Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-02-20
SURVIVOR SAYS MEN CARED
ONLY FOR THEIR SAFETY.
HE CHARGES COWARDICE
colored Waiter Discredits the State.
ment and Declares That Lareh-
ment's Captain Ordered Passen-
gers to Step Into Life 5oat-Ken.
lucky Arrives with 4e Bodies.

tu compilation of figures in this city
early this morning shows that 13S
| lives are known to have been cost as
a result of tue wreck of the steamer
Larchmont. 1t is known that there
We're not less than 157 persons on
board the steamer OF thai number
only 10 survived. Seyenty-one bod,
les have been recovered, IS having
been Identified. There are still 100
| passengers who are either missing or
unidentified
Providence, r. l., Feb 14-Terrible
tales of suffering were brought here
last night by some of the 10 survivors
OF the steamer Larchmont wrecked in
block Island sound Monday night and
one of the passengers asserted that in
that awful hour of peril helpless wo
men were thrust aside by the men
who cared only for their own safety
The charge of cowardice was made
by Fred Hiergesell, an 1S-year-old lad
/
only were women left to their fate,
but that Captain McVey left the sink
ing ship in the very first life boat;
that some of the ships employees
filled the boats to the exclusion of
passengers, and that at least one boat
was without oars when it was put
over the side.
Louis mcfarland. a colored waiter
on the Larchmont, gave a version
that the departure of the captain .
boat was entirely different from that
given by Hiergesell He said when
he reached the captains boat, to
which he was assigned, he found Nc
Vey there. The captain ordered that
the boat be swung out ready to lower,
calling to the passengers at the same
time to step into the boat The pas
sengers, Mcfarland said, seemed
afraid to do SO, and as the steamer
was going down fast, McVey ordered
the boat lowered. When it reached
the water, however, q rope fastened
TO the ring bolt and attached t. ne
daVit above, became caught and
those in the boat were in danger of
being dragged down with the steamer
when Boatswain Tobesen, who was
on the deck, saved their lives by cut
ting the rope.
! Hiergesells statement was not con-
frmed by any of the other survivors
of the terrible tragedy, but notwith-
standing the fact that there was none
to corroborate him he held steadfast
to his story.
BIames Schooner for Collision.
| resident Dunbaugh issued state
ment last night in which he said;
The schooner was responsible for
the collision. The officers and crew
of the Larchmont were not to blame
condition which prevailed immediate
~ after the accident l am satisfied
that the men did all in their power TO
meet the situation as conscientious
and honorable men. 1t appears from
my investigation that the schooner
luffed right into the Larchmont and
caused the accident which resulted in
such great loss of life.
THE fact that the steamer sank so
soon after the crash; the fact that so
even after they were put out. is to
my mind sufficient proof that the crew
acted bravely and did all in its pow
er to aid the passengers who were
able to reach the deck
Arrives With 4e Bodies.
The steamer Kentucky arrived from
the wreck bringing 40 dead bodies
and Is survivors of the disaster.
Stayed by His Ship.
Providence, r. L. Feb. 14.-Captain
McVey, commander of the steamer
Larchmot, in regard to the statement
made by Fred Hiergesell, admitted
that it was probable that his life
boat was one of the first, if not the
first to leave the sinking ship. RE
explained, however, that this was
due to the fact that a seaman stand
ing on the hurricane deck cut the
davit rope, but even after the boat
was in the water ne remained by the
ship until she went down.
A glance at the victims showed
the effects of the terrible cold to
which they had been subjected, the
bodies being incased in ice, frozen
in unnatural ositions.
Tells Horrible Story.
A most thrilling narrative of the
disaster was told by Harris Field
man of New York, who, with his
wife, was saved. Feldman said that
when the collision occurred he and
his wife ran to the hurricane deck.
They had been there but moment
| and the Larchmont was sinking SO
rapidly it seemed that they were lost.
A mountainous wave struck the top
Of the steamer and ripped OF huge
piece OF the upper structure, upon
which many panic stricken passen-
gers were standing. As the piece of
wreckage slipped off into the sea
many passengers either fell back
ward into the saloon Of the steamer,
or were thrown forward into the wa
ter After the wreckage, which was
in effect an immense raft, had been
away from the ship a few moments,