The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-23

sci, and then stood by to help in picking
up those who had no time to get into
the boats and were in the water.
Another boat, containing Third officer
Holland and j. X. Carpenter, got away,
but drifted around close up under the bow
of the steamer. AS the forward end of
the vessel plunged downward, the prov
caught the small boat and cut it in two.
The two men in the boat were uninjured
and swan away.
Carpenter was picked up, but Holland
is supposed to have perished.
Many Jumped Overheard.
A number of Italian fishermen who were
just starting out this morning. saw the
sinking of the Rio and fastened to rem
der assistance. Meantime many of The
terrified people rushed to the raiings and
jumped, overheard. Some were picked up,
others drowned. The Chinese crew, num-
bering over hundred was terrorized.
Many jumped into the sea.
Capt. Ward remained on deck until the
vessel had settled and the water was en-
gulfinS him. Then he went up on the
bridge to issue directions.
That the steamer sank almost imme-
diately after striking IS the report of a
majority of those rescued. The wreck
lies about three-fourths of a mile south
of Fort Point. and about a thousand
yards off the rocky shore. The smoke
stack and a portion of the upper works
of the Inflated steamer are visible.
Capt. ward Locked Himself In.
Three survivors say that they saw Capt.
Ward to the last but Frederick Lind
strcm, tee quarte. master of the Ro, en-
phatically declares that Capt. Ward ,em-
ulated Admiral Tryon of Her British
Majesty's ship Victoria, in going down to
- IL. Ii. i. l. g.,I
a locked door
Quartermaster Officer Lindstrom was
one of the first to land. According to
his story Capt Ward, after consulting
with Pilot Jordan, came down from the
bridge. He was standing on the deck
when the vessel crashed upon tine rock
There was a cry of MAN the boatsr
but it was apparent that in the midst of
the awful confusion a systematic effort
to save the passengers would be Of no
avail Everybody was scramblng for his
own safety.
1t was at this time that Liudstrom says
he saw Capt. Ward standing on the for
ward deck. Suddenly the captain turned
and, walking hurri dly to MS cabin, dis
appeared behind the door, whlcl he
ozed. second Iarer the vessel was
nlunging to the bottom OF the sea.
The Italian fishermen brought to the
Merchants Exc ange station at M iggs
wharf twelve b gs of ma which they
picked up at the scene of the wreck. Th 81
include two pouches from the United
States military station in China. Also
two bags of registered mail. When the
registered bags were delivered it was
found that they had been ripped open
with a knife and al their contents stolen.
When this crime was committed is as
question, but the fishermen who brought
them in are not suspected and it is i'm
possible to det rmne who the robbers
are.
The Rio carried in all 200 bags of mail.
Five bags of newspapers are among the
rescued sacks
for Germany and one sack from Toxic
for London. all in bad condition. The
mail from the United States military sta
ton was not tampered with.
j. Wade, a japanese passenger, had ST.
500 in his trunk, which was lost.
WiIdman Formerly an Editor.
Rounseville Wildman, who is presumed
to be lost, was wei known in this city,
where he resided for a number of years.
He first came into prominence locally
when he purchased the Overland which
he owned and edited for some years prior
to entering the consular service at Hong
Kong He resigned recently the post Of
consul general at Hong Kong, and was
on his way home with his wife and family.
Mr.. Wildman married Miss Lettle AID
rich daughter of Mrs. Louis Aldrich, "a
sister of United States Senator Stewards
wife. Mrs. Aldrich is now in the city.
Concerning the missing cabin passen-
gers, the following has been learned.
Mrs. and Miss Wakefield boarded the
ship at Honolulu.
Mr.. and Mrs. Woodwork of Denver.
man and wife, were evidently quite
wealthy. The gentleman was a consump-
tive and had gone to China for his
health.
Mr. Mattheson, statistician of shang-
hal was on his way to London.
Two japanese gentlemen, with their
wives, names unknown. were cabin pas
seugers. As Gar as known they have not
been seen since they retired last night.
A Newspaper Man Missing.
]. f. Seymour, editor of the American
az Manila, was a well known newspaper
man and he intended 10 spend hard earn
ed vacation among relatives in this coun-
try.
Mr. Hart was a wealthy diamond expert
of Manila, and he and his wife were on
their way to London and Paris.
Mr. Dodd and Attorney Hensnaw OF
Butte. Mont, had gone to Honolulu on a
vacation trip.
Mr. Dowdell. a solicitor from Shanghai,
was on his way to Santa Barbara, where
his family was ava ting HIN.
The Fort Point life-saving crew was
out drilling at 7:4O o'clock; when the fish
ing boat, with the first of the survivors,
passed I'm and reported the wreck.
The rescued people were taken ashore to
the Ufe-saving station and the crew start
ed out to the wreck, but there was moth
ing 10 be found. The South Side crew
was on the scene about an hour later,
and its captain was of the opinion that
all the wreckage pointed to the fact that
the Rio had blown up after sinking. All
the woodwork Is sp.intered and other de-
tails known to seafaring men and too
numerous to mention, support this theory
thoroughly.
The RIOS resting pace is about half
mile from the shore, a mile 10 the south
ward OF North Heads and a mile ana a
half to the south and west q Fort Point.
The tide. ebb or flood. had souther y
set and this was W az put the Il aamer Ia
with the land. on the north shore ihare
IS q northelly set quite as strong ana It
is this that caught the steamship city or
New York and piled Der high and dry
urder north head.
The city Of RIO Jancir0 was an ron
steamer 4 5.50s sfoas t.nrage ana 22i5
net. She was built by ]. Roach Son
al Chester, Pa, IA is7s The vessel " q
owned hy the Paeihc Nal Steam hiD
Company, and Was ln TIE Oriental ser
-.N.N frr4us "a .rnp KunU fuf.