The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-02-02
ALL CENSUREO.
Lives NeedIessIy Sacrificed
in the Disaster.
Inquiry Already Under Way--crathIe's
Captains Attempts at Defense.

Had the Elbc been q penny steamer,
packed with holiday makers, we would say
nothing; but what shall we say OF the loss
OF "A steamship belonging TO one Of tho
greatest OF transatlantic lines. where o)sly
20 lives were saved, 10 OF them being OF the
crow and only ono woman among the total
numberf
Even accepting as true the statements
OF the surviving members OF the crew,
why were they scrambling to port while
mn attempt was being made to lower the
boats TO the starboardY Why were the
women and children sent TO tho starboard
when the list of the ship to port made the
use OF the starboard boats impracticabley
1t is part OF a seaman duty to be drowned
In q cnse OF need I'm trying to save the
lives of passengers.
Vevera, Hofmann and Schlegel deny
emphatically that the Crathic remained
signalling for two hours near the scene OF
the collision. They say that had she done
SO she could have saved many lives.
Hofmann, who was among tho hrst TO
reach the Elbe's deck after the collision,
lid not see the Crathic answer any OF the
Elbe's signals He noticed small steamer,
apparently the one that had struck the
Elbe, steaming away. As regards the be-
havior of the Elbe's crew. Hofmann says:
About the Elbe's Crew.
81 seized lifebelt rs soon as got on
deck. but q sailor demanded 1t, saying that
IL belonged to the c-ew. gave 1t up with
the remark: We'll, 1 hope you Will save
YOURSELF but he didn't. The crew did
their best to keep the passengers out OF
the boats"
Hofmann is greatly embittered by the
loss of his wife and child. He talks con-
tinually about IL, and In each interview
makes new charges against the crew.
Hofmann's description OF the nnai SET
ting OF tho ship was vivid.
81 could see her sinking rapidly as we
pulled away in the small boat. her bow
went up steadily into tho air. The deck
grew sleeper and could see the poor
wrctcbes aboard her climbing and crawl
ing toward the prov, until suddenly all
were enguifed."
Vevera told a reporter: "There was
lot of green hands in charge OF the life
boats. They were SO excited that they
did not know what they were about.
They filed one boat and then dumped all
the occupants into the water. The crew
in our boat were very reluctant TO admit
Miss Buocker Hofmann and dragged
her in without any aid from the scainen.
Vcvcra and Hofmnnn also attack Third
Officer Stollberg and First Engineer Neus-
sell. They say that both acted selfishly
after tho rescue and that Stollberg made
no effort to command the boat but gave
the whole responsibility TO tho stcerage
passenger, Boethen, who had been cook on
a French steamer. They speak highly Of
Boethen's coolness and skill, and give him
the whole credit for managing the boat
Gordon's Story.
Captain Gordon OF the Crathie has made
report to Lloyds representative at Rot
terdam, in which no says that he was
knocked down by tho shock of the colli-
sion OF his ship with what he describes as
an unknown vessel. When he was able
to get up and reach the deck the ships
were some distance apart, and, In conse-
quencc, no was unable to give much in
formation in regard to the circumstances
or result Of tho disaster.
The vessel which the Crathie struck, he
saws. was big steamer with two tunnels
and four masts.
In reply to tho question whether he had
taken any steps TO save the passengers and
crew of the other ship, Captain Gordon said
hisown ship was damaged 10 such an extent
that hc expected every minute she would
sink. He followed the other ship for q
short time, but found that she went
much faster than tho Crathie and, there
fore, he thought she was safe
Number Now Placed at asa.
The agents of the North German Lloyd
Company at Bremen give the total num-
Der OF souls on the Ebc when she left
Bremen There were "A cabin passengers
for New York and 9 for England; total,
80 There were 13D steerage passengers
for New York and 10 for England; total,
l4q OF officers and crew there were 1i6,
besides thrcc stowardesses Ind four mail
clerks. making the total 1853. The grand
total is 35s. Twenty OF these were saved,
making the total of those lost 332.
Going to Marine Court.
The German consul here has been en-
ynged in taking dcpositions OF the sur
Iivors of tho Elbc.
He says he will forward the documents
when they are completed to the foreign
Office In the city, wheace they will bo for
wardcl To the marine court which will
conduct the inquiry into the disaster.
The German and British governments,
the consul says, will shortly decide whore
this court shall sit.
Thc mayor Of Lowestoft has opened
fund TO be given to the captain of the FISH
ing smnck Wild Flower as testimonial
of his rescue OF the survivors OF the Elbe
disaster.
Crnthie's Crew Denounced.
PARIS. Feb 2.-Thc creator part OF the
Paris newspapers comments on the loss OF
the Elbc is unfavorable 10 the officers and
crew OF the collding ship, the CrNthic.
La Lanterne violently condemns those ON
board that ship, saying that English Ca
men arc proycrbally brutal. Ihs Figaro
and La Lantcrne both denouncc tho Brit
ish captain. rcmarking that his conduct
was just what might have been expected
of an English sailor.
Foxy Japs.
CBE-Foo, Feb. 2-rhc bombardment
Of tho island OF Lui-kunglau off Wei
Hai-Wei. will lee resumed. The Chinese
are replying steadily. Tho japanese ap-
pear TO avoid firing at tho Chinese ficct,
with view to capturing II undamagcd