The Mena weekly star., 1906-08-09

l ceiona, Gadiz. Montevjdeo and Beu- nos Ayres, with about 800 persons on board, was wrecked of Hormigas Is- land.
 l Three hundred emigrants, most of them Italians and Spaniards, were l drowned.
 The captain of the steamer commit ted suicide.
 The bishop of San Pedro. Brazil, also was lost and 1t is reported that another bishop Is among the missing. l The remainder of the passengers and l the officers and crew got away in the ships boats and were rescued by means of boats sent to them from the shore.
 A number of fishermen who made attempts at rescue were drowned.
 Those rescued from the vessel were Sunday night at Cape Palos in pitt fable condition, being without food or clothing.
 The Sirio struck rocky reef, known as Bajos Hormigas and sank soon after stern first. Hormigas Island lies about l two and half miles to the eastward of Cape Palos.
 Before he committed suicide the captain declared the steamer had 6i5 passengers on board and that her crew numbered 127 men. The Sirio had 30 passengers when leaving Ge- noa, but additional Spanish passen- gers were taken on board at Barcc Iona, where the vessel touched few hours before the disaster The disaster occurred at 5 o'clock Saturday afternoon The steamer was threading a difficult passage through the Hormigas group, where the Bajos Hormigas reef is q contin- ual menace to navigation. The yes sel began to settle immediately after she had struck, and terrible scene of confusion and panic ensued on board. The fishermen along the coast sought to render every assistance in their power and sent out boats which brought many survivors ashore Most of the officers and crew of the Sirio are among the saved.
 The survivors have gone into camp on the main square of the town at Cape Pales. Here narrowing scenes are enacted as the stricken families among the rescued.
 The condition of the survivors is most deplorable. They have lost ev- erything and are without money, food or clothing. The maritime au thorities of Cartagena have dis patched a tug to the scene carrying relief supplies. The buildings of circus and the poor house are being used as temporary quarters for the survivors.
 London, Aug 6.-The Madrid cor respondent of the Daily Telegraph describes the Sirio disaster as one of emigrants, with knives in their hands and without regard for the
 women or children, fought with the greatest brutality for the poss ession of life buoys and boats. Many were
 killed or wounded, including several
 members of the crew, who were at
 tackled by the emigrants. | When the captain saw the vessel
 was lost and that the emigrants had
 captured the boat, he committed sui
 eide by shooting with revolver. The
 other officers then lost their heads
 and there was nobody to direct the
 work of rescue.
 Eye witnesses give awful pictures of
 the brutal panic on board. For half
 an hour the emigrants were masters
 overcame the crew by sheer force Of
 numbers, and this In spite of the ef.
 forts of the officers who tried to save
 the women and children first.
 One report even states. the core spondent continues, that a group of
 emigrants approached one of the
 ships boats which was already full
 and which was about to be launched
 and dislodged the people, killing sev-
 eral with their knives. Just as they were about to occupy the boat them selves another armed body of emf grants came up and a fierce fight for the possession of the lifeboat fol lowed
 Many of the survivors brought ashore were seriously wounded, and a number had sustained fractured limbs. Some of the injured subse quently died
 It is reported that the celebrated Spanish singer. Lola Milanes, was among the drowned. Genoa, Italy, Aug. 7.-The loss of the Italian steamer Sirio causes in
 tense excitement among the relatives and friends of the Italian passengers and crew. most of whom lived here CT In this vicinity The offices of the captain of the port and of the Italian General Navigation company to which the Sirin belonged were so besieged