The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-23
SAVED BY FIsHERMBN

AT the instant the Rio went on the
rocks, Andrew Ademi, an Italian fisher
man, was not "a great distance away in
small smack. Near to him was q
Albert, another Italian fisherman. Botb
saw the Rio de Janeiro in the gloom and
narveled that she could be so close to
the shore.
The next moment they knew something
was wrong and each headed for the shin
proceeding carefully in the fear they
might be entangled in the wreck They
came near enough before the shin went
down, to heed the voice of some persons
through a megaphone The men who
yelled at them told them the ship was
sinking and lost and to stand by with
help, sending word to San Francisco az
soon thereafter as they could. When
the ship disappeared. the Italians hul.-
RED to the scene, Ademi picked UP three
persons who were struggling in the
water, then his small craft could hold
no more. Then he set out for shore bent
upon summoning other aid Albert how
ever, had more room in his steam launch
and ne picked up number of Chinese
he says he does not remember lust how
many. These two boats proceeded to
McigSs wharf, where the rescued neo.
pie were put ashore. Both the Italians
lhen put back after giving the alarm to
the scene of the disaster, but found no
more people in the water They soon
afterWard came ashore Aderni saws thar
whoever the officer was who shouted to
him through a me gaphene, he was a
man or surprising GOODNESS He stood
with the megaphone to his mouth still
shouting instructions when the ship
sunk, and the Italians saw him go be-
neath the surface even as he spoke.
The Italian fisherman brought to the
merchants exchange station at Meiggs'
wharf twelve bags of mail which they
PICKED up at the scene of the wreck.
MAIL SACKS RIFLED.
These include two pouches from the
United States military station in China.
Also two bags of registered mail. When
the registered bags were delivered #
was found that they had been rippeo
open with knife and all their contents
stolen When this crime was com
nltted IS a question, but the fishermen
who brought them in are not SUSPECTED
and it is impossible to determine who tie
robbers are
The Rio carried in all 200 bags of mail
Five bags of newspapers are among the
rescued sacks.
There is one sack of mail from Toxic
for Germany, and one sack from Toxic
for London. all in a horrible condition.
The mail from the United States mill
tary station was not tempered with
Rounseville Wildman, who is presumed
to be lost, was well 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 pri-
OF to entering the consular service at
Hongkong.
He resigned recently the post of con-
sui general at Hongkong and was on his
way home with his wife and family.
Mr.. W1ldman married Miss Lettie AL
drich, daughter of Mrs Louis Aldrich, a
sister of United States Senator Stewards
wife. Mrs Aldrich is now in the city,
where she has been awaiting the home
coming of her daughter.
The Fort Point life-saving crew was
out drilling at 7:40 O'Clock when the fish
ing boat, with the first of the survivors
passed in and reported the wreck The
rescued people We're taken ashore to
the lifesavinga station. and, the crew
started out to the wreck, but there was
nothing to be found. The south siae
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 splintered
and other details known to seafaring
men support this theory.
The Rio Japeiro is not the first ship
that has come to brief on Mile rock
About ten years ago the, Frank Jines
an American deep water ship, struck it.
and went down The circumstances at
tending the disaster were about the same
as the Rios loss, with, however, a far
less numerous casualty list. The Rios
resting place is about half mile from