Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-10-19
STEAMER SUNK At SEA.
Ran on the Rocks in the Vicinity
of the Lizard.
MOHEGAN FOUNDERS.
Believed that at Least Half of the
174 Passengers and Crew
were Drowned.

Falmouth, Eng, Oct. 15.-The British
steamer Mohegan, Capt. Grifiths, belong
ing to the Atlantic Transport company,
has been wrecked in the vicinity of the
Lizard, between the Manaclas and the
Lowlands. 1t is believed that about 143
persons of her passengers and crew were
drowned. Only thirty-one survivors have
reached the shore.
The M~ohegan was formerly the Cleo
patra of the Wilson & Furness-Leyland
line. She left London for New York on
Thursday, having on board, so far as can
be ascertained at present, ffty-nine pas
| sengers and a crew of 115 officers and
men.
Efforts to Save the Passengers.
When the steamer was seen to be in
distress, lifeboats put off from the shore
and every effort possible was made to
save the passengers. The coast at his
point is very dangerous and has been the
scene of numerous wrecks.
The general opinion at present Is that
the machinery of the Mohegan became
disabled during the heavy easterly gale
which was blowing and that she ran
ashore and foundered. A number of tugs
which put out from this port to the as
sistance of the Mohegan were compelled
to return without being able to approach
the vessel, owing to the severity Of the
weather prevailing.
A lifeboat landed thirty-one of the pas
sengers and crew of the Mohegan. One of
the former, a woman, died after she was
brought ashore. There are rumors uE-
confirmed as this dispatch is sent, that an
other lifeboat succeeded in saving six
more persons. One of the survivors Of
the Mohegan, George Maule of New
York, was interviewed after he had suf-
- 30 hn | Z ~ oil tho
story of the wreck. He said:
Il am a shipper of horses employed by
| the American Transport company. We
left London on Thursday and %ll went
we'll until Z o'clock yesterday evening,
when most of the passengers were at din
ner. The steamer was going at full speed
and suddenly we heard a loud crash,
which seemed to denote that we had col
lided with some other vessel. But when
we rushed on deck we found that the
Mohegan was on the rocks between the
Manacles and the Lowlands, in the vicin-
ity of the Lizard.
"Orders were given Immediately to low
er the boats, and the crew of the steamer
behaved like heroes. Her captain stood
on the bridge and the greatest order pre-
vailed among the officers and crew.
Two Boats Launched.
"The steamer, however, Immediately be-
gan to settle by the head. Two boats
were launched. The women were sent
away in the first boat. But whether
these boats reached land or not [ do not
know.
Il managed to secure a life-belt and
jumped overheard in company with the
chief officer of the Mohegan, Mr.. Couch.
He made me 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 | try to
save her, as she did not want to die yet.
I was powerless TO help her.
Eventually 1 caught hold of a plank
which was floating on the water and l
chung to it for seven and a half hours. At
the expiration of that time | was picked
up by a tug. l could not have lasted
much longer.
Il cannot explain how the accident oc-
Cured. The whole matter is not very
clear to me-"
From other sources it was learned that
the Mohegan sunk about twenty minutes
after she ran on the rocks.
The local seamen who ave been ques-
toned upon the subject appear to be I'M
able to explain how the Mohegan got
into such q position.
Later in the morning it became known
that another lifeboat had landed sixteen
more of the survivors Of the Mohegan,
and, as lifeboats put out from a number
OF places, hopes are expressed that the
number of survivors may be increased.
One of the sixteen persons just known
to have been saved is a lady. All the
survivors are in a pitiable condition and
some of them have been badly injured by
waves and rocks and are suffering from
bruises and torn and fractured limbs.
The reports received as to the number
OF the survivors are extremely contradict
tory, even at this hour. In fact, it is now
said that the only persons rescued are
those who have detailed their expert
ences, as already cabled, and those who
were taken to Port Houstock in two jour
neys which the lifeboat at that place
made to the wreck. Some of the rescued
persons died from exhaustion after land
ing.
Everything possible is being done to
secure a correct list of the drowned and
of the survivors.
The officials of the transport company
believe that most of the passengers were
Americans who were returning home.
Capt. Grifiths, who is missing was for
merly captain of the Manitoba and then
captain of the Minnewaska, which was
sold to the United States government for
use as a transport during the war with
Spain.
Two Of the Mohegan's boats, filled with
passengers, went down the channel, but
no news of them has since been obtained.
MANY OTHERS SAVED.