Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-20
COLLIDE IN THE FOG
Serious Disaster to Fall River
Steamers.
SIX LOSE THEIR LIVES
MOST OF THESE DROWN IN
BERTHS.
Teunton Crashes Into the Plymouth,
Which Was Carrying 500
Passengers.
SIX LOSE THEIR LIVES

NEW LONDON, Conn, March 2O-ln the
fog which descended upon the waters OF
Long Island sound last night the big Fall
River passenger steamer Plymouth, from
New York for Fall River, with 500 pas
sengers and a crew Of 200 men, was run
down while passing through the Race. by
the freight steamer City of Taunton OF
the same line. bound from New York. A
full hundred feet Of the starboard side OF
the vessel was smashed in as II 1t had
been paper the state rooms Of the second
cabin were entirely cut away, while down
In the hold members of the crew who were
asleep in the steerage were drowned by
the torrent of water that poured In
through the great gap made by the bows OF
the freighter.
Although greatly terrified. the people
aboard the stricken ship exercised great
self-control and there was no panic.
The collision occurred after the vessel
had clawed her way up the sound through
q fog until she reached point close east
Of Gull Island. The City OF Taunton drove
up out Of the fog, and when she was sight,
ed by the officers Of the Plymouth was TOO
close to avoid the collision.
There was a quick exchange OF signals
and then the crash The bow Of the City
of Taunton penetrated ten feet into the hull
Of the Plymouth, and as she backed away
she raked the upper works OF the passenger
vessel, tearing out the second sabin and
ripping the state rooms to pieces Water
poured into the hold and drowned the men
in their hunks.
Plymouth Headed for Port.
The Plymouth was Immediately headed
for this city. 1t was thought at one time
that the ships company would have to take
to the boats. but the closing of the collision
bulkheads prevented the water from gain
Ing and the vessel made the harbor and
wharf unassisted.
There was no way of telling Immediately
how many persons perfshed. Six are DEAD
certainly, and in the mass of debris from
the wrecked cabin and state rooms there
may be several more bodies while in the
steerage 1t is thought there are bodies of
others drowned besides those reported.
AS the Plymouth was being made fast to
the wharf there was seen to be hole ten
feet square in her hull on the starboard
side about thlrty-fve feet from her bow,
while for hundred feet her Joiner work
had been carried away, including the entire
saloon deck.
List Of Casualties.
The known dead-John Mccarthy, watch-
man, head cut off; Snow Coleman. negro.
pantryman, drowned; julius Dawson. ne
gro. mess man. drowned; John Bristol. ne
gro, waiter drowned; John William, negro.
wikesbarre, Pa, skull shattered.
The injured-Patrick Daley, coal trimmer,
New York, arm torn off; Michael Kilduff,
passenger, Boston. right foot cut; unknown
maN, severe scalp wound: unknown woman,
curt on cheek; Italian immigrant, cut on
forehead Samuelson. scratched about face
and bruised about the body.
Jonathan w. Thompson of Wilkebarre,
Pa. one of the dead was identified by pa
pers found in his clothes. He was about
fifty years of age.
OF the injured it is thought Patrick Daley
cannct recover. His right arm was torn
off.
Capt. Davis of the Plymouth declined to
make any statement concerning the acci-
dent at this time.
Capt. T. H. Low of the United States
Marine Corps. with Lieut.. William c. Har-
lee and seventyfive marines, occupied the
second cabin on the side where the crash
was felt. All Of the marines carried their
spare clothes in their knapsacks, and most
of the latter are thought to be lost. None
of the marines was killed or injured.
The City of Taunton made this port at
5:45 o'clock this morning with her bows
stove in and her pumps working. Her
bulkhead saved her from sinking.
Stories Of Marrow Escapes.
Many stories OF narrow escapes from
death or serious injury were told by pas
sengers on the Plymouth. NJ. H. Zack and
wife of Taunton occupied the state room ad-
joining that of Mr.. Thompson, who was
killed. Both were severely bruised. Mr..
Zack said they were awakened by the i'm
pact of the colliding vessels Their cabin
was crushed like an eggshell. we were
thrown violently to the hoor.' he said, ''and
the wreckage piled upon US, but by a super
human effort 1 pushed upward with my
head and succeeded in freeing myself. Then
| went to the aid of my wife. She was in
a half fainting condition when I tore the
twisted and splintered wreckage off her, but
succeeded in getting her to the main saloon,
where she was revived"
Mr.. Zack. praised the conduct of the
steamers officers, who. he said, displayed
a great GOODNESS and energy.
Miss Magdalene Fay of Baltimore had
narrow escape from death. Her room was
No. 200, on the starboard side. She had
taken her key early in the night and was
just on the point of unlocking the door Of
her state room to retire when she met a
young friend. The latter induced Miss Fay
to go to her room to spend the night The
room which Miss Fay had been on the point
of occupying was wiped out. All her effects
were lost.