The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-03-15
RARE DEEDS
 OF HEROISM Brave Sailors Rescue Drowning Comrades. TWENTY-SEvEN GO TO DEATH Steamer British King Founders Dur
 ing a Gale. Part of the Crew Picked Up by the Bostonian, while others are Saved by the Tank Steamer
 Mannheim.
TwENTY-sEvEN co TO DEATH

Boston, March 14.-Suffering, mental and physical, and numerous acts of he- roism in saving life, rarely equalled in the record of tragedies of the sea, att snded the loss of the Phoenix Line steamer British King, which Sunday last in a raging Atlantic storm found- cred about 150 miles south of Sable Island, and carried to death twenty seven of the crew. Thirteen men were rescued from the sinking vessel by the Leyiand Line steamr Bostonian, bound from Manchester to Boston, and eleven by the German tank steamer Mann helm, Rotterdam for New York Five others who had been drawn down into the vortex into which the British King was engulfed were picked up by the Bostonian from frail bit of wreckage which they had grasped after desper- ate struggle in the whirlpool.
 The Bostonian arrived here this af- ternoon and the details of the disaster became public. Captain James O'Ha- gen of the British King died on board the Rostonian from the effects of ter- rible injuries ssutained in trying to save his ship.
 The rescued who were brought here today include James Fiannigan, the second officer; J.. D. Crawford, the chief engineer; AdoIphus Beck, the fourth engineer and William J. Curry, the steward. Tine others were coal passers and sailors. mostly Belgians. and one stowaway. Henry Parkotch of New York.
 Life Boats Crushed.
 Two life boats from the Bostonian were crushed to fragments and the volunteer crews which manned them were thrown into the high running seas while engaged in the work of rescue, but all were safely landed on board the steamer. When the first life boat was lowered from the Bostonian, the small craft was swept against the stern of the big ship and destroyed and several of the seamen were bruised ana naimed. Yet despite the bolster ous condition of the sea the volunteers were rescued by lines thrown out from their steamer.
 A second attempt to reach the sink ing ship was successful and thirteen men, including Captain OHagen were taken from the British King to the Bostonian. Then again a powerful bl- low carried the life boat against the side of the ship and destroyed 1t and the life savers were thrown Into the sea to be rescued only after an hours effort by their comrades.
 Volunteers from the Mannheim after a heroic battle with the waves had taken off eleven from the British King but after this neither of the steamers, in consequence of the gale could make an attempt to reach the laundering freighter Moreover darkness fell ana it was an utter impossibilfty to do else but wait for the moonlight to guide them Tn the darkness the British King. winch was then waterlogged ana helpless, plunged to the bottom
 For three days her captain and crew, working against unconquerable odds, had tried to prevent their ships de- struction. The wind finally increased to a hurricane and carried away the deck fittings of the steamer and the deck cargo of oil barrels, washed into the sea-
 Water POurs into Ship.
 Some of the matches were open, great volumes of water poured into the ships compartments, disabling the engines and soon the ship become absolutely helpless. Realizing the necessity of quick action. Captain O'Hagen him. self went into the hold and strove to repair the most damaged sections.
 It was while doing this that a barrel of oil fractured one of his legs in two places. The injury was so severe that a piece of the bone protruded through the flesh. Despite this he continued to direct the efforts of the crew
 At the end of the three days when all hands had labored ceaselessly with out rest and with lIttIe food the Bos- tonian and the Mannheim were sighted and to those Captain O'Hagen display ed the signal for assistance.
 It was expected that the Mannheim would reach New York on the next day. Until that time the names of the men who were lost could not be learned The Mannheim saved the first officer and ten men. The British King went down in Lat 41.40 North ana Longitude 6O West. or about 450 miles east of Bos- ton light and 150 miles to the south of Sable Island. Both the Bostonian and the Mannheim stood by the scene of the wreck until Monday morning. but no bodies were recovered The British King sailed from New York last Wednesday bound for Antwerp with a miscellaneous cargo and 15o head of cattle.