The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-04-01
T'heir Grave h<d OCEAN
STEAMER STELLA, CRASHES ON
THE CASQUET ROCKS.
Seventy People Believed to Have Perished-
Captain at His Post as the Steamer
Went Down.

sey, but seven hours later we found
ourselves near the scene of the wreck,
and saw dozens OF persons clinging to
the rocks"
The boat in which Bush was a pas
senger was aftsrWard picked up by
the Lynx.
lhe passengers all agree that perfect
order and discipline prevailed on board
the Stella. This crew promptly took up
their stations when the steamer struck,
served out the life belts and lowered the
boats.
The sc5me at the moment of the sink
ing of the vessel was heartrcnderinS.
Women were screaming and praying and
people were clingIng to spars and other
VIE ckage in all directions. Those who
had succeeded in getting into the boats
had Il narrow escape from being en-
quilted on account of the suction caused
by the sinking vessel.
The voice of Captain Rocks, from the
bridge, was frequently heard urging the
rowers to pull for their lives.
The boats were adrift for fifteen hours,
during which time their occupants were
without food or water, and as their
clothes were drenched they suffered
greatly.
The disaster is gensraEly attributed to
the high speed at which the steamer
was travelling in the fog.
1t is thought probable thats the Par
tons were the only Americans on board
the Stella, as the list of survivors does
not contain the names of any other
Americans so far as known.
The second mate was the only officer
of fbn SfatIa who Nvac covpd
The captain and the other officers,
most of the crew and many of the pas
sengers sank with the Stella A boat
in charge of the chief officer capsized
and almost all its occupants were
up by other boats.
The steamer Hionfleur returned to-
night after having made the circle of
the Casquet Rocks. She picked up two
boats containing women's clothing,
MONEY, jewelry and an opera glass case.
The last had evidently been used ill
bailing
Many pathetic incidents are reported.
In several cases men lifted their wives
and children into the boats and then
persisted themselves in their presence.
One wife, who was thus bereaved, lost
her reason.
\ large number of the survivors arri-
we'd here without any clothing, clad
only in blankets.
THE STORY OF DIR. KING.
London, March 31.--The news of tho
disaster to the Stella spread slowly
through London. in the absence of the
usual evening newspapers, to-day being
Good Friday. AZ rs afternoon aa-
vanced. small grou.,s gathered at the
Waterloo station, where many painful
scenes transpired among the inquirerS
for friends at the railway offices. n
large crowd collected to wait the arrival
of the train from southampton ut nine
this evening, which brought the three
survivors, MesSrs. David King, Lon
don merchant; Hebron and Greener, 9ll
Of whom were wrapped in great rugs
and bore traces of their Sutfer.ngS. Ih y
, were immediately surrounded anu anX
iously questioned.
Mr.. King, wsho was among the last
to leave the ship, Said;
1.-The greater part of Yesterday was
exceedingly pleasant. but toward evening
we encountered Il mist, which soon de-
velcped into dense fog I'll 70 was.
however, no apprehension. Sudden : Il
great shock told us that the Stella haI
struck the rocks. The coolness of the
officers considerably allayed the excite
ment. The crew behaved splcndidly,
lowering the boats with ;he gleIt,E,l
promptitudc. Every woman was supplied
with a life helt. At first we thought
there would be time for all the boats
to clear away; but the boilers burst.
rend.ng the ship amidshEps.''
Mr.. King and two tirelnen, Osborn and
Bailey. were the Hast to leave the YES
sci. He had just given up Il life b VI
to aid clergyman wife, and was pull
ed into boat by Second Mate Reynolds,
who was instrumental in saving many
lives.
The boat with twenty-five persons
drifted for fifteen hours IN the intense
cold and was finally picked up by the
Great Western Railways steamer Vera,
from southampton.
Mr.. King believes that five boats were
launched. He saw one upturned, with
children clmging to it.
year terms only, and the Ssate will