her, where everything possible
was done for their comfort.
SURVIVORS AND MISSING
Following is corrected list of the sur
vivors, the first four being cabin pas
sengeEs;
KARL HOFFyMANN
EUGENE SCHLEGEL.
JOHN VERERA.
ANNA BOECKER.
- BOTHEN. between deck passenger.
A. NEUSSELI4 chief engineer.
THEODORE STOLBERG, third officer
- WESER, purser
HERR DEHART, Bremerhaven pilot.
TEN SEAMEN
The survivors arrived at Lowestof at half
past o'clock this afternoon. Following is
list of first and second-class passengers
who fseITs are npsHM nmlssing; Mnn,c,
HUGO BECKER, Chemnitz
A BAUMANN Berlin.
LOUISE, BORNEFELL. London.
FRAU ANDREW BRDSBACH, Amster-
FRAU ,CoNNERs, South Dakota.
DOROTHA CASTLE, Honolulu
DR.. ]. c. DIETRICH, America.
FRAULEIN FRANK, America
JACOB FRANK. America.
Is 66bREcHEK GE9zEN Mf1F9na i 2 MIR Minn Now
York
ERNEST HEEIEN New York
ANNA HOFFMAN, Grand Island Neb.
HARRY HOFFMAN, Grand Island, Neb.
A SURVIVORS STORY.
Mr.. Karl Hoffman. the husband of Mrs.
Anna Hoffman is among the survivors. He
is in a condition of terrible distress from
the loss of his wife and son. He pathetically
exhibited to the reporter a gold watch that
his wife had slipped into his hand as she
parted with him to go to the starboard
side OF the steamer when the order to that
effect was given. He said: I'VE left Brem-
erhaven Tuesday afternoon at o'clock
Our cabin was one of the second-class and
was within six feet of the spot which re-
ceived the full force of the shock. My wife,
child and l were asleep when l was awak-
ened, at $40 o'clock, by what seemed to
be the ringing of the gong that is used
that 1t was still dark, 1 jumped out OF my
berth, but heard nothing to alarm me- L
weat teiv BACK to my berth again and inn
shouting. l concluded something serious had
happened and seized some clothing. /
awakened my wife and child, who harriedly
dressed and then all ran along the
corridor with the others to the deck. 1 was
knocked down stairs when l reached the
top, but my feet caught a hook and
l managed to save myself from being
trampled upon. | got TO the port side and
the collision. The water was then rushing
into the steamer in great torrents. The air
was very Qark though the SKY was clear.
| The sea was very rough. Two boats
lowered. / caught my boy and threw him
into one of the boats. Calling my wife to
accompany me, l got into it, but at that
moment there was a shout for the women
and children TO go to the starboard side.
Slipping her watch into my hand, my wife
left me and the boy was taken out of the
boat while / sat there. / boat
swamped We tried to rescue those in the
water, but all one. Anna Boecker dis
appeared. Our boat then showed off
We saw many vessels. but could not attract
| their attention. We used sails and skirts for
| signals, but the passing vessels paid no
attention to them. Eventually the signals
were answered by the smack Wild Flower
| "After the collision. rockets were fired
from the steamer but help came |
! think it impossible that any others
were rescued, the ship sank almost Inn
| mediately after we had left it. / do not
believe that the steerage passengers We're
| aware of the accident, because the collision
| did not make much noise. We were gex-
posed to a heavy and bitter winds for
over five hours. The boat shipped water
constantly
| THE CHIEF ENGINEER TALKS.
Chief Engineer Neusseil, in an interview,
| said 'The steamer that ran into US ap-
| peared to be a vessel of about 1.590 TONS
| vie bv xxhi oi+t