The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-10-16
NINE VICTIMS or HRS.
HEROIC wAYoHHAH NET DEATH.

But For the Bravery ofsamuel jayne
the Loss OF Life would Have Been
More Charges ofCoward.
Toe Against the Grow Not Sustained.
New York, Oct. 16.-Nine persons
lost their lives and as many more were
injured by the burning. early Saturday
morning. of the Bridgeport line steam
boat the Nutmeg State, OF Sands
Point, Long Island sound.
The dead are: Charles Anderson,
Waterman on the boat; Patrick Cof-
fey. mate; John Connors. member OF
crew; Bernard Hendry, oiler; Samuel
Jayne. Bridgeport. Conn, baggage
master; Thomas Murphy, member of
crew: Nils Nilsson. member of crew;
unknown woman, passenger; unknown
man, passenger.
There was a panic aboard the Nut
meg State when the cry Of fire aroused
passengers from their sleep. The yes
sci was burning fiercely amidships.
Passengers tell stories Of cowardicc
ON the part of the crew. but others
deny their statements. Seven of the
nine known victims Of the disaster
were members of the crew.
About a hundred persons were in
peril, but prompt aid from others yes
sells made the loss Of life much smaller
than had been feared.
After passengers and crew had left
the burning vessel she was sent at full
speed toward the beach, where she
lies, a total wreck.
Samuel Jayne, baggage master, who
lost his life, is described as the hero of
the fire. He discovered the outbreak
and gave the alarm. He ran about
awakening all he could, and the flames
were raging fiercely when at last he
tried to escape. He was then on the
upper deck, and in jumping struck his
forehead against the guard rail. Stun
ned, he fell into the water, and when
the yacht Kismet went to his assist
ence he was almost dead. He died soon
after aboard the yacht. Had he not so
courageously made his way through the
smoke to alarm the passengers the
loss of life would have been much
greater.
The work of taking passengers off
the doomed vessel was done none too
soon. She carried large cargo, in
GLIDING cases of cartridges. AS the
fire made its way down into the hold
there was series of explosions, which
increased the tierceness of the flames
and destroyed the last chance of saw
ing anything from the wreck.
The charge was made by several sur
-, ~, -.
a cowardly manner, pushing the wo-
men to one side and getting into the
lifeboats, regardless of the safety OF
others. Other passengers, however,
assert that the crew acquitted them
selves well. All reports agree that
Captain Brooks, who is a seaman Of
long experience, was one of the last
to leave the burning vessel.
Miss Savage was quoted as saying
that when she attempted to get into
lifebcat she was rudely pushed back
by some members Of the crew. When
your reporter saw her and asked her
particularly whether there were any
complaints as to the conduct of the
, crew she said there were not.
All that remains of the Nutmeg
State are the twisted and blaekened
arms of steel and iron surrounded by
the huge copper bottom. which lies
in the surf. Somewhere in the debris
are believed to be the five bodies, but
it will be some days before these can
be reached These are supposed to be
in the forward part of the hulk, where
the men of the crew were imprisoned
by the fire. No attempt was made to
recover any of the bodies yesterday,
as the debris still gave forth smoke,
but the work will be commenced to-
day.
The bodies of woman and little girl
which were washed ashore on Saturday
are at the undertaking establishment
at Port Washington. No one called
yesterday to identify them. The body
OF an unknown man was picked up by
yacht yesterday and taken to Siam
form, Conn.