The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-01-31
in the manner already described.
NJ Da-so

LGab IHero RaQ De0n any panic on DOdKO
the Elbe after the collision. but the ex-
cited manner in which they replied to
the questions put to them on this point
showed that great confusion had pre-
vailed
''Could we stand there on the sinking
ship and not spring into the ships boats
below?"
81 cannot swim at ALL" said one of the
seamen, land the distance between the
| boats and the ships side was increasing"
did the captain give no orders?"
"Only one," was the reply, "and that
was that all the women and children.
were to go to the starboard side. We
were on the port side and remained there
| to give the women and children a chance
and of course we could not help them"
did none of the passengers endeavor
to leap in The boats?" was the next ques-
ton
"They could not" said the seaman ad-
dressed, $50 high had the vessel raised
out of the water and they were afraid
to jump"
"What," interjected one man, 'did not
one of the passengers jump and nearly
| swamp the boat?"
"A big stout man." and here the speak
er with a scowl on his face made a ges-
ture to represent person of exceeding
| corpulence.
"Nineteen men in boat only able to
! hold fourteen" he continued. 1--WE could
not take any more on board. Besides"
and he again made use of a dramatic
gesture to depict the eddying of the
whirlpool caused by a ship fast going
| down, "we would have been sucked into
the vortex"
When questioned as to the action of the
captain after the collision the seaman
said he might have given more orders;
but they added, Sin the noise and confu-
sion which followed the disaster, it was
impossible to hear orders, even if they
had been given at such a distance from
the bridge"
Cause of the Accident Missing.
In the midst of inquiries of every kind
as to the cause of the accident, the iden-
tity of the steamer which rammed the
Elbe, etc, every possible attempt is be-
| ing made to find some trace of the miss
ing boat and its passengers
The agent of the North German Lloyd
Steamship company this morning sent
the harbor tug, Dispatch, to the scene
! of the disaster, but owing to the bad
weather prevailing, the men on board the
tug were unable to see anything. In ad-
dition, kilograms of inquiry have been
sent to all places along the coast asking
if they have any news of the missing
craft and it is hoped that the Lowestoft
fishing smacks which are expected to
| bring some news.
As far as can be ascertained 374 of the
passengers and crew of the Elbe are
missing. A strong northeast gale blew
throughout the night. accompanied by
g severe frost, but this failei
to deter the coast guards from
keeping up an active watch all
night long for any signs of other sur
vivors of the Elbe These coast guards
man and o11atOtn hOT1ao 0ff1porl hax axyo bpo0
on duty continuously now for forty hit
hours, the whole force of both branches
of the service having been on duty since,
but nothing is seen of the missing boat
and not a vestige of wreckage from her
has yet been washed ashore.
The majority of the people here have
abandoned all hope of hearing of the
rescue of any more of the Elbe'5 passen-
gers or crew. as many of the Yarmouth
and LowestOft fishing smacks are known
to have been plying near the scene of
the disaster and they have not yet re-
turned. which they certainly would have
done had they picked up any survivors.
Say She May Not Have Sunk.
Although it is generally believed that
the Elbe sank almost Immediately after
the collision, some of the survivors assert.
that they did not see her 60 down, and
they express the hope that she may still
be afoat
The agent of the North German LLOYD
company here announces that the en-
| perOr and empress of Germany have tel
egraphed their condolences to the COM
pany, and asked to be promptly inform
ed if any more of the passengers or crew
of the ill-fated Elbe are rescued.
Mr. Carl Hoffman, one of the cabin
passengers of the Elbs. who was rescued
from the life boat of that vessel belongs
to Grand Island, Neb. He saws that
had the vessel which collided with
the Elbe stood by the latter
steamer the majority of the passengers
and crew might have been saved, for he
says, the Elbe remained perfectly steady
for many minutes after the collision
before the volume of water poured
into her and caused her to Iurch. Then
all became confusion. When the sur
vivors were informed that the Crathie
was supposed to be the vessel which
sank the Elbe, they strongly denounced
her crew for their apparent inhumanity
in not making an effort to assist the dis
abled vessel, or to rescue her crew. Mr..
Hoffman this morning speaking of the
disaster said: Those who were drowned
suffered less than we who are saved. "
Sobs, shook the strong frame OF the N an
as he made the statement
He is a German-American about 81
years of age, of the type common in the
western part OF the United States. His
, face was scanned with tears which had
wet his sleepless pillow all night. Con-
tinuing Mr. Hoffman said: There was
no confusion among the passengers
, They behaved we'll and the only confu-
sion was with the crew who tried to save
| themselves.
Like Big Drum.
at seems strange sir, to see here are sc
, few passengers. Out of the small mum
ber saved, there are fifteen members o
the crew. But many more might have
} been saved. Oh, God, my wife. My
boy! Both are dead and | can't go tC
: their graves"
Here the unfortunate man burst into
tears. After a few minutes, he con
t tinued: Yes, many of the passenger:
t had life belts, but they were useless