The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-02-12
EUGENE sCnLGGEl,s sroi,Y
OF tho Sinking at tho Steamer I:ibS-h
straightforward Narrative.

va NV SltAius VI tnN 6lNtHntE islDN-h
straightforward Narrative.
NRw ionE, Fob. ll.-lerlaps tho
most lucid aud colnploto story Of tho
Elbo disaster, on January 30 last, was
told to-day by Eugene schlcgel, n Of
thu vessels twonty.onc survivors.
Schlegol 10 a sturdy German Of twenty.
ono years and halls from Fuerth, Ba.
varia. lIe was on n pleasure trip 10 this
country with his slater, who wont down
In tho Elbc.
schlepol says. "lho collation. &C.
cured, as near rs / can t0li. AT 5:3j in
tho morning, L jumped out Of my
berth at oncu aud found myself knee
deep In tho water. ldrGsHed mysull
partly, wont to tho diningroom and flu
ished dressing there. looked for my
sister aud underworld 10 got up tho
loft stairs. which, however, was impos.
siblc, rs tho collision occurred on this
side aud the stairway was blocked. /
went to tho right staircase and IN this
way gained tho deck. After several
minutes ! found my %sistor, who stood
on the starbontd sido scautily dressed.
We stood there aevGral minutes and sha
told mo thnt sllo was freezing, upon
which / took OF my coat aud gave Il to
hOr. Attor that l told my sister to stay
there for n few minutes and won't look.
Ing around to take In the situation. |
had gone only n fow minutes when /
hoard tho command from tho captain
thar all women and children should 70
to tho ~starboard side.
"rhero was q great rush OF women
and children to that side. | helped my
sister to got to the front where they
were lowering u boat Then | won't to
the other. side, as II was undoratood that
only women and children were to DO put
In the boats on this side, being more
sheltered aud not SO windy.
thinking my sister sately in tho
boat | looked for a chance 10 yet on
board a boat and arrived on the port.
side Just In time to see ono boat contain
Ing about ten %pa,sengera being lowered.
BY come mistake only II OF tho ropes
was lowered and ~ a consequence tho
boat deposited it's freight in the water.
In this boat, l think was Mis-, Boecker.
~ thon saw another boat which con.
tanned tho men OF tho crew who were
saved, and then one OF the sailors in tho
boat ordered another sailor who was
standing OH the deck to cut the ropes so
that the boat could get away. Think.
Ing this my last chance ! jumped into
the boat, and Il minute afterward Mr..
Fevera jumped and landed on Chief
Engineer NeusselPs shoulder.
During all this time the ocean was
fairly smooth, but tho suction pro.
duced by the sinking OF the stern OF
the steamship throw u, between the
two aitormas,s. and We had 10 pull at
the oars with all our power to gst away
before the suction could carry us down
with the steamer, and wc finally suc.
ceeded in getting away.
At this moment we saw Miss Boeckor
in the water. She wa, Just about to
sink and Holman and Paymaster
Schnlzious pulled her into tho boat.
Aztec rowing about for half an hour the
sea became very rough mud our little
boat was tossed about like u c0ckIosllell.
Just at this time We saw at Il distance
VI huOul oJU illekIts ltOll our DOat al-
other lile-boat loaded down with people.
In the darkness l was unable to see
what proportion OF tho crew wero in the
boat which hailed us. but the next INC.
ment 1t disappeared and We saw i. no
more.
After drifting around for FIVE hours
we fell in with the Wildlowcr and as
the sea Wa bv this time very rough We
had considerable difficulty in catching
the rope thrown by one Of the Wild.
flower's crew. When finally We caught
the rope four sailors and myselijumped
aboard and then the line parted. Alter
considerable exertion. lasting about five
minutes, We rescued our boat once moro
aud the rest OF tho survivors jumped
aboard. The seamen took us down to
the main cabin where We undressed and
dried our clothes: We wero given a
bouutitul supply OF cocoa and tea"