The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-07-07

about co. About p. m. another steamer
hove In sight. heading westward. We put
up signals ~ c" Cwant assistaucel. The
steamer bore down toward Us. She proved
20 be the Grecian, bound from Glasgow
10 New York The captain agreed 10 take
the passengers aboard and tow my snip
TO Halifax
Mrs Henderson. wife OF the captain OF
,he Cromar,yshre. who had ample op-
poriunity Tor interviewing the rescued,
expresses the belief that there was no
effor, to save the women. There were
many foreigners on board who fought for
places IN the boats. Il was fully ten
minutes before La Bourgogne went down
and during that time there was ample
opportunity offered TO receive az least
some women and children. As It was
only on, woman, Mrs. Lacesse. was saved.
Professor Lacasse. one OF the survivors.
Is Of the opinion that there was third
vessel In the collision. as he saw La Bour
gogno sink within ten minutes after the
collision.
Some og the scenes enacted on La Bour-
gogne Just after the collision were terrible
60 witness Men fought for positions In
the boats like raving maniacs. Women
were forced back from the boats and
tramplcd on by the men, who made self
preservation their first object Among
them were a large number OF the lower
class OF Italians and foreigners who IN
their frenzy stopped az nothing that prom
!sed safety for themselves.
In boat was party Of 20 women, but
so great was the panic not a hand was
raised 10 assist in its launching. The oc-
cupants. so nearly saved. were drowned
like rats when the ship with an awful
kissing sound went down.
So desperate was the situation that an
Italian passenger drew his knife and
made direct attack on one who, like
himself. was endeavoring to reach boat.
Immediately his action was Initiated in
every direction, Knives were flourished
and used with effect Women and chill
dren were driven back to inevitable death
at the point OF weapons.
According to the stories OF the survivors
women were stabbed like so many sheep.
The scene on the water was even worse.
Many OF the unfortunates who were strug-
Cling In the water attempted to drag
themselves into the boats or on the RATS.
These were pushed back into a watery
grave. Here. too, knives were used freely.
Not all OF the dead met death by drown
ing. christopher Bruhnon saw a sailor
belonging TO La Bourgogne strike a pass
enger over the head with bar and kill
him. The body dropped into the water.
The passenger grabbed the boat In which
the sailor was and attempted to get on
board.
one passenger said that the officers and
crew of La Bourgogne neglected the
passengers entirely, The second officer
was the only man Of the crew who did
anything to help the terrified and help
less passengers. He cut loose all the boats
he could, and in fact all the boats that
were launched were launched by the
brave second officer, He was the last one
seen standing on the deck with his hands
on the rigging going resignedly to certain
death.
Christopher Bruhnon, passenger, was
thrown into the water and swan for two
hours before he found a boat. He clung
to this as his last hope. After some time
another man got hold of the same boat
and they managed to right 1t. Under the
seats they found the dead bodies OF four
men and three women, who had evidently
been drowned by the capsizing of the
boat. Bruhnon said the crew was cruel
ha
He was unable to get in the steamers
boat when he came on deck, being showed
away by the sailors He saw many OF
his friends being prevented from getting
into the boats by the sailors.
August Plyrgi was in the water about
half an hour and attempted to get into a
boat. He was seized when he managed
to get in and thrown back into the water.
Again he tried to enter the boat, but the
savages who manned 1t were determined
to keep him out, He managed at last
to get In and stay in. Clinging to a life
line of the boat not far away he saw his
mother, and II his trials were not enough
he was forced to watch a man shove her
into the ocean with an oar. She never
rose. He said that the man was saved
and was almost sure he could recognize
him. He saw an Englishman attempt to
get into the boat, but the men in the boat,
who were sailors of La Bourgogne, hit
him on the head with an oar. He fell
back and sank.
Charles Llobra expressed himself as
thoroughly ashamed of his countrymens
conduct, This man is one OF the most
unfortunate, He had his two motherless
boys, and years old, with him. He put