The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-05-11
The FIRE FIEND ON The SEA.
Great Loss Of Life in the SteeraSe Of a
Burning Vessel,
THIRTEEN YIELDED UP THEIR LIVFS
And Many Others Were Painfully Burned'
kThe steamer Leona. BOUND for Calves
ton, II Found in Flames, and Thrii-
ing scenes Took Piacc-The Dead.

NEW YORK, May l0-The bodies OF
the thirteen victims OF tho fire on the
Mallory line steamer Lcona, while that
vessel was at sea. On its way to Caves
ton, were removed to the morgue tniS
morning.
The bodies are so charred and black
oned that Identification rs dnhcuil AHo
removal OF the bodies was the sequsi u
one OF the most thrilling stories OF ma
rlno disaster ever brought into TINS pert
Ii was a story only relieved oy inc u'-
innate rescue OF the major part OF INC
ships crew and passengers ana the u''-
doubted he~oism Of the Lcona's officers
who rlsked their lives time and again IN
the vain effort TO save tie victims caught
ln the blazing furnace below
Tho Troua cropt into port al IL O'CLOCK
last night with her greWsome Tragedy
carefully concealed below the decks.
,rbo ratnre of the disaster did not be-
como known until early this morning.
rhe Leouas commander, capt Jannes
wilder. was waiting TO nouly o"iieIs
OF the lire Ihen the au'Hoiiue9 W.
rofiead and Coroner H0eber boarded the
sbf, af p o'clock. He heard the stories
~ the captain and officers, and placed
Canfain Wilder under formal arrest, pa
roline. him i'm custody Of President Chas.
Mallory
PASSENGERS ON BOARD.
The Leona left here Saturday afternoon
for Galveston. She carried cargo of
general merchandise and had, all told,
about liz souls on board OF these thir-
tv-three passengers, eleven were saloon
and twenty-five were steerage.
Tho voyage was begun under the most
auspicious conditions. The weather was
perfect and the ship in hrst-class condi-
ton.
Most Of the passengers turned in by
midnight Saturday night. the steerage
passengers being quartered in hunks be-
tween the decks just forward the pilot
house. The crews quarters were Just
ahead on the same deck.
The watchmen went their rounds at
1890 and reported all well. Capt Wild
or went below and left First officer wal
lace in charge. Wallace started out to
mako his rounds and almost Immediately
smeled smoke. lie ran in the direction
from which it appeared 10 come and was
startled 10 find the air full of dense blue
smoke. Wallace Immediately raised the
alarm. Capt. Wilder jumped on deck
clad only in his trousers and undershirt.
lie ran TO the steerage cOmpanonway
and dashed headl0ng into the smoke, call
ing on the officers 10 follow him.
The steerlge compartment by this time
was u raging furnace. They did follow,
and a few stCCiage passengers aroused by
Omcer Wallece's alarm were pulled out
blinded and half sumo Gated with smoke,
The officers could not stay down there
more that a few minutes. AS fast as enc
crew Of rcscucrs was exhausted another
took IT'S place In this manner twelve
steerage passengers were rescued.
The flames bursting through the steer
age compartment soon chased the res
cuers on deck. There was no crying or
shrielsing from the steerage and
the steady advence OF the
flames warned Captain Wilder
thgl lnOes he attacked the fire quick
ly OH. vessel was doomed lie gave or
dcrs 10 man the pumps and rang a warn
ing 70 the engineer TO charge the forward
part Of the vessel with steam. as this is
one OF the most effective ways Of quench-
ing nre at sea. Tho men in the forecas-
de were alarmed and crawled on deck
out of the binding. sunocatirg smoke. As
soon as they revived they turned I'm 10
lend hand Three however, were left
behind oycrpowefed in their cabin hunks.
THE FIRST PANIC.
Captain Wilder sent q part Of the crew
10 arouse the cabin passengers and quiet
them while hc and rest worked TO drown
out the flames Tho men chopped holes
in The deck and tho main hatch was open
ed. The lire by this time had complete
possession OF the forward part of the
ship. extending aft OF the pilot house.
Then occurred the first real panic. The
stokera working away down in The bowels
of the ship heard the S.orm of lire and
became hke crazcd men. There were
eighteen Of them, an SyaniaIds. Wild
with fear they rushed 10 the upper deck
lall naked and made "a dash Tor the life
boat. They were siashing madiy at the
davits when First officer Wallace and
chief Engineer TAYLOR discovered them
and ordered them 10 deslst The Span
iards would not obey until the officers
forced tlom back 90 their post at the
mu1zies of their revoNcrs.
Meantime the saloon passengers Were
aroused. They dressed. and came on
deck. Captain wilder assured them
there Was no immediate danger and they
returned 10 tnc cabin where they tried 10
appear as brave as possible
MANNED Tile LIFE BOAT
Many procured life prcsergcrs. Capt.
Wilder ordered the liie boats ready for
emergency and stocked with food and
water The captain and crew were hav-
ing a. fierce time forward. The DANES
shooting high in the air from the holes
COT in the deck. The vessel was about
Jos mites of The Delaware breakwater.
and no vessel in sight Lights We're burn
"a but tho flames dimmed even these.
AS uisht wore on the crew kept up
battling. the fears OF the cabin passen-
gers We're great and they strained their
eyes looking for q vessel Just before
daybreak a welcome sound was heard
the Lc0nas lookout reported light
ahead. soon the steamship city OF Angus
o. of tle Savannah Line iOmed up iu the
gray dawn. 10 was soon within hailing
distance and hove 20 within a few hum
dred feet of burning Leoua Life boats
were lowered from both steamships and
soon AN the surviving passengers OF the
Ie0na were transferred TO The City OF
Augusta while The crew remained be-
hind 10 continue their fire fighting.
For seven hours Captain Wilder and
his men fought the flames and while the
Lcona's passengers were az breakfast on
the City Of Augusta. word came that the
fire was out and they might return 10
their vessel which would return 10 this
CITY. They We're transferred. The city
OF Augusta being assured that every
thing was an right continued her voyage
South.
THE DEATH LIST.
The dead are:
Storage passengers: Bridget Sullivan.
X Catlanc AIRS. G.. Guzza. Miss Guzza.