The Topeka state journal., 1901-02-22
CAPT. WARDS FATE.
Locked Himself in His Cabin and
Went Down With His Ship.

San Francisco. Feb. % There are
several conflicting stories concerning the
fate of Captain Ward of the wrecked
steamer City of Rio de Janeiro. The
steward of the Rio says taat he stood
beside the captain when the vessel went
down. Two other survivors say that
they also saw the captain, but Frederick
Lindstrom, the quartermaster or the tt1o
eInphatlcally declared that Capt ward
emulated Admiral Try0ns Of her maJes-
tvs British ship Victoria, in going down
in his cabin where he met his doom be-
hind locked door. Tt is certain that
Capt. Ward was drowned. however
1t is impossible to definitely ascertain
how many lives were lost by the sink
ing of the Rio. The passenger. list and
the roster of the crew were in posses
sion Of the purser, John Rooney, and he
is among the missing.
From the stories told by the SurvsV-
OrS of the calamity, all of which con-
fict more or less in detail, it is safe to
presume that Pilot Jordan is the only
living person qualified to tell exactly
how the catastrophe happened and who
is responsible for it. Capt. Ward is dead
and between him and the pilot the ship
was steered to her DOOM
The pilots story is to the effect that
after the ship entered the Heads and
the fog enveloped her, he notified the
captain that it was unsafe to proceed,
but the latter ordered him to go ahead.
The captains order was Obeyed. And
therein the pilot confesses himself at
fault for from the moment the ship
was taken IN hand by him his authority
in all matters pertaining to her naviga-
ton was supreme and he was solely re-
sponsible for her safety and the lives of
the people aboard her.
There are also conflicting statements as
to the conduct of the officers and crew;
Some people say that the officers and
sailors were cool and conscienuously en-
deavOred to get out the boats and save
many passengers possible, while
others declare that as soon as the serious
ness OF the situation became apparent
there was an end to discipline among the
Z searnen- and that it was every man for
himself
Captain Wards voice was heard above
the DIN occasioned by screaming women
and hoWiing Chinese ordering his men
70 save the women In the launching of
the boats it is said that confusion pre-
vailed and one load of passengers and
sailors was dumped into the sea. The
nrSt boat that got away carried several
of the ships officers. Another boat was
II were trying to row it away from the
suction caused by the sinking vessel. -Four
boats altogether were cleared from the
daV1ts, but so far as can be learned only
one OF them got safely away and landed
It's passengers Italian fishermen rescued
the Others
The wreck lies about three-fourths of
mile south of Fort Point and about a
thousand yards off the rocky shore.
Quarterrnaster Iindsfr41rn saws fhe lead
coming in and that the sounding taken
moment before she struck showed a
depth of water more than sufficient to
Hoat a vessel of double her drawing ca
pacity- Fog signals were sounded con-
Stantly and every possible precaution was
taken against accident. Iindstrum is Al
q loss to account for the shin getting 81
lar away from the regular channel