Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-02-01
THE ELBE DISASTER.
Missing Number 303-The Crathie Was
Other CoIlidng Steamer. Beyond Doubt.

London, Jan. 31.-The latest estimate
of the loss of life by the Elbe disaster is
3O3. The surviving officers of the Elbe
denounce the fog story of the Crathie' S
officers as pure invention. The English
pilot, Greenham, said: "It is black lie
There was no fog. 1t was quite clear and
the lights of several smacks were visible
four or five miles off" The Elbe sea-
men made similar statements.
Skipper Snoeveling of the Yarmouth
trawler Flora which returned to port,
this afternoon, says at O'Clock yesterday
morning, he was near the place where the
collision occurred. He saw rockets fired
from a large steamship and noticed its
lights and those of a small steamship
close together. He thought at the time
that there was collision, but as the
Flora S gear was down he could not ap-
proach the vessels. The signals ceased in
few minutes At daybreak he saw in the
distance a steamship flying signals of
distress and making rapidly for the
Dutch coast. He thinks she must have
been the Crathie.
Miss Buecker was interviewed dozen
times, today despite the nervous reaction
She stated that she had been visiting rela-
tives in Bremen, and was returning via
Southampton to Portsmouth, where she
earns her living as lady's companion.
The surviving officers and seamen of
the Elbe arrived here from Lowestoft at
9. tonight, aud went to hotel for the
night. For the last "a hours the survi-
vors of the crew have been watched closely
to prevent their making unofficial state
ments. One of the crew said to a reoprter
at the London station:
THE men probably will be kept here
for days The examination is expected to
be long, although there is not much more
to be said. We saw little or nothing in
all that excitement.
1t is understood that the German con-
sui will open an inquiry here, tomorrow
The agents of owners and insurance COM
panies and officials of the admiralty and
board of trade will be present The in
quiry will last eight days
Pilot Greenham's hand is badly frost
bitten. Fifteen fishing smacks which
sailed near the spot were the Elbe lies,
arrived at Lowestoft, this afternoon. Not
one reported seeing any signs of the
4
the last hope of finding the second life
boat A smack returning shortly before
midnight brought boats rudder and a
log line. but nothing to indicate what
boat they were from.
Customs officers at all the ports along
the south and east coast, are on the alert
to hail and question shippers of all in
coming craft and the coastguard patrol
the shore for miles in search for wreckage
and dead bodies. The wind and tide
would now bring the flotsam to points
south of Lowestoft.
A dispatch from Rotterdam says
Captain Gordon of the Crathie, says that
the steamer with which his ship collided
was lost sight of Immediately after the
vessels came together and it was thought
she had proceeded. The Crathie remained
in the vicinity for two hours and then re-
turned to Rotterdam, as it was feared that
she could not keep afloat. The second
officer of the Crathie says that i'm
mediately after the collision the ship
struck by the Crathie burned blue and
red lights. Similar signals were returned
by the Crathie, his belief being that no
assistance was required on either side.
The Daily Graphic will remark, to-
morrow; The divergence of accounts as to
the conduct of the crew, is especially as
shown in Pilot Greenham's tribute to the
ships discipline and charges made by
Veyera and Hoffman. In an interview
today.
Hoffman said: II heard the captain s