New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-04-14
THRILLING RESCUE AT SEA.
CLYDE LINER NETWORK SAVES CROIS-
SEES PASSENGERS AND CREW
FRENCH STEAMER FOUNDERS OFF SAN DO
MINGO-COWARDICE OF HER SPAN
ISL CREW

|
| The Clyde liner New-York Captain ]. w.
Proctor. which arrived here yesterday from San
Domingo April 1. brought into port as thrilling
| and varied tale of shipwreck as has come
| out Of the in many day The story is that
| OF the little French steamer George CROSSE,
which used to ply in West Indian waters, but
| is now resting beneath several fathoms Of water
off the city of San Domingo. The news of the
sinking of the CROSSE was published in The
Tribune of March 80 in the form of a short
cable dispatch. The details make up a story
which combines the elements of twenty different
kinds Of shipwrecks into one
when the New-York steamed up to the mouth
Of the Ozama River, which flows by the city of
San Domingo, early on the morning Of March
~ Captain Proctor, who was the bridge,
sighted the CROSSE coming out of the river, and
he lay by until she should pass, the entrance
was not wide enough for both steamers. The
CROSSE was bound for Santiago de Cuba and
she had hfty-four passengers aboard a crew of
fifteen and 126 head of cattle. The passengers
We're almost all Cuban refugees who had fled
from their unhappy native island to San Do
mingo when the Spaniards held Cuba. and
returning to their homes. They carried all their
worldly possessions with them.
The CROSSE rolled heavily as she passed over
the bar, and seemed to be making poor head
still more and listed heavily to starboard. Her
sailors said afterward that her anchor, which
was hanging the bow, had swung against
her side and punched a hole in her. The New
Yorks officers think that the cattle. which
on deck and between decks. shifted with the
rolling and weighed the steamer down so that
the water poured in through her headlights
Whatever the the little steamer
heeled far over, her passengers, half clothed
| and in a frenzy of excitement, came swarmng
upon deck, and then the CROSSES whistle blew
a short sharp blast for help. Captain Proctor
had seen the little steamers trouble already
and his whistle blowing screeeching call
for help which could be heard far beyond the
city of San Domingo.
"Out boatsr' roared Captain Proctor The
Networks men came tumbling up the hatch
ways in jiffy 1t only o'clock and most
of them half asleep still, but they knew
their business, and five boats manned in
trice.
Pull away yelled Captain Proctor The first
two boats cut away without ceremony
and they had no sooner slapped in the water
| than their crews were pulling a lusty stroke for
the i'll fated CROSSE.
COWARDICE OF CROSSES CREW.
Meanwhile there taking place on the
CROSSE such exhibition of cowardice as is
steamer was Francisco Garban, Spaniard. He
and the chief engineer, also a Spaniard had
chartered the CROSSE from her French owners
When the steamer began to sink Captain Gar
ban the bridge He sounded his whistle
once instead of the customary four times for
call of distress. and in less than a minute ne
had left the bridge and was getting into boat
from the steamers side. The CROSSE carried
only one boat Her tonnage only 800 but
| - IL oI@1a
boats This, the only boat. pre-empted by
the sinking steamers captain. With him were
the chief engineer and two coal passers, also
Spaniards, who had hustled for safety along
with the chief engineer These two coal pass
ers, Francisco Bias and Antonio Delgao by
name. worked their way to this port the
New-York and last night, at the Independent
Stores, in Brooklyn. where the New-York is
locked. they told The Tribune reporter through
interpreter. how they went ashore with the
captain.
Their story bears out the substance of all the
cable dispatches. and the testimony of those
passengers the New-York who saw the ship
wreck There was another coal passer who tried
to go along with the captain.
mo, no; swim ashore!'' shouted Captain Gar
ban, his boat left the CROSSE
But can't SWIM" answered the coal passer.
Then jump in and look out for yourself"
And he jumped in and drowned
But the captain, chief engineer and their crew
of two got ashore in safety. The captain dis
appeared, and not heard of again About
half of the indignant population OF San Do
mingo were looking for him
On board the CROSSE, forsaken by her master
there was panic. Five boats from the New
York were approaching, but the steamer was
settling fast, and those aboard of her i'm
ploring and screaming for help. First officer ].
c. Marron, of the New-York came alongside
with the first boat and in a twinkling half of the
CROSSES crew had jumped in Every one of
them was thrown out in the water and then
Brian Wins, huge negro of buI-like strength
who was in First Officer Marmion's boat clam
bered up the steamers side One by one he
CROSSE and then in the fashion he handed
passengers did not attempt precede the
women and children. Marmion's boat loaded
to the gunwales and was dangerously low in the
water, he transferred part of his human
cargo to Second officer Hitchburns boat and
both boats made for the New-York. This was
not until after several of the CROSSES sailors
had been beaten off by oars in trying to get into
the boats, which We're already too full
ONLY THREE LOST.
The second boat alongside the CROSSE was
commanded by William Gibbons the "bo'sun"
OF the New York who died Macoris on the
voyage to this port. Gibbonss boat reached the
CROSSE just as Marmions boat pulling
away, and at the same moment the steamer gave
a great lurch and went down by the head. The
boats backed out Of the way in the nick OF time
and the New-York herself, which had come up
close, had to fall hurriedly back. In the swirling