The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-11
SURVIVORS OF THE ELBE.
Three Rescued Passengers Are at
New York.
After the Collision There Was Plenty Of
Time to Lower the Boats, but
There Vas 10 Discipline.

New YORK, Feb. 10.-On board the UNI
bria were three survivors of the Elbe, Eu-
gene Schlegel of Furst, Germany, on his
way to this country with his sister, Emma,
who was lost with the ship; John Vevera
of Cleveland, Ohio, and Carl Hoffman of
Grand Island, Neb., whose wife and child
were among the lost. To an Associated
Press reporter Mr.. Hoffman told the fol-
lowing story of the wreck. His statement
was made in very disconnected fashion
and was literally iEterspersed with threats
of prosecuting the North German Lloyd
Company and frequent outbursts of tears
my wife and boy and myself had a
stateroom on the starboard side aft in the
section between the numbers 80 and 100. [
woke early on the morning of the collision
and had gone out on deck and returned to
our stateroom, where 1 had told my wife
how the weather was and put another
blanket over my boy, who was in the upper
berth, for it was very cold. Suddenly
heard crash and the ship trembled VIC
lently. l rushed outside to see what the
trouble was, and as l did so 1 met Mr..
SchlegePs sister, Emma, who was running
forward toward the gangway.
"None of the ships crew could give me
any information as to what had happened,
but as [ heard great confusion overhead
and sounds of many people running to and
fro, ran back to our cabin and told nv
wife to dress herself and the boy as quickly
as possible. took the child in nv arms.
and we went forward to the companion
way in the saloon, where / found a crowd
of mo- 1erarS fVsxyir
With my boy on one arm and supporting
my wife with the other 1 started for the
companionway. Just then some one on
deck gave the order for every one to go be-
low, and in the rush that ensued to obev
the order / was carried down the steps
again.
81 went up on deck again regardless of
the order, and stood at the head of the
gangwaY opposite the third boat on the
port side-the one l eventually got into.
Then the order to lower the boats was
given. The last one on the port side was
the first to be lowered, and into this a num-
Der OF passengers jumped, but were
promptly ordered out again No one got
in the second boat, which was next on the
port side to the one directly opposite where
we were standing. Into this | threw nv
valise.
Taking my boy into my arms l turned
and kissed my wife, who said, God NAV
help US yet and then 1 jumped into the
boat, which had not as yet been lowered.
Just then the order was given to all women
and children to go to the starboard side
and my wife obeyed the order. Neusell
the officer of the boat, caught my boy out
of my arms, IN obedience to the order that
was issued, and that was the last l saw of
either OF Them
Mr.. Hoffman complains that he was COM
PEELED to assist in the management of the
ships boat, and declares there was plenty
of time to have lowered all the boats of the
Elbe if proper discipline had been main
tanned. His nerves have been badly shat
tered by his trying experience, and it is his
intention to remain in Hoboken for several
days before he returns to his home in Ne
braska. Later in the afternoon he said he
had made statement, presumably to his
lawyers, but he refused to tell the nature
of it. Mr.. Hoffman refused any assistance
from the agent of the North German LLOYD
whotavar -