The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-02-01
THE LOST STEAMER
Helpless Passengers Left to
Their Fate by Crew Of
the Crathie.
STRANGE EXCUSES OFFERED
No Attempt Was Made at Rescue by
Officers or Crew Of the Brit
iSh Steamer-Of the Life
Boat Passengers Near
ly All Belonged to
Elbe's Crew.
BY the United Press.


of conversation and comment today is
the loss of the North German Lloyd
steamship Elbe with nearly 400 lives as
the result of a collision in the North
Sea yesterday morning with a steamer
which, at the time, was unknown, but
which, it is now ascertained beyond
the possibility of a doubt, was the
British steamer Crathie, Captain Cor
don, from Rotterdam for Aberdeen.
Although the figures of the various
statement of the loss of life differ no
two being exactly alike, the latest in
formation as to the number of lives lost
places 1t at 374 A heavy northeast
gale has prevailed on the North Sea
all day and the weather at Lowestoft
and thereabouts Is very cold. The gale
increased to almost hurricane and has
been accompanied by binding snow
storm. Notwithstanding the discom-
forts involved, however, the coast
guard and customs officers are eXerting
themselves to the utmost and are leav-
ing no means untried in the search for
possible survivors. Thus far no article
of woodwork or furniture belonging to
the lost vessel has been washed ashore
on the Suffolk coast, a fact in itself
regarded by experts as proving the
sudden completeness of the disaster
and tending to diminish the probabli-
ties of further salvoge of life being
reported. A life boat of the Elbe, it is
true, washed ashore at Yarmouth last
evening, oars and life buoys being
found in it, but this is undoubtedly the
boat from which the Wildhower res
cued the survivors yesterday and
which was left adrlft after its occu-
pants had been taken off.
Tug Driven Ashore.
The company early this morning sent
out the ocean tug Despatch to cruise
around in search of survivors of the
Elbe, but the tremendous wind, heavy
sea and binding snow storm drove the
Despatch back to Lowestoft at noon
after she had proceeded only short
distance on her way. The life boat of
the life-savng station at Ramsgate re-
turned to that place this morning after
having been out fifteen hours searching
for possible survivors without having
found any traces of either boat or
wreckage. The Broadstairs life-boat
also returned this morning. Upon near
ing the station the boat was blown
ashore by the violent gale and the
crew We're dashed into the surf. Several
of them We're injured.
1t is learned that the following in
addition to those named in the list Of
first cabin passengers already pub
lished, We're drowned. Their names did
not appear on the printed list because
they did not take through passage, but
| intended to go only as far as South
ampton.
Schifre Dorman, Anton Fischer and a
family named Misselaertz, consisting of
| two adults and two children.
Mr.. Laker and his wife, who We're
among the steerage passengers lost,
were English people who went to Bre-
men to take steerage passage there for
| New York.
The survivors, of the Elbe who We're
brought to Lowestoft by the steam
trawler Wilddower have nearly all re-
covered from the effects of their shock
and exposure. Miss Anna Burecker,
the only woman who is known to have
been saved is the only one who is not
able to be about. She Is suffering from
nervous prostration and will be obliged
to remain in Lowestoft for several days,
Officers Very Rcticcnt.
The surviving officers of the Elbe are
very reticent in regard to the disaster,
reserving their statements pending an
official inquiry into the circumstances,
but it transpires that an officer of the
Elbe saw a green light on the port bow
belonging to an unknown vessel, which,
it is alleged, was trying to cut across
the Elbes bows. This light evidently
belonged to the Crathie, which 1T Is
now certainly known is the strip which
struck the liner and sent her to the
bottom.
Steerage Passenger Bothen says tina.
after the strange vessel struck the Elbe
she sheered off and steered in a semi
circle around the Elbe, but did not come
near her, though had she done so she
could have rescued large number OF
those on board the sinking ship. This
seems to be the opinion of several 9th
ers of the survivors. Jan Vevera, an
either of those saved, says that when he
last saw the Elbe, as the boat in whic,,
he was pushed away from her. she was
canted over to port, and her bows were
high in the air.
A great deal of adverse comment is
caused by the fact that of the twenty
persons saved from the Elbe fifteen oi
them belong to the ships crew, and
that the boat I'm which they saved them
selves contained only one woman and
no children. Attempts have been made
by some of the survivors to account for
this, but in no case In a satisfactory
way. Even the solitary woman who
was saved was not originally taken
into the boat, but was picked up in the
water after the boat had pushed away
from the sinking ship greatly against
THE wishes of some of the occupants OF
the boat.
Excuses from Crathie's Captain.
The owner at Aberdeen, of the steam
ship Crathie, which ran into and sank
the Elbe has received a brief telegram
from the captain at Maasluis, stating
that the Crathie was In a sinking con
6ltion when she reached Maasluis. Th,
captain was below at the time of the
collision and the mate was in charge