Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-02-15
Commander Of LarChmOnt Left
Helpless Women and Child
rem to Their Fate, While He
Took to LifebOat, PaSSen-
ger Asserts.
SURVIVORS TELL AWFUL
TALES OF SUFFERING
Hundred and Thirty-Eight Are
Known to Be Dead in Dis
aSter on Block Island Sound.
Seventy-EigRt BODIES Found.
lBy ,lornIns journal special Lea.ed wlrel


lBy Mornins journal Special Leased Wire.l
Providence, r. l.. Feb lS.--Teriblc
tales of suffering were brought here
tonight by some of the nineteen survi-
vors of the steamer Larchmont which
went to the bottom in Block Island
sound Monday night, and one Of the
passengers asserted that IN the hour
Of porrl helpless women were thrust
aside by men, who cared only for their
own safety.
The charge Of coWardicc was made
by Fred Hergsell. an lS-year-old lad
Of Brooklyn \. Y. He said that not
only were women left to their fate, but
that Captain McNey left the sinking
ship in the very first life boat that
some Of the ships crew filled the boats
to the exclusion OF the passengers and
that at least one boat was without
oars when It was put over the side,
Louis Mcfarland. a colorcd waiter
on the Larehmont, said when he
reached the Captains boat he found
Captain McVey there. The captain or
| dered that the boat be swung out CALI
! ing at the passengers at the same time
to step in, The passengers, Mcfarland
said, seemed afraid to do so. and as
! the steamer was going down fast Cap
| tain McVey ordered that the boat be
/ lowered. When II reached the water
| however. a rope fastened tu the ring
/ bolt and attached TO the davit above
| became caught and those in the boat
We're in danger of being dragged down
with the steamer when Boatswain
Andrew, who was on deck, saved their
| lives by cutting the rope.
/ Hiergcsell's statement was not con-
hrmed by any other survivor. but he
insists he is right
President Dunbaugh tonight said:
"rhe schooner was responsible for
the collision. I'm view of the horrible
condition which prevailed immedi-
ately after the accident I am satisfied
that the men did all In their power TO
meet the situation as honorably as
they could, 1t appears from my inves-
tigation that the steamer was luffed
into the schooner,
A careful compilation Of figures in
this city shows that l3S lives are
known to have been lost In the disas-
ter IL Is known that there were not
less than l5I persons on board the
steamer. or that number only nine-
teen survive. Scventy-one bodies have
been recovered thirty-eight of them
having been identified. There are still
100 messengers who are either missing
or unidentified.
Captain McNey commander Of the
Larchmont when seen at an early
hour this morning regarding the state
mrnt made by Fred Hieresell, admit
ted that Il was probable that his life
boat was one Of he first If not the
first to leave the sinking ship. He
explained however that this was duo
To- the fact that a seaman standing "a
the hurricane deck cut the rope, but
even after the boat was In the wafer
he remained by the ship until she
went down.
Captain McVey dictated the follows
ing statement to the Associated Press.
II believe | got my boat away rs
uuick as any other boat, because
had q good crew. My boat got dawn
first but did not leave the ship Hest.
Although think my boat was pfoba-
bly, the first to strike the water. I
did not let go Of The steamer until I
found that there We're no passengers
ON our side. Then ! decided to move
around to the other side, whore /
knew there were passengers | know
that six boats got away and | be-
. llcve all the eight life boats and four
RATS got away
. "The gale was terrific and in spite
Of our utmost efforts we could MT