Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-12-18
SCORES Of LIVES LOST
IN GKEISENAU DISASTER.
COMMANDER SAID TO HAVE CoSEm
MIrTED SUICIDE WHEN
ALL WAS LOST.
OVER 100 NOT ACCOUNTED FOR.
THE VESSEL WRECKED AT THE
MOUTH OF MALAGA HARBoR,
IN A FIERCE STORM.

BERLIN, December 17.-An Official
dispatch from Malaga accounts for S15
survivors out of the 400 persons who
We're on board the German training
frigate Gneisensu. which foundered as
the entrance To the port Of Malaga yes
terday, while she was taking refuge
from the storm prevailing at the
time.
MALAGA. December lit is feared
that the loss of life in the wreck Of
The Gneisenau will prove much greater
than at first reported or the surviv.
ors 40 were seriously injured. and ara
in the city hospital The whole town
responded to the needs of the surviv-
ors, and $50 of them have bean taken
in and lodged by private citizens
The theaters were all closed last
night out of respect to the dead. ana
signs of mourning have been placed on
the public and many private builds
ings.
The Gneisenap foundered at ths ems
trance to the port of Malaga, wheya
she was about to take refuge from a.
storm. The ship had been at Malaga
since January l, practicing with guns
of large calibre. At 10 o'clock yes
terday morning review of the cadets
was in order. The wind was violent
and instructions were given to stoke
up as rapidly as possible. But all
ready mountainous waves had struck
the ship, swapping the anchor chains.
She was driven helpless toward the
port and sank. The crew threw them
selves into the sea and chung to the
wreckage. Capt. Kresthmann died at
his post.
The Malaga lifeboat made heroic ef-.
forts and rescued Is. but the weight
capsized the boat and ~ were drown
ed. The other three were saved by
means of ropes thrown TO them. The
port authorities saved many OF the
sailors.
II is rumored that the commander
of the Gneisenau committed suicide
when he saw that all was lost A neph-
ew of the imperial chancellor, Count
Won Buelow. named Berndt. was among
the saved, though he was injured about
the head. sailor who survived the
wreck went mad as a result of his ex-
perience.
The first engineer, the assistant en-
gineer and a number of petty officera
were drowned
1t is hoped that the guns. the treas
ure chest and perhaps part of the hun
will be salvaged.
or the 314 survivors, SO who were
injured, were transported to the local
hospitals. 125 sheltered in the BAR
racks and $50 lodged in the town hall.
The municipality is providing food for
all.
Members of the German colony and
many Spanish ladies have offered to
nurse the injured.
The flags over all the consulates are
at half mast
MADRID, December 17.--Dispatchea
from Malaga confirm the statement
that the naval commander there had
warned Captain Kretschmann of the
approaching storm and had recon-
mended that he enter the port, but it
was of no avail.
The shock on the rocks Is described
by eye-witnesses as terrible. Many
holes were driven In the vessels stem
and she sank within ten minutes
The captain refused assistance. When
a Spanish steamer got within short
distance Of him and threw him rope,
Captain Kretschmann was so greatly
agitated that he threw bis sToEd 20
the steamer The first mate struggled
for an hour against the waves cling
ing TO piece OF wood. but he finally
went down. The Spanish gunboat
Buena Espana has left Cadiz to rendef
Assistance