New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-16
STORIES OF SURVIVORS.
Men and Women Tell of Loss of
Their Families.

Miss Marie Kreuger Of No. AL west End-ave..
who was saved from drowning after jumping
told her story at the Harlem Hospital.
L heard the cry OF fire while sitting on the
upper deck" she said. Some OF the deck hands
ran up and told us TO be quiet, as there no
danger. The women ana children soon became
panic stricken, as the smoke and heat began 10
brighten them. 1 slid down rope over the side
OF the boat and held on in the water The flames
began 10 shoot out OF the side of the boat and
curl around the woodwork. 1t was an awful
sight TO see the children peer over the edge OF
the boat and then draw back not knowing
whether 10 stay on the boat jump. 1t got
hot that had 10 let go of the rope boy
was in the water close 10 me- floating a life
preserver. He tried 10 help me as / let loose of
the rope, but ! would have drowned If a tug had
not come along just then. one Of the tug hands
threw me rope. and was soon pulled aboard.
] saw my cousin and sister but they disap-
peered-
LOST MOTHER AND BROTHER
Lucy Hencken. fifteen years old. of No. l69
South Second-st.. Williamsburg. lost her mother
and brother in the disaster.
Il was sitting with my mother the after
part of the boat" said Miss Hencken. My
brother was on one OF the lower decks. As soon
as we saw the smoke and heard the cry Of fire
my mother asked me 10 go below and try TO
find my brother. When got down the stairway
I found the crushed bodies Of three little babes
who had been trampled in the terrible
scramble to get away from the flames They
were all living. picked them up and carried
them upstairs TO my mother. Then went below
again In search Of my brother. BY this time
things were getting hot. and there were many
people struggling TO get around that 1t was i'm
possible TO hear or do anything. 1 caught sight
OF my brother for instant, and started TO get
hold Of him, but just then there was a surge OF
people toward him. and he was soon shut off
from my sight. I got back to the upper deck
somehow, but when tried TO find mother and
the babies had left with her they were gone
With my mother and brother gone. didn't care
much what became Of me. I saw everybody
jumping overheard, and Jumped. too / didn't
struggle much IN the water. 1t all so hor-
rible that il dazed me- I went under the water
once or twice. and guess was strangling when
a man on a tugboat caught me with his boat
hook"
John ELL fourteen years old lost his mother
ana two brothers. when we left the pier the
deck was packed with folks" he said. The
children were frolicking about and everybody
was having q bully time When we got I'D
near Hell Gate we were told to go downstairs
so We could get some ice cream and soda. The
children were falling over each other 70 get TO
the tables. With my mother and my little
brother ! went close TO the engine room 10
watch the engines work. I was standing there
with John Gray. Albert Greenwau and Otto
Hans and q number OF children.
SAYS CREW WAS PANIC STRICKEN.
All at once there was puff OF FIRE and smoke
from down below. and saw the engineer look
scared. He tried TO find out what was the mat
ter He didn't have TO wait long TO find out
as the fire kept coming up from down below.
The first thing we knew our clothes were on
fire. We started to run, and found that fire was
coming out all around. BY this time my mothers
dress and my little brothers clothes were on
fire. I grabbed my brother by the wrist ana
tried TO get him and mother over TO the side
OF the boat. There was an awful panic. Every
BODY was getting burned and trying 10 get off
the boat. The flames kept coming in big waves
and people began TO fall down on the deck and
choke with the smoke. The men running the
boat were just as scared as the rest of US They
ran around giving orders. but one did what
was told them, because the fire was hot and we
wanted 10 get off the boat We We're pushed to
the side OF the boat. and fell overheard with the
rest John Gray and John Fishman jumped and
saved their lives by swimming until they were
picked up. got parted from my brother and
mother in the rush, and don't know what be-
came OF them"
HEARD ORDER TO MAN HOSE.
Miss Kate Gringle. OF No. 439 East Houston
Ct, had narrow escape from burning and
drowning. The fire seemed to spring out Of
the forepart OF the boat. and the cry went
around that the bow of the boat had taken fire."
she said Il could the smoke coming uI
from down below. and soon the flames came
bursting up the passageways / saw the cap
tain and heard him shouting TO the crew TO man
the fire hose. He told the men that the fire
was forward. I heard that distinctly. ! was
among the lot taken from the Slocum by a tug
I SHAH never forget the suspense while we weI-
waiting Tor that tug TO come up. The sight Of
the panicstrioken women and children was
dreadful i can't tell connected story about
II lost some OF my relatives in the fire. ]
ooh Know what became or them am afraid
they were drowned IN jumping overheard Be
fore left the deck OF the Slocum heard two
or three say that the fire started in the lamp
room, where coioreo cleaning lamps
and working with kerosene"
POLICEMEN KNOCKED FROM BOAT
Patroinen Van Tassen and Keilt. of the Har-
Dor Squad. We're detailed TO accompany the ex-
cursion. The first they knew OF the fire was
when the Ere alarm OF the boat was sounded
The fire alarm had hardly sounded" said
Van Tassell, when the entire forward part of
the ecat seemed 20 burst into flames Pas
sengeTs who We're IN the forward part OF the
vessel tried 10 rush to the stern on every 5eck
ana, finding their way blocked jumped over
board 20 escape the flames which were being
tanned into great fury by the head wind and
by the motion Of the vessel.
There was no checking the rush into the
water, and there would have been no use in
doing II, as the boat clearly was doomed from,
the start II was better TO jump and take the
chances OF drowning than TO stay on the boar
ano meet almost certain death by fire
~ D0NARA ~