The Cairo bulletin., 1906-01-26
CAPTAIN REFUSED
TO SAVE HIMSELF
THOUGHT ONLY OF SAVING THE
PRECIOUS HUMAN LIVES
ABOARD VALENCIA.
PRAYED GOD FOR HELP
For His Passengers As He Clung to
the Rigging With Tense Drawn
Face--Women Wouldn't
Take to Life Rats

SEATTLE Wash. iaa 25 The rol.
lowing is correct Ii Of survivors Of
the Yalenc a TO date
Passcnge $, Iohn Mark, We Gosin,
7 L Ampsou G Brown, G. /. Willets,
AN Ct San Franci.co; c. Allison Of st.
Paul G d Haradner of Los Angeles;
Joseph McCaffery of Wet ST. John.
N b.; Carl Samuel, Michael Hone, A.
W Hawkins, F T. Bunker assistant
superintendent Of schools who lost
his wife ard two daughters, all Of
Seattle; O. r Campbell, who lost his
wife and lG-yearold daughter. Albert
Wells. T. s. N, Thomas Shields. r.
Brown Japanese named Hazoda,
members Of crew, all Of San Fran
cisco; NJ Farp. y, P Oberlen, X. =.
GarFick j Hoddinott Peter Pertoa
J. J. Johnson. p. Poivaner, /. r. Rich
ley T J Mccarthy. N Ledhos, j.
Walch
Prayed to God for Help.
The survivors Of the steamsh p
Valencia picked up from a life raft
by the steamer City OF Topeka are of
tn opinion Captain Johnson, master
of the Valencia made no efforts to
save his own life. even when a chance
presented According to their story,
John n was hearbroken over the
great loss of life attending the loss Of
the Valencia. With tense drawn face
Johnson clinging to the rigg ng with
passengers thought only Of those with
him and time and again prayed for as
sistaute
my God, send relief to my passen.
GERS johnson was heard TO say Just
before the life RATS left the steamer.
Pass engcrs and crew during the
night pfi3r 10 the departure Of the life
RATS, according TO those saved,
begged Johnson to place life belt
about his waist This he persistenly
refused to do. In sp te Of the fact thar
tho near him begged him to think of
his family and friends, Johnson would
not do a Jingle thing to help his con
dition According to the survivors,
thirty survivors left the wreck Wed.
nesday morning on two life RATS and
one boat. Captain Gibbs who went
from Seattle to the scene of the wreck
ON the steamer City of Topeka re
turned here today on the steamship
Texan which passed in through the
cape last night Gibbs said: The To-
peka steamed to about quarter of
mile Of the Valencia. owing to the
heavy fea II was not deemed wise 10
proceed further
Women Refused to Go.
We spoke to the steamer Queen he
said. aad were informed that about
nine o'clock there were estimated to
be about sixty persons still clnging
to the rigging Of the Valencia The
Topeka cruised about the entrance Of
the straits In hope Of finding survivors
At 1920 We picked up the RATS. The
Of the survivors was deplor
able All were 50 numbed that they
could net stand and mad 10 be hauled
aboard the Topeka I'm arms OF the
crew. The survivors informed me the
Valencia officers did an the could TO
impress upon their minds the fact
that there would be little chance for
help after the last boats had gone
Still the women refused TO take the
life RATS ana as a consequence the
men took their places This was one
f tha first questions ! kcd those on
tho raft when they came aboard the
Topeka All siated the best of order
prevailed and The men showed cour-
tC s. TO the women When tha time
came for the lifeboats 10 leave the
Valencia yesterday the officers or
dcred lhe womea to take 10 the RATS
The survivors state that in spite Of
the fact that he Valencia wa begin
niag to break MP. the women refused
10 go on the life RATS and on life
boats stating they would take their
chance With the ship rather than
leave The officer did an they could
60 impress upon their minds the fact
thai there was buf little chance for
help after the lar boats had gone
A survivor say men, women and
singing Nearer My God 20
Thee shive cd and chung together 10
.he hurricane deck of the Valencia
when rhe steamer Queen hove in sight
Women on tie llifated vessel took
# their underskrs and saturatInE
them with Kerosene burned them as
5 eBai to attract passing vs7sis bri
lll iu vain.