Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-08-10
IOVER 800 LOST IN
! AWFUL SEA HORROR.
ITALIAN STEAMER WRECKED OFF
/ SPANISH COAST WHILE RUN.
MING FULL SPEED.
BOILER OF THE SINKING
VESSEL THEN ExPLODES
Brutal Battle for Life Ensues-Immi.
J. grants Fight with Knives to Reach
Boats-captaln Held Responsible
for Disaster, Commits Suicide.


soats-captaln Held Responsible
for Disaster, Commits Suicide.
j Cartagena, Spain, Aug. 7.-Reports
continue to arrive here Of the terri
BILE scenes attending the wreck OF
Aormigas island of the Italian steam
Isr Sirio, from Genoa August 2, via
Barcelona and other ports for Buenos
EAyres, resulting In the loss OF over
800 and possibly more Of the entire
list Of 772 on board.
The disaster occurred almost in
sight of the harbor Of Palos, whence
columbus sailed to discover the new
world. The foolhardiness Of the cap,
tain was responsible. He courted dam
ger to save time. He ended his life
at his post.
The Sirio sailed from Genoa on Au-
gust 2 with 545 Italians. At Barcelona
400 Spaniards were taken aboard
Buenos Ayres was the destination Of
khe emigrants.
Captain Shoots Himself.
The suicide Of the Sirio's captain,
ZEN minutes after his ship struck and
commenced to 80 to pieces on the
rocks, added hnse Of the dramatic
20 the tragedy.
Standing on the bridge, the captain
directed the launching Of the boats.
Then, when it became apparent that
half on board must perish, he made
out a statement Of his passenger and
crew list for the ships officers, pro-
ciaimed himself responsible for the
disaster, and blew his brains out as
be stood on the bridge.
The archbishop Of San Pablo. Bra.
Eli, who was passenger on his way
home, remained on board until all
hope was abandoned, blessing the
drowning and dying who had been
trampled on deck until he sank with
the vessel.
Naval Authorities Investigate.
The naval authorities at Madrid
have opened an inquiry into the wreck
of the sirie. Ia the meantime the
officers will be detained at Cartage1a
10 await the result.
The sirio had GAG passengers on
board, and Its crew numbered 127
men. The Sirio was wrecked Just at
dusk. At ths time it was feeling its
way through the difficult and treach.
srous passage among the Hormigas
group of islands, where the Bagos
Hormigas reef Il q continual menace
10 navigation.
The steamer was at full speed when
Il ran bow on to the rocks. It slid OF
Instantly and commenced to settle.
As the vessel settled 1t WAS shaken
BY the terrific crash Of bursting boil
prs. which scattered death below
decks.
The crew and officers kept cool un-
I'll the captains suicide on the bridge,
when discipline was thrown aside.
Fight Women with Knives.
The emigrants. with knives in their
hands and without regard for the
women or children, fought for the pos.
session Of life buoys and boats. Many
Were killed or wounded.
Dve witnesses give pictures of the
brutal panic on board. For half an
hour the emigrants were masters Of
khe situation. They overcame the
crew despite efforts Of the officers,
who tried to save the women and
children first.
One survivor says a group Of emil
grants approached one Of the ships
boats which already was full and
which was about to be launched and
dislodged the people, killing several
with their knives. Just as they were
about to occupy the boat themselves
smother body Of armed emigrants
came up and q fierce fight for the pos.
session OF the lifehoat followed.
All sense Of sex and kin was lost.
Women were trampled upon and
Thrown aside Many of the survivors
were wounded.
Captain Responsible for Disaster.
From the broken narratives Of the
kerror-stricken survivors 1t would ap.
pear that It was the intention Of the
captain Of the Sirio after leaving Bar.
celona to call at Cadiz before proceed.
ing TO Brazil. The captain, in order
10 shorten the route and gain time.
purposed to pass as close as possible
10 the dangerous rocky lodges sur
sounding the Hormigas islands.
Without warning, the survivors say,
the Sirio crashed upon the rocks with
terrible force. A few minutes later
The vessel sank beneath the waves.
Trawlers Save Many.
A feet Of trawlers happened to be
100 yards away when the Sirio struck.
The shippers of these boats came at
once to the rescue.
One trawler steamed close to the
eide of the sinking ship and took Of
more than 200 persons. The crew Of
the trawler endeavored to sheer of,
fearing their boat would be sunk
whereupon the captain drew his re-
volver and shouted:
"As long as It IL possible to take
OF another passenger we will no,
move"
1t is said that large number o.
the first and second cabin passengers
were drowned. their cabins being tn,
first to go under water.
4 The Sirio had seen 20 years of serv
ice, but she was considered to be ii
q seaworthy condition. Capt. Giu
seppe Paradi. commander of the Sirio
was 81 years old and had Is years
sxnariance in navixation.