The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-07-04
HOBOKEN DISASTER.
Testimony of Demands For Money
From Victims.

New York. July 4.-One hundred and
two bodies have been recovered from
the waters of the North river, this be-
ing the list of fatalities positively
known. 1t is believed that a great
many more bodies will yet be recov-
cred.
The officials of the North German
Lloyd line are doing everything they
can to straighten out matters and
bring things into some sort of tangible
shape Their main efforts are directed
to taking care of the survivors and to
Securing an accurate list of the miss
ing. They looked after the transporta-
ton to Germany of the survivors who
are in condition to go. They also gave
to them clothing and fed them
Official action has been started on the
charges or cruelty against tugboat cap
tains and also the charges that they re-
fused to rescue persons unless money
was paid to them
Fritz Ferdinand Heinich Krouse. the
thlrd officer or the PhOenicias OF the
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. line. went before
Recorder Stanton in Hoboken and made
the following affidavit:
j am the third officer of the Ameri-
can-Ham line steamship PhOenieia,
now at the Hamburg American dock.
Hoboken. On Saturday, June 80, at
about O'Clock, I left the steamship
Phoenfcia, and went out to the end
of dock No. 2. went to one of our life
boats which was alongside the burning
steamship Saale of the North German
Lloyd line.
It saw a tugboat at the end of the
pier asked the captain TO put me on
board the hfeboat spoken of. He said;
Yes, all right I can do it,
''I went on the tugboat called Dandy
and was going up to the pilot house
and was showing the. pilot where
VA fnd IN or "a mt y = T1e
dock and had covered about half the
distance. The captain of the tugboat
Dandy then said: Have you any
money to pay me?'
to carry money while on board the ship
I have none in my pocket I only carry
money when I go ashore
THE captain of the Dandy, who was
said: I have no time for you I have
other business to look after. I must
put you back on shore
Then he turned the boat back and
took a direction back to the pier again
I begged him to give me help to save
the men who We're on board the
steamer Saale. He refused and reach
ing the pier I got off the boat The
tugboat Dandy later returned and the
captain requested me to again go or
board the tugboat and he would take
me over to the steamboat.
From the time he first took me unit
ne returned ana again OHefeu TO take
me to the steamship about half an hour
had elapsed. I was indignant and re-
fused to again go on board the Dandy
This statement of Third Officer
Krouse is corroborated by DR. Rudolph
Grain, the physician of the Phoenicia
also by Christopher Gerkens, the stew
ard of the Phoenicia, and Oscar Heunt-
schel, steward of the Saale.
Henry Bockstadt, a longshoreman, a.
work at the North German Lloyd piers
also made a like affidavit
Mayor Pagan, of Hoboken, says thai
as soon as the, two witnesses to tbs
affidavit of Third Officer Krouse can bs
brought before him and prove tbs
charges he will begin immediate actor
against the tugboat captain.
Tugboat captains deny these state
ments, and offer a reward of 81. 900 fol
| proof that will convict any tugboa
man of alleged cruelties.