Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1906-01-26
DeSpairing Captain
Refuses Rescue.
ONLY THIRTY-SIX HALF DEAD
SURVIVORS REACH SAFETY
Steamer SuccorS FraiI Raft Laden
With Helpless Men Whose Tale
Is One Of Awful Suffering.

Seattle, Wash, Jan. 25.-The sur
vivOrs of the wreck of the steamship
Valencia VINO We're picked up from
a life raft by the steamer City of Tor
peka, are of the opinion that Cap-
tain O, NJ. Johnson, master of the Va
lencia, made no effort to save his own
life, even were a chance presented.
According to their story, Captal9
Johnson was heartbroken over the
great loss of life attending the loss
of the Valencia.
With tense, drawn face. Captain
Johnson. clinging TO the rigging with
the passengers. thought only of those
with him and time and again prayed
for assistance.
My God, send relief to my passen-
gers" Captain Johnson was heard to
say, just before the life RATS left the
steamer.
The passengers and crew during the
night prior to the departure of the
life RATS, according to the saved
begged Captain Johnson to place a life
belt about his waist This he persist
entity refused to do In spite OF the
fact that those near him, and who
still thought of him in a kindly light
begged him to think Of his family and
friends, Captain Johnson would not do
a single thing to help his condition.
According to the survivors, about thlr-
ty persons loft the wreck wednesday
morning on the two life RATS and in
one boat
"a IA he ttn atsnr Ftsf.. -
attic to the scene Of the wreck on the
steamer City Of Topeka, returned
here today on the steamship Texan
which passed in through the capes
last night.
I'VE arrived at the scene OF the
wreck about . o'clock yesterday
morning said Captain Gibbs "At
that time we could Sc nothing OF the
Valencia. There was a thick for
hanging over the straits and nothing
but white foam of the breakers could
be seen from our decks. The city Of
Topeka steamed to about three-quar-
ters Of q mile of the Valencia. Ow-
ing TO the heavy sea II was not deem
ed wise to proceed further
1--WE spoke the steamer Queen aud
were informed that about O'Clock
there were estimated to he about sixty
persons still clinging to the rigging Of
the Valencia. The City of Topeka
then cruised about the entrance to
straits in the hope of hnding survi-
worse At 1880 we picked up the
raft,
Survivors In Terrible Coalition.
The condition Of tho survivors was
depiorable. All were so numbed that
they could not get on their feet and
had TO be hauled aboard the Topeka
in the arms of our crew.
The survivors informed me that
the crew Of the Valencia did all they
could 10 impress upon their minds the
fact that there would be but little
chance for help after the last boats
had gone. san the women refused to
take to the life RATS. and as conse-
quence men took their places That
was one Of the first questions I asked
those on the raft when they camo
aboard the city Of Topeka. All stat-
ed that the best OF order prevailed
and that the men showed every cout-
tesy to the women.
When the time came for tho life
boats to leave the vaieucla yesterday,
the officers ordered all the women tp
take 10 the RATS. The survivors state
that in spite OF the fact that the Va
lencla was beginning to break up. the
women refused to go on to the life
boats and on the RATS, stating that
they would take their chances with
the ship rather than leave.
"The officers did all they could tn
impress upon their minds the fact
that there was but little chance for
help after the last boats had gone
A survivor says that men. women