The San Francisco call., 1906-11-23
DEATHS AND PANIC
AS SHIPS CRASH
Collision of Kaiser Wilhelm
Der Crosse and Orinoco
Results in Thirteen Deaths
STRIKE IN NIGHT FOG

CHERBOURG. Nov 22-Details Of
the collision between the North Ger
man-Lloyd steamship Kaiser Wilhelm
der Crosse and the British Royal Mail
steamer Orinoco show that 1t occurred
at 9 o'clock last night in fog.
AS a result thirteen steerage passen
gers and sailors were killed and both
vessels were seriously damaged and
they have returned to the port for re-
pairs.
The Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse he
longs to the North German Lloyd
Steamship Company. She carried 25s
first class passengers. 3S9 in the sec
ond cabin and S97 in the steerage She
left Southampton and Cherbourg yes
terday for New York. The Orinoco,
which belongs to the British Royal
Mail Steamship Company, had cleared
from Southampton for West Indian
ports and New York. The passengers
of the German vessel will be trans
shipped and will leave Sunday The
Orinoco's passengers will leave South
ampton November 2S.
The shock of the collision was ter
rife and there was at once panic on
both ships. Order, however was
quickly restored, but not before a
small boat lowered from the Orinoco
was swamped by the efforts of the
panic-stricken passengers to crowd
into it.
Those who. lost their lives were
either crushed by the grinding timbers
or thrown overheard and drowned A
number of small boats put out from
Cherbourg and rescued some sailors
and passeng gers who were struggling z
in the waves.
The Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse, with
her passengers, waiting trans-ship-
ment to the American liner ST. Paul
and the French liner La Lorraine on
Saturday, is lying in the roadstead
here Her starboard quarter shows a
rent thirty feet long and fifteen feet
high. Besides having her stem broken.
the Orinoco lost her anchors and for
ward gear.
The fatalities on the Kaiser Wilhelm
der Crosse were among the steera ge
passengers in her bow, four men being
killed outright. These We're: George
Muhlbier and Samuel Croissant of
Worms, Michael Zeimbelmann of For
back and Ann KouceIik of Cecelowicz,
Bohemia.
A girl named Stevier was disembow-
eled and died in a hospital. Seven per-
sons were injured aboard the German
ship.
There was much confusion on the
Orinoco. Women became frenzied with
fear and could not be restrained until
the boats which were being lowered at
the captains order were properly
launched. Some jumped overheard and
one boat was swamped. Small boats
came to the rescde, and with the ex-
ception of three seamen everybody was
picked up.
The responsibility for the accident
has not been fixed. but it is charged
that the Kaiser wilhelm der Crosse did
not respond to signals from the Eng
lish steamer.
PARIS. Nov 22.-At the offices of
the North German-Lloyd Steamship
Company here it is stated that as the
injuries to the Kaiser wilhelm der
Crosse by her collision with the ORR
noco will make ii impossible for her
to proceed the passengers will be
transferred to the American liner st.
Paul and the French liner La Lorraine.
leaving, respectively, Southampton and
Cherbourg and Havre November "a.
SOUTHAMPTON, Nov. 22.-Both the
Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse and the
Orinoco are expected to come to this
port for repairs. The former must be
temporarily repaired before leaving
Cherbourg.