The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-07
COWARDICE AND MURDER on
THE SINKING VESSEL.
SECOND OFFICER A HERO AND A MARTYR
DastardIy Italians Drive Women to Certain
Death at the Points of Their Knives. On
Iy One Woman Saved Out of Two
Hundred Over Five Hun.
dred Persons
DroAuned
Drowned.

steamer l.aB0urgOgne, OF the COmpagne
| Generate Trans-Atlantique Line, with 30
souls on board, was run down by the lrOn
sailing ship Cromartyshire, sixty miles
south Of Sable Island during the early
morning of July i, and sunk within half
an hour, carrying with her over 800 of
| her passengers and crew. The balance,
who were not drawn down by the fearful
suction struggled and fought for life
until 1G3 at length We're rescued from
| death by the crew of the Cromarty-
| shire, which ship survived the collision.
a thick fog prevailed ut the time of the
| disaster. The story of the fearful acci-
dent from the few officers and crew who
were saved is yet to be told, but if the
words of the passengers who We're
| dragged aboard the Cromartyshire and
later brought into this port by the
steamer Grecian are to be believed the
last few minutes OH board the LaGour-
gogne witnessed some of the most ter
ribe scenes of horror and cruelty that
| have blotted the history of Il civilized
| race.
| Instead Of discipline which so often
| has been the one bright feature of such
lawful moments. the crew of the steamer
fought like demons for the few life boats
tpnd rafts, blttcriil-; Tie helpless pas
! lscngcrs away from their only means of
| salvation, with the result that the strong
overcame the weak, and the list of 163
saved contained the name of only one
| woman.
The LaBourgogne had left New York
! bound for Hayre on Saturday, July :.
while the Cromartyshire was on her way
over from Glasgow with Il crew of u
men.
Although the Transatlantic steamers
| all have definite course, the BOur-
gogne was to all accounts forty miles
or more to the north of these lines. The
| fog was very dense and the big iron ship
| was sailing along with reduced canvas
and blowing the fog-horn. Suddenly out
Of the fog rushed Il great steamer and
| in moment there was Il fearful crash,
| the iron prov of the ship plunging into
| the port side of the steamer just un-
| der the bridge The shock was terrific.
| and tore Il tremendous hole in the steam
or, while the entire bow of the ship was
| demolished. The steamer plunged on
into the fog again, her whistle crying for
help and her rockets signalling her dire
distress.
FEARFUL STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.
The Cromartyshire was rounded to.
and her master. Captain Henderson.
was considerably relieved in finding that
she was i'll no danger of sinking. Off
to the eastward could he heard the
hoarse call of the steamer, and as the
fog began to lift all the boats on the
ship were launched Half an hour after
the collision occurred the misty curtain
went up, giving II clear view for miles,
and then it WIS that those on the
Cromartyshire realized the fearful strug-
gle for life. On board the Bourgogne.
the collision had come at such time
in the morning that few beside her crew
were on deck, but the shock reused near
ly every one and within few minutes
the decks were crowded.
At first it seemed as if there was some
attempt at discipline. A few of the
boats were swung off and some of +he
passengers allowed to get into them
But as the steamer began to settle and
list to port, the officers lost control OF
the crew and what was probably a
panic ensued. Passengers and crew
fought for the boats and lift RATS. It
was fight to the death in itself. while
death in the waters stared every one
in the face.
Inc strong battered down the weak
the women and children being pushed
far away from any hope of rescue Fists.
oars and even knives were used by some
of the demons to keep their places. The
Ulcers seemed to have been powerless
before their own men, and only four
were saved.
As the ship sank the vortex of water
sucked down everything on the surface
within certain radius. A couple of
minutes later. when the suction ceased.
those still alive saw about 200 bodies
com" up out of water with rush. as if
fhe sea were giving up the dead after
having swallowed the ship. But the
struggle for life still continued after the
snip went down. Hundreds loated about
@rasping for RATS. boats and wreckage
IN frantic endcavor to keep above water.
Even then. many of those in the boats |
IT the stories told are to be believed.
showed their brutality by heating off |
many of those who attempted to climb |
aboard
By this time the small boats of thp |
Cromartyshire had come up and the |
work of rescue began. The crew of tho |
shln worked heroically and saved every
one who had manged to keep above wa