Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-07-09
HORROR UPON HORROR
La Bourgogne Passengers Unite In
Accusing the Crew.
WHAT ONE MAN HAS TO TELL
Raw Women Beaten Off Rats Remorsely,
Despite All Their Appeals For Life.
How Barbarian Yousouf Show
cd His Brutality.


er Halifax has arrived here, having on
board 1852 survivors of the French line
steamer La Bourgogne, which was sunk
IN collision with the ship Cromarty-
shire off Sable island last Monday. On
the passage from Halifax La Bour-
gognes passenger list was carefully re-
VlSed, and 1T was shown that there were
IA souls on board the steamer of whom
550 were lost and 164 saved OF the
saved IL We're second class, AZ steerage,
and the remaining 105 We're members of
the crew.
Scores of people were waiting on the
rant line pier for the Halifax to reach
ner Derth, although so far as known only
one or the survivors belonged here He
Is Enrice CORR boarding house keep
er, VINO was one of party of six Ital-
lans bound for his native land. The
other five perished None of the spec
tators was allowed inside the gates
The shipwrecked men were given every
necessary attention. Each one was pro-
vided with a ticket for New York, and
special electric cars We're in waiting to
conduct the passengers to the Provi-
dence station.
correspondent who took passage on
the Halifax for the purpose of learning
from the survivors more of the details
of the disaster had opportunity to come
in contact with very many of those who
escaped and their stories of their ex-
perience were thrilling, although many
of them gave horrifying details of the
brutality, If not of murder, possibly
never equaled in marine history.
The survivors agree that La Bour-
gogne struck the Cromartyshire
glancing blow, and the shock was not
great. Therefore it is believed that
many of the passengers never awoke.
The opinions as to the time intervening
between the collision and the sinking Of
La Bourgogne vary greatly-some say
10 or 15 minutes, and others say 30 or
35, while one man was certain it was a
full hour. The glancing blow La Bour-
gogne struck the Cromartyshire was
one that never could be provided for by
water tight doors.
One Survivors, Story.
Fred Nyffeer, the sole survivor Of a
Swiss party Of about Is going to their
native country on visit, gave graphic
account of the disaster. He is 20 years
old and was one of the few survivors
who could speak English fluently. He
came to America IA years ago. Nyffeler,
who was in bed when the collision oc-
Cured, knew nothing of the collision,
but as it was his practice to-get up
early he arose at about o'clock and
went on deck. He was surprised to see
splinters lying around, and he walked
forward in search of the officer of the
watch. Nyffeler asked him what was
a
Nyffeler believed him and walked about
ship began to list and that other pas
sengers were wearing life belts he
went below and put one on.
When he came up, he met Eliza Nif-
fenegger, a Swiss girl from New York,
with whom he had become acquainted.
She knew nothing about the collision,
and Nyffeler got her life belt, and
then both got into lfeboat. The boat
was packed with men and women, wait
ing for the sailors to cut the boat loose.
The crew did not come, however, and
the boat went down with the ship. Nyf-
feler was the only one saved OF all tho
party.
While Nyffeler was In the boat ne
saw the captain on the bridge alone.
his head and was walking up and down
the bridge screaming and swearing.
Nvffeler saw one boat leave the ship
containing only sailors. The ship had
a terrible list to port, her decks being
almost perpendicular. As she sank tn
stern went up in the afr with the boat
Nvffeler was in. The fog had cleared
awav, but there We're no signs of the
40
M in the air until all Of sudden came
a crack and hle ship went down.
Nvffeler rose to the surface in min
ute and all around him We're women,
children and men struggling in the wa
Tor shouting for help. He looked for
Eliza Niffenegger, but could not see her.
1Ja tben got hold of q crowded raft,
which soon upset. throwing all upon IT
TITO Tho water. He managed to get upon
If again. however. with several others
and staid on it until picked up by res
cuers
Women Literally Murdered.
Nvffeler states that While on the ra't
he saw five women, VINO were cllnslhs
to the very rope he had hold or thrust
"a their death with boathooks IN the
hands of Frenchmen on the rat Nsiie-
,er is certain he can point out the iiieil'
He saws they cut the rope, ana altnousll
the women were screaming pltiluily anu
one of them pleaded for her lie they
were all heartlessly pushed away
One of the women was the iilotnei "
August and John Borgl, VINO are among
the survivors. Two others were Ger
man, and the other two were french-
women, Nyfeler saw an Aliiei i't.ii
lUhi1h
ro+ IN q raft not far from the one ne
was on. Just before NyHeler anu MS
fa1Iows, were taken on board the Gro
martyshire their raft was lolloWeu ps
two immense swordfish. They jumped
w." e,,,,d tho raft for quite awhile, but
Ala NOT venture to attack and at last
sheered off. ,o,
Mr. Z. Achard, Frenchman who mas
.a, come wears in Baltimore, was on
lie wav to France, with his wife ana
.,,.o ohildren. On the morning of the
ao,lision he put them in boat amid
,... ND we,,i TO get another boat for
,,:,,,eale Only one end of the boat ne
It ,r+o wastut loose, and the boat TIP
20 whom if descended, throwing the
,,n,,ts into the water. Just at tnls
ti,,,a the Bourgogne's tunnels gave way
49,, ona of tham fell directly across the
,ao+ in which Achard's wife ana chill
aran had been placed, crushing IL ana
1,rocsing all the passengers oVerpoard
One of the funnel chains struck MRS.
.h,rd across the chest and ltefali!
tore her body asunder. Charles Lleora
ond others who were eyeWltnesses say
IL was the most blood curdling slsht
tbav ever saw. Achard fell INTO the wa
,,,, tba RourcOgne sank, but Inah-