The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-09-10
EIGHT HOURS IN SEA.
Man Who Jumps From Ocean
Liner Is Picked Up by
Another Steamer.
SWlMS UNTlL.REsCUI=R COMES
Would Be Suicide sustains Himself,
In Water After Declining Aid From
Vessel Which He Had Quit - Col.
lapses When Taken Aboard-Retur
ed to His Own Ship.

NeSsef Wntcn re 7au QuiT - Col'
lapses When Taken Aboard-Return
ed to His Own Ship.
New York, Sept. 10.-A remarkable
story of man who attempted suicide
at sea by leaping from steamship.
was given up for lost and was finally
picked up by another vessel after be
ing in the water eight hours, was told
when the Cunard line steamer Carpa
thia arrived here from Naples.
On July 81, shortly before the Car
pathia sailed from here for Mediter
ranean ports, a stalwart, broad shoul
dered young man approached |. G
Hodgson, purser of the liner, and ask
ed that he be given a position on the
vessel as Hungarian and Italian in
terpreter in exchange for his passage
to Naples. He said his name was
Paul Slider and that he had been in
America two years.
His home was in Fiuine, Hungary,
he said, and he had recently received
a letter from friends there stating that
his wife had broken up his home and
had left with their child Sidler was
anxious to return to his native land
find his wife and child and re-establish
their household. The story made such
an impression on Purser Hodgson THAI
he gave Slider the position of inter
prefer.
Lost Spirit on Board.
Sidler seemed cheerful during the
voyage and did his work welf It was
noticed, though, that as the Carpathia
neared Gibraltar the young man be.
came low spirited. The ships officers,
who had heard his story, tried to cheer
him up, but their attempts were un-
successful.
The evening of Aug. 8, when the yes
sci was about 200 m s from GibraI-
tar, the moon was shining and there
were only few light clouds in the
sky. About s o'clock Sidler went to
the quarter deck and in the presence
of several passengers leaped ever
board. A seaman threw an electric
life belt to the man, but it fell short
The Carpathia was stopped and a boat
lowered. Sidler was seen in the moon
light about quarter of mile astern.
struggling. AS his rescuers approached
him he cried, $50 away, 1 want to
dieY' He then disappeared under wa
ter. Just then cloud obscured the
moon, and when it passed there was no
sign Of the man. The search was con-
70, u
steamship continued on her voyage.
Vessel Hears Cries For Help.
About 200 miles west of Gibraltar
the path of steamers from England to
Naples and that of vessels from New
York to Italian ports join. On the
morning of Aug. 10, shortly after $3.50
O'Clock, the British steamer Benshaw,
from Liverpool for Naples, was steam
ing along the same course as the Car
pathia when the lookout heard cries of
Help! Save me!'
The Benshaw's engines were stopped
and boat lowered. The man was
picked up in so exhausted condition
that he was just able to tell his name
and say he jumped from the Carpathia
intending to commit suicide. Then he
collapsed. When he revived he told
the British officers that he had seen
the rescuing party from the Carpathia
at work and that after the vessel had
resumed her trip he was sorry he had
tried to die and wondered how he
could be saved. After swimming for
hours, he said, he saw the lights of
the Benshaw and swan for them, a
distance of nearly a mile and a half
The Benshaw, being a faster ship,
oyerhauled the Carpathia in the Med
iterranean and with signals told how
she had picked up the interpreter The
Cunarder put off a small boat and
Sidler was returned to his ship.
Sidler left the ship at Naples, saying
he was going back to his mountain
home to look for his wife and child