The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-09-30

Montreal, Sept. 29.-Two hundred and
fifty scantily clad, baggage bereft men,
women and children were on board of
an Inter Colonial special which steam
ed into Bonaventura depot tonight.
They composed the greater number of
those who sailed from Liverpool on
Sept. IA on board the steamship Scots
man, bound for Montreal, which was
wrecked on the shores of the Straits of
Belle Isle at 2:30 on the morning of the
21st. 1t was not only a tale of Ship
wreck that they had to tell, but one
of death, of suffering and pillage, for
fifteen at least of the Scotsman's pas
sengers persisted. all suffered cruelty
from cold and privation, and almost
the worst horror of all, the men who
were supposed to succor and assist
those committed to their care in the
hour of need, turned on the helpless
passengers, and, with loaded guns and
revolvers, compelled them TO part with
the few valuables saved
Captain Skrimshire and his officers
were exceptions. For the honor of the
British merchant maine, the crime may
not be ascribed to the men engaged in
ii. but to a gang of wharf rats and
Liverpool to replace the usual crew of
the Scotsman, which Joined the sea-
mems strike on the other side.
Those Who Perished.
The list of those who persisted is as
follows: First-class passengers-Miss
Street, Montreal: Mrs. Childs, wife of
the stage manager of the Sign of the
Cross" company; Mrs. Roberts and in
FAINT; Mrs. Scott; Mrs. Robinson, wife
of the manager CT the Sunlight Soap
company of Toronto; Mrs. Robinson,
Mrs. Dickinson, wife of a former edi
tor of the Toronto Globe.
Second-class passengers-M Wat
son, Mrs. Talbot, Mrs. Tuthill, Mrs.
Shelton, Mrs. Eliza Watkins, Miss B.
Weave-s.
1t win be noticed that all who per
ished were women. This is accounted
for by the fact that they were occu-
pants of the first boat which left the
steamer after she struck and which
was swamped before it could get clear
of the ship.
Entering the Straits of Belle Is,e, on
Thursday night, the steamer. ran into
a dense fog. AT ? o'clock in the morn
ing there was a shock underneath the
keel of the vessel followed by another
and another. The passengers We're
asleep in their berths, and all were
awakened By the shocks and hurried
on deck.
Boatload Of Women Drowned.
A port lifeboat was lowered, and in
this many of the women and children
were placed. Hardly was it clear of
the ship when it capsZed, throwing its
occupants into the water. Those who
persisted were il this boat. Some were
saved, for the ship had listed to port,
and several of the women were washed
back on deck. One woman chung to a
rope for two hours before being res
cued.
Meanwhile. disgraceful scenes were
being enacted on board. Hardly had
the vessel struck before the men from
the stoke hole rushed into the cabins,
and, Sitting open valises and bags with
their knives. took all the Yaluables they
could lay their hands on. Several of
them fred shotguns and tried to force
men to leave their cabins. 1t is said
that some of the steerage passengers
joined the firemen in looting the bag
gage of the first-class passengers.
. In more than one instance, rings were
torn from the fingers of fainting and
dying women. Captain Skrimshire and
his officers could do nothing against
the mob.
1
that the Scotsman lay close inshore,
alongside q cliff fully a thousand feet
high. A second boatload of women and
children which had been sent off was
called back and the passengers trans
shipped to the rocks alongside the ship.
Danger of Starvation.
Until $50 the officers and some. of the
crew of the Scotsman worked unceas-
N 10 Tlo n G
and when darkness and a heavy fog
set in. they were safe on the rocks.
But here the new danger of starvation
faced them. The lower decks of the
ship We're entirely under water. A
quantity of biscuit was carried on shore
and on this, with a very little corned
beef and wild berries, over 200 people
existed for four days. Some natural
springs We're found, but despite this,
the bad condition of food and water
brought on much sickness. Many of
the passengers suffered from the ex-
posture. After much difficulty some
overcoats and shawls were secured for
the women, nearly every = ne of whom
had left the ship in night clothes.
The passengers were obliged to climb
up a rocky cliff nearly 300 feet high be-
fore they could find a place large
enough to rest. Here they stayed on
the rocks for four days and nights. The
first night they had absolutely no shell
ter. but on Saturday the Captain sent
up blankets and other clothing. A num-
Der of passengers attempted to reach
the lighthouse, which was about eight
miles away as the crow flies. To do
this it was necessary to elm about 1920
feet higher before. a path could be
reached.
1t was not until the Goth that the
Montford came along and was signaled
by the Belle Isle light. where NUM-
Der of passengers walked from the
wreck. After bringing these people on
board ship. she proceeded to where the
Scotsman lay. The weather was bright
and clear As soon as practicable, the
boats were launched and the work of
transferring the passengers began.