The herald., 1898-10-30
A MOhfGAN SURVIVOR
RELATES THE STORY OF THE
DISASTER
But Lives Were Lost Because the
Ships Boats Were Fastened Far
Too Securely
Associated Press Special Wire.

NEW YORK, Oct 29-Miss Maud Roud-
abush, who is better known on the operate
stage as Miss Maud Roudez, one of the sur
vivors of the Mohegan disaster, arrived here
today on the Cunarder Etruria.
Miss Roudabush was dressed in deeI
mourning, and her face bore traces OF the
strain and hardships she endured when the
steamer was wrecked. When seen by a re-
porter, Miss Roudabush told the story OF
the loss of the Mohegan.
"At the time the ship struck it was about
7 o'clock in the evening" she said, ''and my
mother had just gone into the dining room
and dinner had just begun. Suddenly there
was an awful sound, as though the ships
bottom was being torn out. My mother and
myself both got up from the table and
walked to the stairs to go to our rooms. At
the time no one seemed to know what was
the matter The stewards continued to
serve the dinner We reached the head OF
the stairs, where our stateroom was, when
we met two of the deckhands. We had in
the meantime secured life preservers, but
were utterly unable to put them on. As we
stood bewildered, the men came up to Ills
and offered to assist us up the stairs. l can
positively say there was no panic at that
time.
'I should Judge it was about four minutes
after the ship struck when, without warn
scene was pathetic, and | shall never forget
it. The masts were black with people, the
majority of whom | learned next day were
sailors | assisted my mother up a mast,
but as the men, by whose aid we hoped to
save our lives, left to get into boat, we left
with them. | noticed that many of the
boats were not unfastened, and there
seemed to be no attempt to launch them.
We reached one of the boats and the men
assisted us into it. The decks were now on
a slant, and for a few minutes we sat terri
fed. Suddenly the boat lurched and wave
struck us, and then the boat turned over,
and | felt as if / had gone to the bottom
of the sea. Consciousness had almost left
men when we came up, and L found myself
under the overturned boat, with scarcely
room enough to breathe. clung to the seat,
and with my chin resting on the seat. Close
beside me was old Mr. Duncan, and he
shouted as loudly as he was able. His shouts
grew weaker, and by and by they stopped.
/ did not dare to think what had become
of him. My mother, knew, had been in
the boat, but that was all. l did not know
where she was then. You can imagine the
horror of the situation ! felt humping
against my bosom the head of some one,
and | knew by the short hair that it was
one of the deckhands that had helped us
into the boat. | was almost in despair
when suddenly the boat was turned violent
ly over and fell exhausted into the bottom,
still clinging to the seat. The next thing |
was grasped by strong hands and thrown
violently into the lifeboat.
"Mrs Compton Swift was also in the boat
and was saved.
"My mother was either caught in the
wreckage or fast under one of the seats, for
the men in removing her chopped off one
of her feet"
In response to question, Miss Roudabush
said: "The opinion of Mr.. John Hyslop,
that the lifeboats were difficult of access,
I believe is true, and l can say myself that
thsy were double-railed, a. has been stated.