The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-06

Cldu DOuuQ from GlaSSOW TO New York.
The captain agreed to take the passen-
gers on board and also agreed to tow
my ship to Halifax Owing to the con-
dition of my ship, accepted the offer
and proceeded at once to trans-ship the
passengers and get ready our tow line.
At p. m. we had made connection
and proceeded in tow of the Grecian to-
ward Halifax, having put a sail over
the broken bow to take part of the
strain off the collision bulkhead. There
was at that time IA feet of water in the
fore peak"
Went Down Quickly.
Mrs. Henderson. wife of the captain,
her two children.
She tells a thrilling story of the ter
rible experience. The weather was
fOggy and she had risen from her bunk
at an early hour as was her custom
when the weather was bad Shortly
before the vessels came together she
detected a steamers whistle blowing
on the port side. The Cromartyshire
was sounding her fog horn at intervals
of one minute. Mrs. Henderson called
the attention of her husband to the
sOundings of the whistle and minute
later the mate, who was on watch, also
detected the sound. It came nearer and
nearer and Mrs. Henderson stood near
the cabin in order to rescue her chill
dren should a disaster occur.
Suddenly the huge hull of an ocean
steamer Ioomed up in the mist going
about II knots an hour. Almost i'm
mediately there was a fearful crash
and Mrs. Henderson rushed below and
found her children awakened by the
shock. She dressed the little ones as
quickly as possible and removed them
to the deck, expecting to see her own
ship go down any minute.
Captain Henderson as soon as the
collision occurred, ordered the boats to
be lowered and the damage to be as
certained AS it was found that the
Cromartyshire was in no immediate
danger the Britisher put about The
vessel with which they had collided was
at that time unknown. A few minutes
later her whistle was heard and several
rockets were sent up. Captain Hender-
son replied in like manner, thinking the
steamer was offering assistance, but in
a few minutes all was quiet and those
on board began to realize the awful re-
suits of the collision.
A Terrible Scene.
At $50 the fog lifted and two boats
were seen approaching with only men
on board. Later the weather cleared
still more and men were to be seen in
every direction, clinging to wreckage
and floating on life RATS. 1t was a ter
ribIe scene. No pen can picture the ap-
paIIing sight revealed to the on-loOkers
when the curtain of mist arose. The
work of rescue was commenced without
a moments delay, and over 200 persons
were picked up and taken on board the
ship.
Mrs. Henderson who had ample oppOr-
tunity of interviewing those who were
rescued, expressed her belief from what
she heard that there had been no effort
to save the women. There were many
foreigners on board who fought for pla-
ces in the boats. It was fully a quarter
of an hour before La BourgOgne went
down and during that time there was
ample opportunity offered to rescue at
least some of the women and children.
AS it was only one woman, Mrs. La
casse was saved. She has been on board
ever since. She is the wife of A. D.
Lacasse, teacher of languages of Plain
Vile, N. J.
The crew of the Cromartyshire COM
ment freely upon the fact that only one
woman was saved out of 300. Nearly
all the first class passengers were lost,
those saved being steerage and sailors.
Iacasse and his wife were in the water
eight hours, cIinging to a raft, before
they were picked up by a boat from the
Cromartyshire. They lost everything
but what they stand in, including mon
ey and valuables. One passenger was
going home to France with his two chill
dren, his wife having died month pre-
viously He was saved but his two ba-
bies went down with the ship. Mrs.
Lacasse says the officers bravely stayed
by their posts going down with the ship
The only officer saved was the purser
He went down, but being a strong
swimmer, managed to save himself.
When the ships struck they were off
Cape Sable. The passengers with the
sole exception of Prof. Lacesse were be
low decks. Without warning came the
terrible shock. Iacasse rushed in haste
to his state room on the saloon deck and
got his wife out of bed and partly dres-
sed.
They hastened on deck only to be
precipitated into the water. They were
not long in the water however, when