The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-06
WOULD NOT Be SAVED
AN OFFICER OF THE WRECKED
STEAMER SAYS PANIC SEIZED
PASSENGERS
A SAILOR ACTS INHUMANLY
Several Vessels Passed in Sight Of
People on n Raft, but Did
Not See Their Signals
of Distress.

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 5.-The French
bark Max, which collided with the
steamship Walla Walla early Thursday
morning, is being towed to this city in
a badly disabled condition. The steamer
George w. Elder, from Portland, reports
that she passed the Max at 1880 this
morning in tow of the steamer Acme
and the United States revenue cutter Nc
Gulloch, eighteen miles northwest of
Point Reyes. The Maxs bowsprit was
carried away and her bow was stove in,
/ both above and below the water line.
Her water tight compartments alone
were keeping her afoat.
In the collision the bowsprit and jib-
boom of the Max were carried away.
Several plates on the port and starboard
bow were stove in. Two large holes
were made through the stern plates. The
officers of the Max claim that all their
lights were burning. They saw the
lights of the Walla Walla. They assert
that the Walla Walla tried to cross their
bow and that the collision occurred was
no fault Of the Max. As a reason for
not standing by and rendering assistance
they say it was impossible, owing to the
badly disabled condition of the Max.
They had all they could do to take care
of themselves.
Ninety-two survivors of the Walla
Walla arrived here today from Eureka on
the steamer Pomona. There is still some
discrepancy in the lists of dead and miss
ing. The number ranges from thirty
seven to forty-seven This discrepancy
is due to the fact that several passengers
boarded the vessel just as she was leav,
ing port. Others who were travelling
second-class gave assumed names in
order to hide their identity.
FOrty-TwO Dead Or Missing.
BY striking out what are possibly du-
plicates, the number Of lost stands at
forty-two, classed as follows: Known
dead, 8; missing passengers, IS; crew. 81.
One life raft is unaccounted for, and it
is feared that all the missing are lost
Rev Henry Erickson, who was among
the six survivors brought TO this city
by the steamer Nome City last night, is
at ST. Mary's hospital a physical and all
most a mental wreck His wife and
three children are among the missing. The
Erickson family, excepting the mother,
were second-class passengers When
the crash came they were awakened and
all went to the upper deck together. Mrs.
Erickson and the two younger children
became separated from the Others and
it is supposed that they were drowned
when the vessel went down. Erickson
and his son chung together, and were
pitched into the water clear of the sink
ing steamer. They f1oated around for
some time, and finally were picked up by
the life raft. on which We're a number of
the officers of the WaIa Walla. 1t was
almost daybreak when they were found
in an exhausted condition.
Father and son were pulled on to the
light structure, but the boy was too
weak to stand the exposure. A few hours
later he died in his fathers arms, and
after the heartbroken parent had bowed
his head in silent prayer over the corpse
of his son, the body was consigned to the
waves. After the body of the boy had
gone overheard the father became more
and more respondent. Despite the advice
of his companions time and time again he
filled his hands with water and drank it
down. This added to his misery, and
his companions feared that he would be
next to succumb.
The sea was running high and dashing
over the raft, but all chung on through
the long hours of the day and night. They
hoped against hope until the Nome City
picked them up. Mr.. Erickson was the
first to be lifted aboard. He was at once
placed in bed and carefully tended. 1t
is thought he will recover.
Cecil Brown, fourth officer Of the Walla
Walla, who was one of six people picked
up, today in describing the scenes as the
Walla Walla was going down, said:
81 never saw such a panic. Men and
women were running about the decks
wild with fright, and it was almost i'm
possible to get them to obey directions.
L have been in several shipwrecks, but 1
never saw people before who were so OPP
posed to being saved. They wanted to
stay with the ship to the last minute,
and our efforts In getting the boats load
ed and lowered accordingly met with a
great deal Of difficulty.
my place was in one of the boats, but
while 1 was busy helping passengers off
a sailor pushed off and left me- l saw
this boat after daylight. She had eight
people aboard, and the sailor who had
disobeyed my orders was directing her
movements.
A Bad-Hearted Sailor.
''They had rugged up a blanket for
sail, and slid by us with a good wind at
their backs. That sailor had the audacity
to wave his hand at u.s. He would not
take US aboard, although there was
plenty of room for US in the boat. He
sailed past us and left US to our fate out
in the middle of the ocean.
''The raft on which we were drifting
when the Nome City picked us up was
only an ordinary ships raft. sixteen feet
square. It afforded US absolutely no
protection from the cold night nor from
the waves which frequently swept over
US. The greatest part Of the time the
raft was under water Our clothes
were drenched, and yesterday morning
they were almost frozen stiff. Several
times we attempted to propel the raft
towards the shore, but our efforts failed.
We finally gave up trying to row and al
lowed ourselves to drift, We saw a
number of vessels passing during the
thirty-six hours that we were adrift, but
none saw us until the Nome CITY hap