The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-02-24
RIO FAvoR1rE STEAMER.

NEW YORK, Feb. 2S,--Frieuds or
L, :, Consul-General Wildman, who
LEFT his post Mt Hong Kong on leave
OF absence aud embarked on the city OF
Rio de Janeiro January %, have little
hope OF his having escaped,
His brother. Edwin Wildman. who is
now In this city and who was former
" vice-consul under Rounseville Wild
man In Hong Kong, is still
cherishing the belief that the
consul general and his family may
have taken to liteboat which has
blown cut OF the harbor and that they
may yet be heard from.
Mr.. and Mrs. Edwin Wildman. who
are now at the Everett House, ccmmu-
nicatea with San Francisco after the
news NJ the disaster reached this city
and spent an anxious day in the vain
hope that some definite news OF the
missing family might arrive. Mr. Wild
man was In very Respondent mood
| last night
There can be no doubt" said he,
that my brother was on the vessel
Resides the fact that his name is men,
toned in the stories OF the disaster |
received only a short while ago
letter from him saying that he
md his family We're going to sail on
the Rio de Janeiro January %. The
other evening / dined with Third AS
sistant Secretary OF State Cridler and
he alsn hal letter from my brother
saying he would sail on January -.
1t is a remarkable thing that this
steamship was my brothers PCT, and he
alwavs made it a point 10 sail on her
when crossing the Pacific When | was
| last in Hong Kong he wanted me TO
sail on her too--he was so fond Of
her. l sailed. however. last November
on the Coptic The Rio de JaneIro was
the oldest and smallest vessel OF the
line and I preferred to sail on a large
and more modern ship. My brother
would take the trouble to miss steam
er in order to so on that ship.
Captain VIM. Ward. the command
er of the ship. was reputed to be about
the most popular officer in the employ
II the line. The fact that he was
In charge OF the vessel induced u
good many to sail on her My broth
er was a great friend Of Captain Ward.
ION this trip he took the entire fam
ily. consisting OF his wife. his two chill
dren. Rounsevllle Wildman, jr., years
old and Dorothy, years old. They
also had with them Katie O'Brlen. the
chiIdren's nurse, whom they took out
from San Francisco several years ago
my brother has worked very hard
and he and his family have been un-
der a strain since those troublesome
times in China. He was much In need
OF a leave Of absence, and thought that
the health Of the children would be
benefited by a change. understand h.
was 70 have returned TO Hong Kong
in about three months. l expected tc
get a telegram from him upon the ar
rival of the vessel telling me whether
he would come on TO New York oI
whether should go to Washington
which was his real destination, to meet
him."
Mr.. wildman said that his brother
had left Vice Consul VIM. Aldrich, a
brother-in-law, in charge Of ahair'
while he sailed for this country.
Mr.. Wildman said that Mrs. Rounse'
VILE Wildman was granddaughter o
the late Lucius Foote, the war COVER
nor of Missouri who had to leave thi
state because Of his strong Unionls
sympathy and went to San Francisco
where he afterwards became United