The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-08-06

When italian Steamer Struck Ledge Officers and Members Of
Crew Fought With knives 10 Get Into the Boats Women
and Children TTamp|ed Under Foot During the Inhuman
Fury Brave Fishermen Come 10 the Rescue and Save
Hundred Of Lives. Vessel Was Taking 800 Emgants
TO South America

Cartagena. Spain, Aug. s.-The Italian
BS. sirio sank off Cape Palos satur-
day evening and 300 OF her passengers per-
ished. The vessel was bound from Genoa
for Barcelona, Cadiz. Montevideo ana
Buenos Ayres, and had 800 persons on
board.
She struck on Bajos Hormigas Islands.
2is miles off the cape. and sank stern
first. in an incredibly short time.
The disaster threw the passengers and
crew into the widest panic. The Officers
and men evidently struggled in an effort
TO save their own lives and discipline was
forgotten. So deeply did the captain feel
the disgrace that he killed himself on his
own deck as the last boatload got away
from the ships side. The rest OF the Of
fcers and all the crew escaped safely 10
land
Eye witnesses OF the fight among the
emigrants for possession OF the boats de-
clare II was indescribable in its fury.
Men, maddened with fear, drew knives
and charged with flashing blades on every
obstacle in their paths to the rail.
Women and children alike fell victims
and around every boat there surged
knot OF struggling men. cursing and
striking with their stilettos. Several
boats. each one OF which might have
saved many lives. were lost in this fren-
zied struggle, the contestants swinging
them clear OF the davits 10 see them
swept away while the battle ragged.
BRAVE FISHERMEN.
The 300 victims OF the wreck are not the
only ones who perished, however. Nearly
a score OF fishermen who put out in
| their boats to assist in the work Of rescue
are said to have been drowned
One boat brought word that a sailing
smack manned by number OF fishermen
was swamped and the rescuers and res
cued thrown into the sea. None Of these
have been accounted for.
The survivors are encamped In the main
square OF the town OF Cape Palos. The
scenes are narrowing I'm the extreme.
| families mourning the loss OF members.
or going frantic with Joy when belated
boats bring in those they thought had
gone down.
/ One young mother. n mere girl, was
picked up and landed here unconscious,
but hugged tight to her breast was her
baby Both will recover The mother was
urged by friends on the ship TO abandon
her child and save herself This she refused
TO do. declaring that they would die to-
gether. When she flung herself into the
sea. just as the ship went down. she was
picked up by fishermans boat.
This boat was swamped by It's load OF
Humanity. and the mother for a sevond
Stime came near TO losing her life and
THAT OF her child. Another boat putting
out from shore, rescued all in time
MOTHER DRIVEN INSANE.
A mother who lost her three children
and who was on her way 10 join her hus-
Fband in South America has gone raving
mad. The doctor OF the Sirio had given
fup his wife and child as among the lost
Iwhen they were restored TO him.
The scene was most affecting Others
whose family and friends are not ac-
Icounted for are wandering up and down
/ the shore in the darkness. hoping against
chope that the missing ones may yet be
found on the many small islands and
rocks that dot the sea. These hopes are
not likely 10 meet with fulfllment, how
ever, for throughout yesterday a thor
Tough search has been made
The Archbishop OF San Pedro, Brazil. Is
among the drowned. All during the panic
he braved death by knives and sea I'm an
effort TO produce order, but In vain When
he found his efforts were futile. the
churchman climbed TO an upper deck.
where he bestowed the last offices of the
Ichurch on such as asked. He went down
with the ship. and the last seen OF him
|his hands we're extended over the strug-
gling people, while his lips moved in a
3prayer OF blessing.
II was at first reported that a bishop
pf the church had perished also but this
Aater was found to be a mistake. the
sleric in question being among the first
tescued and now in Cartagena. The Aus
brian consul at Rio Janiero also was
saved. but he lost a large sum OF money.
IN PITIABLE CONDITION.
The condition OF the survivors. who. for
he most part, are Spanish and Italian
.fmigrants, is pitiable So sudden was the
catastrophe that none had time to save
Ihis belongings. Last night they are with
Put funds and many have nothing left
n the world save the clothes upon their
bodies. The maritime authorities OF this
Pity have dispatched a tug TO the scene.
carrying food and other supplies fsrthe
Felief OF the sufferers
The townspeople are doing what they
can 10 relieve the sorrow and suffering.
but they are. for the most part. poor
isher-folk, and have little OF worldly
goods with which 20 accomplish much.
The survivors are housed In the fral
buildings that once sheltered a circus.
Xwhle many have been cared for I'm the
poorhouse buildings, which have been
transformed into n series OF hospitals.
Y One OF those who escaped says the
teamship struck about 5 o'clock yester-
lay afternoon. The vessel at the time
k,yas making its way slowly through
ortuous passage I'm the Hormigas group
where the Bajos Hormigas reef is
constant menace to navigation Sudden
y there was grinding sound. the ship
hivered from stem 20 stern, there was a
louder, crunching crash and the ship be-
kan to settle
A DASTARDLY CREW.
Immediately the panic broke Men and
women fought madly for vantage point
bear the boats, and little children were
rampled under foot The captain strove
q rally the crew, but both the sailors
nd the officers were beyond control and
his condition added TO the terror The
captain In desperation and chserin, blew
but his brains as the vessel sank Just
Before he ended his life. however, he