New-York tribune., 1909-01-27
SEALBY TELLS STORY
HOW HE STUCK BY HIS
SHIP TO THE END.
UviILiams and Binns Describes Their
Part on the RepubIic-Throng on
Hand to Greet Them.

II was left for Captain. Inmsn Sealby, OF the
Republic and the men who aided him so stoutly
In his fight for the lives Of all on board the
wounded White Star liner 10 tell the tale of the
last moments OF the ship The story was told
as he came UP the bay from Tompkinsvtlle yes
,erdav Captain sealby described the last
struggle of the vessel his plunge into the waters
and his rescue by the men Of the Gresham.
Jack" Binns the man who stuck at his key by
the wireless instrument and flashed the calls
for help that brought every ship within range
fastening TO the rescue, had his modest story to
tell too and not the least interesting part OF
the narrative was the contribution OF Rooert
: Williams second officer of the Republic. VINO
stood by his captain 30 the last and shared with
him the peril Of the plunge into the Icy water
with the chance of being smoked down to death
in the whirlpool created by the disappearance
OF the liner.
II was like drawing teeth yesterday TO get
Csutstn sealby to tell of his experience. just as
A had been the day before to induce Captain
R,szdnt of the Florida. TO tell Of his wonderful
trip from Nantucket TO New York, without ac-
cepting a lire OF a bit OF help from any other
craft
But Captain Seaiby and the others got re-
certion when they came UP the harDor tnA'
showed plainly what others thought of the "orR
hey had done, whistles DteW anu Nieu Sbc0ANN
end there was a demonstration that lacked moth
ing in real and spontaneous enthusiasm IL
seemed as il all the enthusiasm had been KEPT
for .he men from the Republic. for there were
m whistles and no cheers Monday when
Ru.piriz brought his crippled and almost
wrecked vessel triumphantly into port 10
some IT'S seemed a bit unfair, but there was
-,e,.v Of aupreciation OF the Italians work oE
the passengers he saved
There was great crowd on the White Star
pjer when the little party that had come from
the Republic the Seneca was lanoeo' anu
f-a,+a,n- sesfbv was lifted the shoulders OF
. 49, man and carried TO the street. Thence
he escaping from the cheering crowd, maoe hff
wav "a The Offices of the line, where he aho
N-iuisms were rnobbed by another throns De-
fore .he1 could get inside Some one hao iohho
p b,igler end he headed the procession ifoIii INK
pier. blowing triumphant blasts all the way
cen,ain sealby began his story down the pay
and this Is how Il ran: Williams ana were 0N
+he bridge when il was close to the time Tor us
TO leave her. The stern began to go oo"h' ahu
she began 10 rumble and crack
Well. what do you think about II! "sAeo
williams.
u don't think 1t viii be long race. he SAID
Ts,,s make a sprint Of IL. When you're READY
let her go.
BURN the blue lights said. and fired nVe
shots from my revolver That was the signai u
the Gresham TO let 60 We ran from the priose
TO the saloon deck, burning blue lights ana car
,zJng lanterns AS we ran the stern OF the snip
was sinking rapidly, and the deck was SO steep
we slir,oed back The last saw OF Williams ne
t.s -snst, the poyt rail snd was hanging on ]
went M the mast as far the masthead light
about a hundred feet up and tried to set on
b,,.e Hight but II was wet Then fired the last
shot from my revolver.
SUPPORTED BY COAT.
.'Then the water caught me- IL got uhoer my
great coat and supported me by the air ihs'oe
while the weight OF my revolver oinocuiar ~ alio
cartridges supported me ss sort OF hte pelN
sy this time there was roaring mass OF water
ell around rne. ] was churned down IN H. pu'
came I'D and tried 10 pull OF my coat did NOT
s,coaes There was a lot Of wreckase al
sround and finally reached hatch on th's
i Law spreadesgle fashion
..I'he searchghts OF the cutters played on ths
Renublic as she sank. and finally they were con-
ceatrateti on the spot where she had gone DOWN
7. seemed an ir.te-rnnable time that they played
around without striking me, but l managed to
reload my revolver and fired II to attract theil
attention. II was very rough and coio' ana
,yrsss getting benumbed, 50 lay on the hatch
and saved my strength. shouting al Intervals
Finally the lights struck me and waved
.oyra, T had found and then boat picked me
mn and took me on the Gresham i was nearly
finished then. The boat was In charge OF Gun
,er rohnnson and he handled her well. -Four oi
tbe eight men In her crew were from the Re-
public
r Ia h.s s4aseroorh on board the Baltic yester-
aax afternoon Williams told how he and Cap
tain seaIhy stayed the bridge Of the sinking
shin until compelled 10 slip into the water when
,ba steamer finally settled herself for her long
sleep. -
90 an, glad ern alive" said Williams but
s+ world have beeE honor that any man
.,-o,,la be willing TO fight for. TO die with the
c.ntsin I would not have been the lucky man
ne-u,t.ed 20 stand by the captain. maybe. II
hadn't been the first TO get 20 him ano neg ior
the privilege
..tse said No AZ first He saad he was going
: .o ytsx on the ship alone; bot kept begging
him % change his mind. He wouldn't fhough'
and finally ne said: Williams so ashore; you
sevs n father and mother I have SAID
20 r,rn ar. a have a few dollars in the bank
Foo 7rut 7 VIII be q richer man dead. II die
here with YOU than if 1 should 60 home ano
eli nc. folks that left you in this conoiton'
espss.n. Ny parents wouldn't care TO see me
rr5er those circumstances, and the money We
saved I'D would be poisonous 10 touch
tnd then the captain said All right VIII
Jams I'm obliged to you for the ofer, ano we
we're then on the bridge together
Well, says the captain after while Nev