The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-14
STEAMER AT BOTTOM OF SEA.
BODIES OF -FOUR MEN ARE IN THE
DESERTED WRECK.

Captain and Pilot of the GEORGES
CrOix Skunk Away Leaving Passen-
gers and Crew-AII But Four Were
Taken on by u Clyde Liner just
Before the Vessel Went DOwn-A
Wealthy Cuban Cattle Owner Was
Among Those Drowned.
New York, April 1S-At che bottom of
the sea outside of Santo Domingo harbor
the wreck of the French steamer Georges
Crox has lain for more than two weeks.
Enveloped in the mass of her wreckage
are the bodies Of four men, two passen-
gers and two sailors.
Her captain, Francisco Camprien, ia
alive. but no one knows his whereabouts.
He is said to have deserted his doomed
ship and nearly three-score people that
were aboard of her.
A Clyde liner brought the news to-
night
Chief Officer John c.. Marmion gave this
account Of the venture:
1--WE were just going into the harbor oe
San Domingo and lay close outside the
bar waiting for our pilot to come out.
It was the morning of March 20. Sudden
ly steamer hove in sight towards the
city, and a minute or two later we saw
that something was wrong aboard her.
Screams of women and children mingled
with the distress calls of the ships whis-
tie were clearly heard, and as fast as
possible we lowered five boats and MAIDS
for her. We found her sinking, her pore
side listing far down towards the water.
No one seemed to be in command and
everything seemed to be in disorder.
Captain Deserted the ship.
Just as we came up saw two mem
crawl into small boat on the opposite
side of the vessel and make off. One of
these, we afterward learned was the cap
tain. / sent one of my men aboard anE
be began to pass down women and chill
dren. They were all scantily dressed,
some of the babies being entirely naked
Many jumped into the water, but the
boats behind me took care that these wera
picked up, When 1t looked as IL all people
had been rescued, 1 ordered the boats to
pull away. moment later the steamer
went 10 the bottom
"The children numbered about twelve or
fifteen and the women the same. The sail
ors from the vessel the Georges Croix was
bound to Santiago de Cuba, said there
had been flfty-five persons aboard and
that -four were missing"
Down in the forecastle of the New
York three of the rescued sailors told
their story tonight. They said the cap
tain deserted the ship with the pilot, who
had brought them out.
Rich Cuban Lost His Life.
The three sailors are George Martha,
Francisco Pla and Antonio Delgao. Mar
tha was, the last man to leave the ship
alive He says that the lost were Don
Pepe Vale, a rich Cuban who owned the
ships cargo Of cattle, the second cook, a
fireman and an unknown passenger.
Vale, according to the sailors had in a
belt that he continually wore 5000 in gold.
His cattle which constituted the whole
cargo. numbered 240, together with eight
horses and seventeen calves The fireman
who was lost was the man who gave the
alarm OF the ships disaster.
Subsequent Investigations made I'm
Ssnto Domingo by the passengers showed
that the captain had reached the shora
in safety and had reported the wreck to
the United States consul there Before
his former companions arrived however,
he had disappeared and nothing further
could be heard of him. The pilot, too dis
appeared.