New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-11-27

and children.
John Schanzenbecher. sea post clerk in charge
of the consignment OF mail aboard the Finance
stepped off the George B. Starr TO the Panama
Railroad Steamship Company pier last night
clad only in 2 long overcoat pair Of trousers
and shoes without socks. II lost all my own
clothes" he said. They went down with the
Finance These things'-and he looked down
on his apparel with deprecatory smile-"I got
aboard the George
There were seven or eight hundred mail bags
aboard the Finance" he continued, and all were
lost but three. These three I managed to drag
IN on deck and they were flung aboard the last
rfeboat 10 leave the Finance-the boat that
picked me up
Were you one of those who Jumped over
board?" was asked
NO 1 didn't jump he said. although was
in the water. When the crash came ran up
on deck and with some other men began trying
TO launch one Of the Finances boats. But IL
was on the side where the Georgia struck, ana
we couldn't free her from the bent fastennss.
While working the water crept up on
us and suddenly found ourselves founder
ing in it, AT this point the boat foated free,
but lost hold Of it. and as it drifted away from
me 1 managed to grab two steamer chairs that
were floating about and keep myself above
water. Then the boat from the George came
along and picked me up
AS he was running UP to the deck schan-
zenbecher said he had a feetins glimpse
Of three sailors struggling with woman she
was clingins apparently in an agony OF panic
10 a stanchion there he said and try they
would the three sailors could not break her IN
sane hold. He learned later, when aboard the
Georgia that she was Miss Irene Campbell. the
negro woman.
BOATS WORKED. SPEEDILY.
The boats from both the George and the
Finance the mail clerk said. worked speedily
and well. and all the panic he saw was in the
instance Of the deluded woman clinging to the
stanchion.
Judge A F. Blackburn of Louisville, VINO
presides over a United States court in the
Canal Zone, told a thrilling tale of how his wife
his infant and he were saved. The baby, he
said. only three months old.
We were in our cabin when il happened" he
said my wife had the baby in her arms, and
hurried her ahead of me up the companion"ay
AS we reached it the water came over the side
Of the vessel and swept down the staircase. Two
children were washed past by a wave as we
got on deck 1 do not understand how they
could have been saved. although they must have
been. as no childrens lives were lost. Together
with nv wife and baby. managed TO get TO
life raft one of those which had been on the
deck of the Finance"
Mrs. NJ. J. Cody, with four children, three
girls and one boy. were among the rescued. Mrs
Cody, whose home is in Scranton. Penn, said
that she had been the way TO join her hus-
hand a nloulder employed in the town Of Ger
zona, in the Canal Zone.
FRIGHTFUL EXPERIENCE.
IT was a frightfu1 experience and I couldn't
begin to say how thankful am that all Of my
girls and my boy were saved" said Mrs. Cody:
but we are going right down to Panama, any
how. After my husband hears OF this he will be
doubly anxious 10 have with him. How he
will feel when he hears what We have been
through,
Il was dressing in one OF our cabins with little
Annie, who is eight years old We heard the
whistle. and then the smash-up came. The boat
listed to one side-our side. l small boat
close at hand and helped Annie out through the
portfolio, the men in the boat catching her. Ny
brothers. Law, J. r. Sweeney, helped ne to
rescue the other children, putting life preserv-
ers about them and about me before we jumped
or were pushed from the deck to avoid suction
when the boat went down"
Perhaps the most graphic account Of the ac-
cident was told by NJ c. Alma a cabin pas
senEer who with his son, was bound for his
home in Panama
ut was about 7:25 a. M" said Mr.. Azima,
Some OF the passengers were already up and
about the deck while others getting
ready 10 GO to breakfast. All hands were sorry
that there had been such long delay re-
suit OF the fog and were pleased when they
noted, from the movement of the screws, that
the vessel was slowly moving forward. My
son and 1 were below deck when heard the
long shriH whistle which gave note that some
thing was wrong, although the whistle had been
footing almost continually before that
SAW GEORGIC LOOMING Up.
We rar on deck and saw the Georgia loom
ing up just off the port bow. heard Captain
Nov-bray yell to Captain Clarke to put his helm
hard aport and back his engines. The Georgia
struck close to where our cabin, No. 10, and
the ice machine OF the boat were, and the
steamer shook with the force Of the impact and
listed to starboard for a few seconds. Then as
the Georgic. whose engines had been reversed,
backed of she listed to port and the water
rushed in.
Il saw one woman coming up the companion
way II seemed few seconds later. through
water I'D TO her waist The water was coming
in and the vessel settling rapidly, yet the men
and women, while approaching their danger
appeared to be remarkably calm, the men help
ing the women to adjust life preservers, while
the women assisted in adjusting life preserv-
ers about the children.
The captain, Mowbray. as soon as the col
lision occurred drew his revolver and shouted
Women and children first Lower away the
boats" The crew responded at once. All the
boats on the port side were lowered in the few
seconds that followed. filed with passengers
Those on the starboard side were not lowered
owing to the list TO the other side of the ship
which made it impossible to handle them and
swing them clear. Boats were lowered from
the Georgia right away Captain Mowbrey
and his crew acted the part OF heroes One