The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-06-18
MISS BENNETT LOST.
Almost Certainly a Passenger on the
Illfated Drummond Castle


Brest. France, June 1s.-The details
are being slowly obtained Of the loss
of the Castle liner. Drummond Castle,
bound from Cape Town to London. with
LA passengers and 103 officers and men
exclusively announced by the Assoc
ciated Press early yesterday after
nOon)- The steamer was going at full
speed shortly before midnight on Tues
day, June Is. heading around Fines
terre from the Bay OF Biscay- OFF Fin
esterre is the Island of Ushant, about
26 miles north Of here one of group of
thirty islands, the largest OF which are
Ushant, MOlene LecOmQuet and st.
Michael The Drummond Castle, to
steer a safe course should have been
away outside of Ushant upon which
island is a lighthouse and signal sta
ton, but for some reason not satis-
tactorily explained the steamship head
ed inside of Jshant- Between that
point and the mainland of France is q
line of islands, including MOlene and
Leconquet and connected by RIDGES
of rock with each other. At different
places there are riffs through which
vessels can pass with safety. but be-
tween Ushant and Molene. the latter
island being about half way to the
mainland. is sunlzen reef of rocks
with deep water on both sides of it and
covered in parts even at the lowest
tides. Tt was on this ridge that the
Drummond Castle struck while going
at fun speed
AS intimated in these dispatches yes
Ierday the steamer must have struck
SO as to tear a big rent in her bottom
from stem to stern. thus filling water
tight compartments almost Immediate
Iy and sending her to bottom on the
other side of the reef in about three
minutes. Only two boats We're lowered
after the Castle liner struck. One of
these capsized and only three men
We're saved out of the 247 people on
board. The British second class cruiser
Sybelle, which was off Ushant at the
time of the disaster, heard the signals
Of distress and sent boats to the rescue i
of those on board the sinking yes
sci. but without avail
or the saved. two men were picked
from the mainland, and the third, a
man named Marquardt. succeeded in
reaching MOlene island. About ten bod
les have already been recovered off
Al the time the Drummond Castle
struck the reef a high southwest wind
was blowing and it was raining and
iosgy- about the worst conditions pos
sible for approaching that part of the
coast
Marquardt. one of the survivors, has
made statement in which he says
that Capt Pierce had just gone to his
cabin for a brief rest. when there was
q terrible shock which caused the
DrumnOnd Castle to Quiveras if shaken
followed by horrible grating. rasping
sound. the noise of inrushing water,
the cries of the passengers who sprang
sba1-9 words Of comma Mains officers on
me deck who orderad ol1t an hands To
clear away the boats for lowering
But the rents i'm the steamer were
So wide and deem that h17t few Of tho
rassan GERS had time ia seel.a1r bic 11r, an
deck before She gave two or three
heavy rolls and then ain awful lurch
accOmpanfed bv some interior e5pIo-
sions. ana sank
NIarQuardt contrary to the reports
of the other two seamen of the Drum
q Na % aar1fT
that the steamship went down SO sud
denly that there was no time even to
launch much less Two and that even if
e. boat had been launched the seas
were running so high and i'm such rap
ed succession, q popularity of the sea-
son, on that part of the French coast
that it would have been promptly
SWanlped- some of the passengers,
however, succeeded in fastening life
bolts around themselves and some bod
les washed ashore We're SO provided
All hope of fiji ding any more survi-
vors Of the Drummond Castle have
been abandoned
"a tug which has just returned from
Molene island, says that the bodies of
3 of the victims of the wreck of the
DrumnOno CaStIe nave been washed
ashore there They VIII most likely be
buried today
lit is supposed that Miss Belle Rem
a teacher in South Africa, was drowned
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