The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-24
Officers of Hamburg Steamer
Compelled to Threaten Steer
age Passengers to Re
store Order.
THOUGHT SHIP WAS SINKING.
Bluecher Ran Into Succession of
Gales After Colliding With
Tramp, and Exciting
Times Ensued.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
New York, Dec. 23.-After a passage
Astounding in thrilling incidents, including
a collision with a tramp steamship and
a panic among the LOO steerage passen-
gers which lasted twelve hours, the great
Hamburg American Line steamship
Bluecher arrived here this morning with
hole in her port bow and rails and deck
furnishings missing.
The Bluecher left Hamburg on Deem
Der IL and at midnight on December 13
was run into by 1,5OO-ton tramp steam
ship. She made Cherbourg for repairs,
leaving there on December 10, and i'm
mediately ran into fearful succession of
northwest to northeast gales.
On the eve of December 10, the immense
number of Storage passengers, mostly
Kishenev Jews, became convinced that
the vessel was sinking.
All assurances of the officers were
lost and the passengers ragged in the
steerage like maddened beasts. fighting to
open the battened matches and to force
their way through the barricaded COM
panionways.
FINALLY two priests went down into the
steerage and quieted them for the time.
1t was only a temporary lull, however
for, after peace had been restored for a
few hours, the passengers broke loose
again.
Captain Kopf came down from the
bridge and walked about in the steerage
accompanied by the priests, but 1t was
not until the gale began to subside that
the passengers became tranquil.
The increase in the severity of the
storm and the waves banging into the
bow or slashing over the deck carried
the utmost fear to the hearts of the pas
sengers locked below. 1t went on until
1850 o'clock. when a frightful volume Of
sound came up from the steerage.
mingled in a sound as fearful. say the Of
ficers of the ship, as anything they have
ever heard.
RUSH FOR THE DECK.
At the same time there was a rush up
the companionway in an effort to reach
the deck. Some one had spread rurnor
that the vessel was sinking and the ref
ugees were crazy with fear. In their eff
Tor forts o to reach the deck the spaces about
struggling men, who trod women and
children under foot and fought with one
another for footing on the stairs.
Hair way up on each Of the two compan-
ionways stood a group of officers with
drawn revolvers who threatened to shoot
the first man who advanced step near
the effect they produced on the passengers
was not less effective. They made no
attempt to advance, but neither did they
go back for that matter. They Just stood
| on the stairs beating their heads with
their bands and crying to be saved.
Fearful of another outbreak in the steer
age and knowing what 1t would mean to
have LOO panic-stricken passengers in
charge of the deck, the officers and crew
put extra fastenings on the hatchways
and barricaded the entrances to the com
panionways. Whether it was the sound of
these precautions or not is unknown but
| at 3 o'clock the uproar broke ont again
| in the steerage 1t was even more ON
| nous than before. The officers heard it
and hurried to their posts in the steerage
The captains calm presence and the as
| surance of confidence which he brought
restored peace once more
On the following day, Monday, the storm
subsidized and the vessel had Comparatively
| fair weather to port