The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-11
SURVIVORS OF THE ELBE.
Vevera and Hoffman Arrive at New
York and Mnke Statelments.

Vevera and Hoffman Arrive at New
York and Make Statements.
NEW YORK, Feb. 10.-On board the
Umbria were three survivors of the steam
ship Eibe. Eugene Schlegel, of Furst. Ger
many, on his way to this country for the
first time. with his sister Emma, who was
lost with the ship: Jan Vevera, of Cleve-
land. O.. and Carl Hoffman, of Grand Island,
Neb., whose wife and child were among the
lost. reporter boarded the Umbria at
quarantine from the revenue cutter and
found Messrs. Hoffman and Vevera in the
main saloon, reading letters from their
relatives in the West which had been
handed them at quarantine. Mr.. Vevera,
after he had looked over his letters one
of which came from G. c. Schnellentrager,
of Cleveland, O., made the following state
ment concerning his experiences at the
time the Elbe was lost:
1.-THE night before the disaster occurred
/ spent in the smoking room in company
with Mr.. Charles Wix ard DR.. DIETRICH.
On going down into my state room l found
1t so very cold that decided to sleep
q lounge in the smoking room and,
cordingly, lay down, fully dressed. but
failed to sleep well. AT 5 o'clock 1 rose
and. looking outside found that the
night was quite clear. Off toward the
English coast the lights of several fish
ing smacks were to be seen. AS near as
can reckon, it was about twenty minutes
of when l felt a slight shock. accom-
to me to come from the engine room. The
shock was very slight and not at all like
what l. should have expected from such
collision. l Immediately ran forward toward
the engine room. and in passage met the
mail clerk whom l asked what was the
three of the crew running along and on
asking them the same question. received
civ iI.rr .yaIx- Trrrt fI1ov, =.
his face white with anxiety, made the
same answer to my question as TO what
of the ship by the postoftice began to
crack and bulge inward.
Without going any further / rushed back
TO my state room and exchanged the neayy
ulster had on for macintosh and a soft
cap that l could pull over my ears. took
myself, and. from the unoccupied berth
above me / took a life preseryer for my
niece: On going on deck, however, the ship
had listed to port to such extent,
and there was so much confusion and noise,
that | have very little idea of anything
except getting into the boat, from which
/ was picked up by the Wildfower- / saw
nothing of the steamer that collided with
US. Bnt the sight the E4oe presented as
she rolled back from port to starboard and
then slowly began to settle down by the
stern is one that 1 will never forget. |
would have give anything l ever possessed
to have escaped the spectacle of the people
struggling in the water around the ship
and those on the Elbe swarming forward
upon the decks toward the bow the
Elbe settled down into the sea- 1t could
not have been more than twenty-five min
uteS from the time the collision occurred
until the ship sunk from sight. And. those
minutes and the ensuing five hours seem
longer to me than all the rest of the years
of my life put together. When we picked
up Miss Anna Buecker she swimming
along braveiy. and was fully dressed. with
the exception of having no shoes on. She
was very cold, and SAT in the bottom of
the ships boat in water up to her waist
until we were picked up by the fishing
al iuf
When the Wildfower picked us up L had
my left leg crushed between the boat and
which was hurt in the boat, the only
injuries / received. The people at Loves
tort treated us splendidly.'
HOFFMAN INDUCED TO TALK
Mr. Hoffman refused, while on the Um-
bria, to make any statement for publica-
ton. Since the Elbe disaster he has been
in an excitable state of mind. He declared
himself that he had not slept for four
nights, and that he intended to get some
rest before he did anything else. He said
in addition, that me intended to confer with
the North German Lloyd line officials here
at early date. On the arrival of the I'M
bria at the pier the first person to go up
the gang plank Mr.. Herman Winter
from the companys Office. He welcomed
the three Eslbe survivors and offered them
every assistance in his power. Mr.. Hoff-
man, however, was met at the dock by
"A
brother of the man Frank who was lost
on the Elbe, and, together with them and
yevera, Hoffman entered carriage and
drove to the Broadway Central Hotel
After lunch he told his story to- the re-
porter. His statement was made in a very
disconnected fashion, and was liberalIy in
terspersed with threats of prosecuting the
North German Lloyd and with frequent out
bursts of tears.
stateroom on the starboard side. way aft
in the section between the Nos. So and
i0o, he said II awoke early on the morn
ing of the collision ard had gone on deck
and then retured to our stateroom where /
told my wife how the weather was and
also put another blanket over my bow who
was in the upper berth, for it was very
cold. Suddenly / heard a crash and the
ship trembled Violently I rushed outside
to see what the trouble was and as
did so, 1 met Mr.. Schlegers sister Emma
who was running forward toward the gang
way. None OF the ships crew could give
me any information as to wnat had hap
pened, but as | heard a great confusion
overhead and sounds of many people run
ming TO and fro, j back to our cabin
and told my wife TO dress herself and the
boy quickly as possiDle. I took the child
in my arms and we went forward to the
companion way in the saloon, where found
crowd of passengers endeavorng to get
upon deck With my boy on one arm and
supporting my wife with the other L
started up the companion way Just then
some one on deck gave the order for every
one to go below and in the rush that en-
sued to obey the order l was carried down
the steps again. / went upon deck again
regardless of the order, and stood at the
head of the gangway, opposite the third
boat on the port sde-the one / eventually
got into. Then the order to lower the boats
given. The last one on the port side
was the first TO he lowered and into this
a number of passengers junpe.. buf were
promptly ordered out again No one go,
| into the second boat, which was next on
the port to this, and then the one
| directly opposite where we were standing
was lowered and into this threw my yalise
Taking my boy in my arms / turned and
Iii my sal .ad
us yet and then / jumped into the boat
which had not as yet been lowered. JUST
then the order was given for all women
and children TO go to the starboard side
| and my wife obeyed the order. Neusseil
the officer OF the boat, caught my hoy out
of my arms. in obedience TO the order that
was Issued, and that was the last I saw
| of ether OF them
Mr.. Hoffman complains that he was con-
MAJ