Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-10-29
THE WRECKED MORGAN
Ninety-fve Lives Lost Off Brit
-.--.. aims Stormy Coast. ..-......
TIE BRAVERY OF TIE SAILORS.
None or Them Made any Effort to Es-
cape I'm the Lifeboats, and the Gal
liant omcers Went Down with Their
Doomed Vessel.


Doomed Vessel.
London. Oct. 1.-THE steamer Mohe-
gan, of the Atlantic Transfer company.
was wrecked last Friday evening. OF
the 144 persons on board, including S.
passengers. 95 were lost The total num-
Der OF bodies thus far recovered is 56.
Many persons undoubtedly were kill
ed by being dashed on the rocks who
would have escaped IL cast ashore on
an ordinary coast. Some of the bodies
are horribly mangled.
The cause of the disaster remains the
profoundest mystery. Nobody attempts
10 explain how the Mohegan got so
1ar north OF her true course-from six
to seven miles. There was no fog at
the time, while the wind on her port
quarter was not sufficient to prevent
her answering the helm. 1t has been
suggested that the compass was faulty.
out daylight lasted long after Eddy
stone light was passed. The sailors
say the fact that the Lizard light was
not visible should have served to give
the alarm
Remarkable stories of rescues con-
tinue. Robert Barrow, a seaman. per
formed the feat of swimming unaided
through the toughest water to Cove
rack Point. a distance Of two and one
half miles. He climbed up the ragged
clin, where a searching party found
him early the next morning completely
exhausted. A c. L Smith, Of Oregon.
a passenger, surrendered to a woman
In the water wreckage that was sup
porting him and swan ashore unaided.
The woman was saved.
Tne crew, in a chiyalrous effort to
save the women. made the mistake of
understanding the boats. There were
only four sailors in one boat. which
capsized as soon as 1t was launched.
Messrs. Smith and Bloomingdale say
that Captain Griffiths had appeared i'll
all day
The heroism of the English coast
patrol and the discipline of the saxon
sailors stand out boldly. The Mohegan
smashed upon TIE rocks at the Man
acles off the Lizard at O'Clock Friday
evening while the passengers were at
dinner.
From the best evidence obtainable at
ST. Keverine il appears that the Mo-
hogan foundered five minutes after she
struck the rocks. She was going at
fun speed. struck twice. stopped and
rapidly settled into the water.L AS the
captain and the executive officers of
the steamer went down with her IL has
been impossible thus far TO ascertain
now she got out OF her course. as Fall
mouth Light and the coast were Wis
ible.
Dinner was ready and Captain Grif-
nths was about to proceed to the sa-
loon when sudden crash made ii an
parent that the steamer had gone
ashore. The captain Immediately went
on deck, and the survivors say they
saw him on the bridge doing all in his
power to lessefshe disaster
There was a rush for the boats. but |
the officers stood firm and put the
women aboard first Captain Griffith
stuck 10 his post on the bridge shouting
orders through trumpet until ne went |
down with the ship. One passeneer
cut away the falls Of a lifeboat with a /
razor and thus saved several lives.
As soon as the Michigan struck the |
shriel0s OF the passengers were waited |
ashore and the Port Houstock lifeboat |
Immediately put out. The life savers /
AID noble work, and the Port HoustoclS |
BOAT was Immediately followed bv /
''hers. There was high sea running. !
as the result of a gale, which made |
K necessary for tugs which put ont 70 /
urn back
The terror of the scene. was indie /
'cribable-men jumped overheard i'm an
agony OF despair and the women pas
'engers huddled together and refused /
o leave the deck. The officers remained |
On the bridge to the last and MANY
Instances OF sacrifice are recorded.
Members OF the crew are known TO /
ave stood by and watched the boat.
aunched and put off when ii was an |
parent that these were the only means
~ which their own lives could be |
,avad ~