New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-13

L was a physical impossibility for any but the
most hardened 20 withstand the cold, which
turned ears and noses white with the frost, and
which so henumbed feet that both the passengers
and members Of the crew stumbled rather than
walked 20 the small craft in which they were to
leave ihe sinking ship.
WOMEN PUT IN BOATS.
shrieks Of pain drowned the roar Of the in
rushing water. Pandemonium reigned. but in
spite of # the women on board. suffering more
intensely than the men. placed in life
boats. the men passengers and members of the
crew taking to the unprotected RATS.
Captain McVay remained on the upper deck
directing his officers and until every one
on board appeared to have been cared for. He
ordered all ufeboats and RATS cut away and
before he stepped into his own boat he stood on
the upper deck a moment 10 see that his order
was executed. Then he ordered that his boat,
the largest board, be cleared. Before the
men had an opportunity to loosen the tackles
the bottom Of the boat rested on top Of the
sea, which raging over the hurricane deck.
and for a moment 1T seemed as though the life
boat would be dragged down before she could
be freed from the steamer. Every hand in the
boat was too cold to handle knife and cut the
ropes. which. however. slipped through the
tackles, and set the lifeboat adrift just as the
vessel sank
The pitiable condition Of the passengers and
crew was increased hundredfold the moment
they had launched their boats Every wave
sent its dash OF spray over the boats and their
contents Soon thin coating of ice enveoped
every one. Those who fully clothed suf-
fered from frozen faces and numbed feet, but
there were many who had on only their night
clothes
DRIVEN TO SUICIDE BY COLD.
One man in the captains boat although
dressed warmer than many others. was driven
insane by his intense suffering. He pulled a big
claspknife from his pocket and cut his throat.
No one had strength enough to stop him. His
body fell to the bottom of the boat. where it
remained.
Fishers Point the nearest land. a little
less than five miles TO the westward Of the place
where the steamer went down, and every boat
heavy and the men at the oars were weak. A
nfty-mile gale blew on their backs. When Cap
tain Mcvay's boat came ashore, not a man on
board was able to walk. Their feet were frozen
so badly that the lifesavers carried them bodily
to the lifesaving station.
CAPTAIN MVAY CONFUSED
Captain McVay overcome by the
unable to give a lucid account of what had hap
pened after the ship had gone down. Shortly
after his arrival here he said that he had on
board his ship between $50 and 200 passengers
and a crew of fifty. Later he said there were
between fifty and seventy-fve passengers on
board. The latter figure however. is far below
The estimate made by the officials of the Joy Line
at Providence, who estimated the number Of
passengers at not less than $50. The exact
number of passengers was given in list which
was handed the purser just before the Larch-
mont started. but It was lost when the ship went
down.
Captain McVay said that had his crew been
able to make progress against the northwest
gale they would have landed at Fishers Island
between l. and 1 o'clock The wind. he said
was too strong TO be overcome and there was
nothing left but to turn around and head for
Block Island. fifteen miles away. It was short
~ after II o'clock when the captains boat left
the sinking steamer and It was $50 IN the
morning before it reached Block Island. 1t
seemed the captain said. though the seven
hours struggle against the elements lasted for
ever and not a soul in the boat expected TO
survive.
Captain Mcvay asserted with emphasis that
the crew Of the schooner was responsible for
the wreck. He said that had the sailing vessel
held to the course which she was sailing when
she was sighted there would have been no pos
sible chance of an accident.
NINE CRAFT REACH LAND.
Five boats and four RATS. carrying nineteen
survivors and the bodies of eleven dead, man
aged TO reach Block Island after a frlghtful
experience. extending from the time of the &C
cident to s a. m to-day.
Bodies Of victims were being washed ashore
constantly. Late tonight thirty-eight had been
taken from the water and many men were pa
trolling the beach looking for others
Some survivors expressed the opinion that al
on board the Larchmont had secured places in
boats or RATS. but that many Of the boats were
swamped, and many persons were swept away