The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-10-15
THE MOHEGAN HORROR
More Of the Passengers
Saved That Was at First
Supposed.
DETAILS OF THE CALAMITY
Dead Bodies Along the Shore
--Heartrending Scenes at
Offices in London.
fBx Cable to The Associated Press.1

BRITISH steamer Mohegan. Captain Crit
fiths. belonging to the Atlantic trans
port Company, has been wrecked IN the
vicinity of the Lizard, between the
Manacles and the Lowlands. IT is be
lieyed that about 14s persons of her pass
engers1 and crew were drowned. Only 81
survivors have reached the shore.
The Mohegan was formerly the Cleo
patra. of the Wilson and Furness Leylano
Line. She left London for New YORK
on Thursday, having on board, SO far as
can be ascertained at present, hfty-nine
passengers and a crew of is officers and
men.
So soon as the steamer was seen to pc
in distress. lifeboats put off from the
shore and every effort possible was made
to save the endangered people. The
coast at this point is extremely dangerous.
and has been the scene of numerous
wrecks.
The general opinion at present is that
abIed during the heavy easterly gaze
which was blowing, and hat she ran
ashore and soon afterwards foundered-
A number of tugs which put out 70 the
assistance Of the Michigan were COM
PEELED to return without being able 70
approach tina vessel. owing to the sew
Gritty of the weather prevailing
Al life boat landed thirty of the passen-
gers and crew of the Michigan. One OF
the former, a lady. died after she was
brought ashore. There are rumors, un-
confirmed as this despatch is sent, that
another life boat succeeded in saving six
more persons.
one of the survivors of the Mohegan,
Mr.. George MauIe, of New York, was in.
terviewed after he had sufficiently recov-
cred to be able to tell the story of the
wreck. He said
II am a shipper of horses, employed by
the American Transport Company. we
left London on Thursday and all went
well until seven o'clock yesterday even
ing. when most of the passengers were
ct dinner. The steamer was going at
fun speed and, suddenly, we heard a
loud crash. which seemed to denote that
we had coilided with some other vessel
But. when we rushed on deck we found
that the Michigan was on the rocks be-
tween the Manacles and the Lowlands,
in the vicinity of the Lizard.
.sOrders were Immediately given to low
err the boats and the crew of the steamer
behaved like heroes. Her captain stood
on the bridge and the greatest order
prevailed among the officers and crew.
ssThe steamer, however, Immediately
began to settle by the head. Two boats
were launched. The women were sent
away in the first boat. But, whether
these boats reached LAM or not I do not
know.
" managed to secure a life belt and
jumped overheard in company with the
chief officers of the Mohegan, Mr.. Couch.
He made men take off my coat and shoes.
Soon after that we were parted from
each other.
when I was leaving the vessel a little
girl begged piteously that I try TO save
her. as she did not want to die yet. But,
I was powerless to help her.
"Eventualy I caught hold of a plank
which was floating ON the water and /
chung to it for seven and a half hours
AT the expiration of that time I was
picked up by a tug. l could not have
lasted much longer.
/ cannot explain how the accident
occurred. The whole matter is not very
slear to me-
From other sources it was learned that
the Mohegan sank about twenty minutes
after she ran on the rocks.
The local seamen who nave been ques-
toned on the subject appear unable to
explain how the Mohegan got into such.
a position.
Later In the morning it became known
that another life boat had landed 16
more of the survivors Of the Mohegan,
and, as -life-boats put out from a num-
Der Of places, hopes are expressed that
the lumber of survivors may be increased.
One of the 16 persons just known to
have ben saved is a lady. All the sur
vivors are in a pitiabIe condition.. and
some Of them hav been badly injured by
waves and rocks and are suffering from
bruises land torn and fractured limbs.
AS the day wore ON further reports re-
ceived herexshowed athat As, survivors of
the Mohegan were landed at Port Hous-
took, Cornwell, where the bodies Of five
dead persons have also been received.
Then came the announcement tina IA
of the crew of the Grecked steamer had
been found alive on the rocks near the
scene of the disaster.
One of the passengers rescued by the
Port Houstock life boat says that. just
previous u tdt 3loHtSdH gong ashore ne
thought the steamer was nearer Land
than usual. All the passengers were
dining when the catastrophe occurred,
though some OF the children. who were
sea sick, were in their hunks. Suddenly
the Mohegan struck, with a grating noise.
At first the engineers thought this was
caused by coal falling down in the bunk
ers. But. a second. shock followed and
the vessel began to settle.
A coast guardsman. who was on duty at
Coveraet, says HI noticed the Mohegan
was pursuing a dangerous course. but ne
was unable to do anything, as choice of
a course was in the hands of her com
mander.
William Moore. a seaman of the Mohe-
gan, belonging to London. was among the
men who succeeded in reaching PoPint
Houstock. He said the vessel struck for
ward. on the starboard side of her bow,
and sank head first. her stern rising high
up in the air. Moore sprang overheard
and after swimming for a considerable
time succeeded in reaching an empty life
boat belonging TO the steamer. He got
into her and started to row for the shore.
Some time afterwards he saw one OF his
shtpmates. a man named Hilson, on a
raft. Hiison was exhausted and Moore
dragged him into the I~ife-boat. where he
was so helpless that he could not move
hand or foot, his shoulder being badly
Injured.