The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-10-17
| ONLY FIFTY
| were SAVED.
Over One Hundred Victims Of
the Mohegan Disaster.
STEAMER OUT OF HER COURSE.
No One Can Explain How Vessel Got So Far
North Of Proper Course.
HER DESTRUCTION A MYSTERY


| i~ohuoi, OCts ne Allantlc Trans
port company issued the following state
ment last night regarding the fate OF the
passengers and crew OF the Mohesan
which was wrecked Friday night OFF the
Lizard: "Of the passengers IL have beer
saved; 10 bodies have been recovered
and SS are missing OF the crew and
cattlemen 80 have been saved IL bodies
have been recovered and 81 are missing"
Since this statement was issued nine
other bodies have been picked up, in
Guiding two that have been identified as
the bodies OF passengers. The reports
or the various correspondents differ
widely as TO the rescues, reeoveries and
losses. though none has been able TO OBJ
tain the exact numbers Of those saved
or Of the bodies recovered.
The latest adyices from Falmouth say
thA& 80 bodies have been identified, most
ly the bodies OF sailors. Four are as vet
unidentified, including those of two
elderly ladies. One appears TO be
German. She wore a watch and a we'd
ding ring, both engraved "1s7l." The
other wore a silver brooch, with ID" in
pearls. This is probably the body OF Mrs.
Charles Duncan.
The cause OF the disaster remains the
profoundest mystery. Nobody attempts
10 explain how the Mohegan got so far
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 answer
ing the helm. 1t has been suggested that
her compass was faulty but daylight
lasted long after Eddystone light was
passed. The sailors say the fact that
the Lizard light was not visible should
have served to give the alarm. The
masts OF the Mohegan, which are above
water, show that her stern is landward,
causing a theory that the navigating
officer, on discovering that he was in the
bay, suddenly turned seaward. Two
engineers who are saved. declare how
ever, that they never slackened speed.
Remarkable stories of rescues con-
tinue. Robert Barrow. seaman, per-
formed the feat Of swimming unaided
through the toughest water TO Coverack
point, "a distance of two and one-half
miles. He climbed UP the ragged cliff
where searching party found him early
the next morning, completely exhausted.
A. G. l.. Smith OF oregon, a passenger
surrendered TO a woman in the water
wreckage that was supporting him, and |
swan ashore unaided. The woman was
saved. Her name is reported as Miss |
Webb, but no such name appears in the |
companys list.
Messrs. Smith and w. ]. Bloomingdale |
say there was the greatest difficulty in |
launching the boats. The ropes were |
new and stiff. and the blocks would not |
work. Four or five times as many sail
ors as should have been necessary |
struggled to lower each boat. The lock-
ers were hard TO open. The crew. in
chivalrous effort TO save the women,
made the mistake of undermanning the
boats. There were only four sailors in
one boat, which capsized as soon as IL
was launched. Messrs. Smith and
Bloomdale say that Captain Grifiths
had appeared i'll all day.
The death of T. w. King, who was a
newspaper proprietor i'm Nantucket,
Mass, and Of his family, including Mrs.
King her mother, Mrs. Weller, and his
sons, Rufus aged IL. and Anthony. aged
!, has caused deep sorrow at Penzance,
where the family had a summer cottage.
nd were very popular. Joseph O'Rourke,
Mr. Kings valet, who was saved, says
he was on deck when the crash came.
The lights went out Immediately. Rush
ng TO the saloon he heard Mr.. King ex-
lorting his family to keep cool.
)'Rourke, with seven others, clung To |
he rigging until o'clock Saturday |
morning, when a lifeboat took him of.
lie identified the bodies OF the Kings and !
'lrs. Weller, and will have them en-
'almed and taken to the United States
n accordance with cabled instructions
rom relatives OF the family.
THE description. in the London dis
atch. of T. w. King as IA newspaper
proprietor at Nantucket, Mass, is prob
bly, erroneous. Inquiry shows that the
roprietors Of the local papers in Nan
ucket and fits vicinity bear other names.
n Boston newspaper circles Mr.. Kings
anne is unfamiliar Probably he was
wealthy summer resident at Nan :
lcket1