New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-16
THROWS BABIES TO A TUG
Woman Tells Hoo She Sapsd
Nieces and Herself.

Miss Mary Hoelder sits in her little ho-,
rocking hour after hour and moaning that me-
mother will never come back TO her Mis-.
Hoelder who is forty years old. and her rnotba-
of seventy-nine. lived together in two nAa,
little rooms at No. 163 Avenue A Yestsrd,..
morning after the boat had got fairly unda-
way, Miss Hoelder settled her mother comforts,
bly, on the deck and went below. 1T was on m.
committee to help serve refreshments" sa,s
Miss Hoelder at her home late yesterday atrar.
noon. "andH was-1ust passing some clam chow
der to woman when 1 saw some runninr
with lire OF hose. 1 said What's the rattsr,.
and one OF the teachers at the Sunday scb,o,
came up 10 me and said on. it's all right: dom,
be scared But knew something was the mat.
ter. so I ran up 10 my mother. Just then evsrv-
thing seemed on fire. and when got IN m.
stairs it was all flames where my mother had
been. and I couldn't ind her. Then iumpea
and caught hold OF a beam. A lot OF otba-
women were holding 70 it. and there was ons
man. He acted like he was crazy. and he yeIla1
us Cit off'n here. I'll bite you" couldn,,
hold on any longer. so I let go and dropped into
the water. I went down twice and then sailor
got hold OF me and put me in a boat and took
to the hospital All my clothes were new
just for the occasion. but they took them OF
for they were all wet. and gave me these thinesu
She pointed to a calico dress and black cana
They gave me carfare to come home Oh,
where is my dear mother? She always told ma
to keep up the home. so I'm going to do it. IL
she doesn't come back No. I haven't heard that
she's dead, but know she is
Next door to Miss Hoelder the Michael family
is mourning the loss of four OF it's members-a
married daughter. Mrs. Catherine Cohrs. Of No
20 First-ave.; her two children. Frieda. sv
years old, and Harry. one year. and Carolina
Michael, thirteen years old. Mrs. Cohrss hus
band spent all Of the afternoon and evening
searching for his family in the hospitals while
his wife's old mother and father waited anxious
ly for news. Neighbors. synpathizing vet fun
Of a morbid curiosity, hung around the door, Of
fering occasional words Of encouragement Tn.
father sat in a chair by the window. his head
buried in his hands while the mother paced the
floor Another daughter, who had thought 81
going on the excursion. sat by, and her oaby.
evidently recognizing that all was not we'll kept
up a continuous crying. My daughters nus
band saw the boat fire" said Mrs. Michael
HE drives an ice cream wagon. and he was over
near the East River when a woman called TO
him If he saw the boat on fire. What is IT,
he asked. It's the General SIocurn.' Good God.
my whole family is on that boat" he cried He
ran right over to US as fast as he could but
by that time we had heard about it. Oh. God,
1t is awful And that dear little baby is gone.
too, We Just have to wait. I know but It's SO
awful not to know where they are
Mrs Charles Kaufman. whose husband keeps
a grocery store at First-st and First-ave.. saved
her two little nieces by throwing them into a
tug. Edna is four years old. and the other IS a
baby OF seventeen months. They are the chill
dren Of Mrs. Louisa Engelnann, Of No. 425
East Twelfth-st. and went on the excursion
with their mother Mrs Kaufman. another
aunt. Mrs. William SieTichs OF No Al East
Twelfth-st and her hftasn-year-oId boy Char
ley. Last night. when a reporter stepped into
the doorway of the unlighted rooms where Mrs
Engelmann lives. a woman screamed out OF the
dark: "Nein Colt! Ist das naein kind? II was
Mrs. Engelmann's mother who cried out, and
after her moment Of hope she sobbed piteousy.
Mrs. Kaufman also was there, slightly bruised
and Ill from the horror OF her experiences, and
holding her sisters baby. whose little hands and
feet were done up in cotton She told the story
OF her escape. II had Just come out Of the
ladies' room where 7 heard every one begin
and by that time saw that everything was on
fire. One OF my sisters grabbed hold or my
arm begging me not TO jump I waited nm,
ute, then I said TO her: We've got 10 60 ana
then tug came up and I pulled loose from
nv sister and threw the two children 20 II anu
Jumped after them. People kept pulng on top
OF me and I didn't know anything more untA
we got TO the hospital never saw my sisters
after I told them we had to jump, ana III W.
rvfng because couldn't save them
Charley Sierichs jumped overheard swan
ashore and took the first boat home entreiy uil-
injured Little Edna also escaped without IN
turies and last night she was playing IN sne
aster which has probably cost her motners H.