The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-10-15
WRECKED.
The British Steamer MOhegan
FOundered
On the LOWlands Near the
Lizard.
137 PEOPLE DROWNED.
Only AZ Survivors Have Reach
ed the Shore.
She Was Bound From London
to New York.
GOING AT FULL SPEED
Crash Came While Passengers
We're at Dinner.
Struck a Rock and at Once Be-
gan to Sink.

Falmouth. Eng, Oct. 15.-The British
steamer NIohegan. Capt. Grif1ths. be-
longing to the Atlantic Transport COM
pany has been wrecked in the vicinity
of the Lizard, between the Manacles
and the Lowlands. It is believed that
about one hundred and forty three per-
sons of her passengers and crew were
drowned. Only 81 survivors have reach
ed the shore.
The Mohegan was formerly the Gle
opatra of the Wilson and Furness-
Leyland line. She left London for New
York on Thursday having on board so
far as can be ascertained at present 80
passengers and a crew of 115 officers
and men.
When the steamer was seen to be in
distress life boats put off from the
shore and every effort possible was
made to save the passengers. The coast
at this point is extremely dangerous
and has been the scene of numerous
wrecks. The general opinion at pres
ent is that the machinery of the Mohe-
gan 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 assistance of the NTOhegan
were compelled to return without being
able to approach the vessel owing to the
severity of the weather prevailing.
A Passengers Story.
A life boat landed 81 of the passen-
gers and crew of the Mohegan. One of
the former, a woman, died after she
was brought ashore. There are rumors
Slrconf1rmed. that another life boat
succeeded in saving six more persons.
Of
Mr.. George Maule of New York was
interviewed after he had sufficiently re-
covered to be able to tell the story Of
the wreck. He said:
Il am a shipper of horses empIoved
by the American Transport company.
We left London on Thursday and all
went well until o'clock Yesterday
evening when most of the passengers
were at dinner. The steamer was 90
ing at full speed and suddenly we heard
a loud crash. which seemed to denote
that we had collided with some other
vessel But when we rushed on deck
we found that the Mohegan was on the
rocks between the Manacles and the
LoWIands, in the vicinity of the Lizard
orders were given Immediately to
lower the boats and the crew of the
steamer behaved like heroes. Her can
tam stood on the bridge and the great
est order prevailed among the officers
and crew.
The steamer, however irnradia+a1,,
began to settle by the head Two boats
were launched The women were sent
away in the first boat But whether
not know.
I managed to secure a life belt and
JLiiIpeU oNerDoard IN company with the
Gnle1 oHlcer or the Mohegan, Mr.. Couch
he made me take off my coat and
SHOES Soon after that we were parted
from each other. When 1 was leaving
the vessel little girl begged piteously
that try to save her as she did not
want to die yet. I was powerless to
help her Eventually I caught hold of
a plank which was floating on the wa
ter and 1 clung to it for seven and a
half hours. At the expiration of that
time was picked up by tug. I could
not have lasted much longer
I can not explain how the accident
occurred The whole matter is not very
clear to me-"
From other sources 1t was learned
tnat the Mohegan sank about 20 min
utes after she ran on the rocks The
4ocaI seamen who have been questioned
upon the subject appear to be unab to
explain how the Mohegan got into such
a position.
Later in the morning it became
known that another life boat had land
ed sixteen more of the survivors of the
BIohegan and as life boats put ont
from a number of places hopes are ex-
pressed 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.
IA Men on a Rock.
AS the day wore on further reports
received here showed that As survivors
Of the Mohegan were landed at Port
Houstock, Cornwall, where the bodies
of five dead persons have been received.
Then came the announcement that
fourteen of the crew of the wrecked
steamer had been found alive on the
rocks near the scene of the disaster.
One of the passengers rescued by the
Port HOustOck life boat says that all
the passengers were dining when the
catastrophe occurred, though some ofthe
children, and those who were seasick
were in their hunks. Suddenly the No
hogan struck with a grating noise. At
first the engineers thought this was
caused by coal falling down in the
mixers. A second shock followed and
the vessel began to settle.