The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-02-25
Sole Survivor Of the City Of St.
Pierre Arrives in New York.
BURIED ALIVE FOUR DAYS.
Joseph Saharics Tells Of His Experience In
Hls Underground Cell While City
Was Burning.

New York Feb. "a man who says he
is the sole survivor OF city OF $1,000 souls
In fact. that he is Joseph sabarice the
negro who was rescued from prison
dungeon four days after the destruction
OF st. Pierre, Martinique. by the erup-
ton OF Mount Pelee. arrived on the
steamship Fontabelle OF the Quebec line
today.
Chained in a cell many feet below the
earth, when the wave OF fire and death
swept over the ill-fated city he passed
days OF terror and suffering and was
finally found by rescue party on the
verge OF prostration and almost dead
I from the agony OF burns caused by the
/ drifting red-hot sand
In one OF the stewards mess rooms
am!dshps on the Fontabeile ne presented
pitable appearance yesterday. Scan
/ tily clad In a thin worn shirt and light
trousers, he shivered at every cool breeze
that swept across the deck. Outside
| could be heard the shouting of the long
shoremen, the whirr and ciank OF machn-
cry as cargo was being loaded at nearby
docks. and he listened to the busy sounds
wonderingly.
A faded straw hat crowned his head,
but his feet were shoeless Friends pro-
vided some clothing and q steward
brought an old bedspread to wrap his
feet In. He put on an old threadbare
overcoat, pulled II tight around him. and
in the soft-soundng French island pa
tois told what he knew Of his experien-
ces at ST. Pierre.
Sabarice's hands and feet bore indel-
ible records OF the contact OF lava and
fire, for he was blotched and burned
and spotted like a leopard He chatted
volubly. however, through an interpre-
ter of his experiences.
1T was a month before the terrible
day" he said. "and I was on the beach
at St. Pierre. A man talked with me
and We quarrelied.
CUT A MAN.
I'VE quarrelled, and then took a
knife and cut the man. Before ] could
run away the policeman caught me and
] was put In prison. had been a month
In Jail when one day / quarrelled with
another prisoner, and the prison au-
thorites locked me in a dungeon in the
deepest part OF the prison, the second
tier underground.
THE next thing I heard was a sreat
noise. followed by shrieks and CT. >
Then all was still, and 1t began to grow
hot-very hot. thought the prison was
on FIRE, as ashes and burning hot dust
began TO .ift through the bars on my
head.
THE pile OF straw IN one corner which
used for bed caught fire and STAN
ped II out, burning my feet. Hot ashes
dropped on my face and hands and back.
l was stripped to the waist, and every
burning spark that fell left its scar.
After what seemed an age OF time the
ashes stopped falling. Debris had filled
the ptssageway, and the place was as
dark as night The time wore on.
could not tell whether a week or month
had passed MY burns were mass of
raw blisters that caught the lava dust
and caked in solid patches.
THE next thing | knew / was being
taken out by Father Mary and four sol
diers. who had dug into the ruins In
I hopes that there might be survivors.
When. emerged from the death vault
, looked upon a strange world. and when
! saw the destruction about me and Mont
l Pelee still pouring forth volumes OF black
smoke. l became about insane with fear.
THE terrible strain OF the prospect OF
living death which stared me in the face
for four days had done It's work. After
, l was rescued ! was taken 10 n place near
Fort de France. where ! STAYED with
friend. and while there came down with
yellow fever.
IIE WAS FREE.
when recovered my first thought
| was OF my crime and the dungeon, and
wondered II ] would be caught and placed
1 II,
who told me that as everybody in the city
had been swept out OF existence / was
/ free"
f -Sabarlce gave hls-aRe- e. and said
| he had a mother still living In Fort de
/ France lie was not permitted 10 land
| at Pier AZ. where the Fontabelle docked,
! but was taken 10 Ellis Island to 20
through the regular inspection accorded
TO immigrants. He would not say why
| he had decided to come to this country,
but the general impression was that ne
/ had been engaged by some enterprislng
museum or show manager
/ Inquiry indicated that Sabarice Is really
| the negro who escaped and OF whom sew
I eral graphic descriptions have been writ
| ten. He Is. OF course, man OF no edu-
| cation and his general appearance is that
| OF n man who had got into another world
| which he did not understand. He had
| been constant object of wonder to the
| crew and passengers OF the steamships
| on the way up and there was certain
amount OF awe connected with the con-
temptation OF the sole survivor OF one OF
( the worlds great catastrophes
FUNDS FOR sABARICE.
| Boston. Feb. 25-There arc plenty OF
! funds available In this city To relieve the
distress of Joseph Sabarice. the survivor
OF the ST Pierre disaster. who arrived I'm
New York yesterday In destitute condi-
/ tion.
Shortly after the catastrophe tho citi-
zens OF Boston contributed over $4,000
/ for the benefit of the survivors. A very
small portion OF this fund has been used
| from the fact that there was scarcely any
1 one left 10 succor. IL u not likely that
! the custodians OF the fund will turn over
10 Sabarce the whole or any great part
OF a.. although II is probable that every
effort will be made 10 relieve his distress