Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-02-28

~
beside the captain when the vessel
went down. .ne two other survivors
say that they also saw the captain to
tho last, but Frederick Lindstrom.
quartermaster officer of the Rio, EN-.
phatically declared. that Captain
ward emulatod Admiral TSrion. on her
British majesty's ship Victoria. in go
ing down to his cabin. where ne met
his doom behind a locked door.
Quartermaster Lindstrom was one
of the first to land at Meiggs wharf
this morning and one of the first state.
ments he made was that Capt. Ward
had IN down with the wrecked
steamer. According to his story Capt.
Ward, after a consultation with Pilot
Jordan, came down from the bridge.
' He was standing oil the deck when the
vessel crashed ipon the rock. There
was a cry of Man the boats" but 1t
was apparent that in the midst of
the awful confusion. a systematic
effort to save the passengers
would be of no avail. Everybody was
scrambling for his own safety. 1t
was at this time that Lindstrom says
he saw Capt. Ward standing on the
forward deck. Suddenly the captain
turned and walking hurriedly TO his
cabin, he disappeared behind the door.
which he closed. A moment later the
vessel was plunging to the bottom OF
the sea.
Captain Frederick w, Jordan. pilot
of the Rio. was rescued by an Italian
fishing boat and brought to Meiggs
station about 10 a, m. Along with
him was a Japanese and Philip Nus
senblack. He was taken to a room
occupied by the customs officials
where he told the following story:
"We anchored inside about five last
night. The weather was thick and |
left orders that when the weather
cleared we should 60 further in. At
s a. m. the fog lifted. We could see
the Cliff house and Il! north end light
n | told the mate to heave short.
After we started heaving short, the
wind came in from the northeast, the
fog settled In thick. and | told the
mate to stop heaving. Then the cap
tain came up and said, let her 60.
We can go ahead.
You see my watch stopped Mt 90
minutes to six. When the vessel
struck | ordered all boats out. The
first boat out was that of the doctor.
II was half filled with water, as soon
as she struck. ! got n ladder and
placed u woman on 1t. We
began to descend. She had
u boy with her. n child
of about eight. She gave him to me.
| held him In my arms and the little
fellow had his arms around my neck.
The wonan and I We're about half way
down the ladder when the Rio gave a
tremendous pitch. | was flung of the
ladder, | saw nothing then OF the
woman or the boy. | went down with
the ship about so feet. | worked my
way up to the surface and got hold Of
some @~reckage. had sense enough
left to turn on my back and drift with
the w%reckage. Then ! came across
what seemed to be the top OF a house
with n Chinamap on II He helped
me Chamber onto the roof aad with
him | drifted out toward North Heads.
Twas then rescued bya fishing BOAT.
| cannot say who the woman was, I
believe she had a husband. but he was
not ON deck when | left | saw moth.
ing either Of the woman or boy after
was flung off the ladder into the
water.
DID ypu gpp faUinin WprIpo
Il saw nothing or him after We
struck. | believe he il lost
Prominent People Missing,
Concerning the missing cabin pas.
sengers the following has been
learned
Mrs. and Miss Wakefield boarded
the ship at Honolulu. Mr., and Mrs,
W%oodworth were of Denver and evi.
IDENTIFY quite wealthy. The gentleman
was consumptiye and had gone TO
China for HIS health Mattbeson. the
| statistician of Shanghai was ON his
way to London. j. +. Seymour, edi-
tor of the American at Manila. Is a
well known newspaper man and In
tended to spend n hard-earned vaca.
ton non relatives in this country.
Hart was a wealthy diamond expert
of Manila. He and his wife were on
their way 10 London and Paris. Dodd
and Attorney Henshaw of Butte had
gone to Honolulu on a vacation trip.
Dowdeli. "A solicitor from Shanghai,
was on his way to Santa Barbara,
where his family was awaiting h'm.
The last that was seen Of CJgBui
whitman was by George ~Englehailt.
| who said Wlldmau VAS going below
in order TO get some papers out Of a
tin box. Nothing was seen OF him
after this.
Des Moines People Victims.
Des Moines. Feb. 23l-Mrs. Sarah
| Wakefield and daughter Of Namo, who
we're among the passengers lost on
the steamer Rio De Janciro at San
/ ffpg F-.. .g,net,vtssy .pa .paI1 Iy.uY,