The Washington herald., 1909-01-27
CAPTAIN TELLS OF
REPUBLICS SINKING
Two Men Remained Until
Waves Closed Over Her.
FIRED REVOLVER AS WARNING
after Being Thrown Into Water,
Capt. SeaIby Is Kept BuOyed Up by
His Heavy Coat, which Acts as q
Life Preserver- second Officer
williams Alone with Elm.

New York. Jan. 2s-While the revenue
tug Manhattan steamed up the bay with
the remaining members Of the sunken
White Star Liner Republics crew this
morning-bringing them from the revenue
cutter Seneca, on which they arrived last
-uight-Capt- Inman Sealby. the CON-
mander OF the steamship that was lost
told for the first time his story Of the
wreck. The captain, who recited his mar
rative as he stood in the lee Of the tugs
funnel. began with the time when. with
his second officer, R. J. Williams, the only
man left with him OF the vessel, he felt
on Sunday night that it was only mat
ter Of minutes before the shattered Re-
public would go 70 the bottom. He told
the story Of the last few minutes on the
vessel. the struggle in the water, and
the rescue by the men OF the revenue
cutter Gresham
Williams and ] were on the bridge to-
gether." he said. The Republic had be-
gun 70 settle rapidly. Both Of Us knew
that Il vas very close 10 the time when
she would disappear. She began 10 rum
ole and crack and the stern commenced
20 90 down very rapidly. There was a
slight uemor-
What do you think about il, VII
Eams?' I asked
SCsptain. I don't think II vii be a
lonE race; let's make a sprint Of H.
When you are ready, let her go answer
ed Williams"
Capt Sealby explained that his second
officer had a bit Of sporting blood in his
veins
Fired Revolver as Warning.
II directed Williams" he continued.
to burn the blue lights and fred i've
charges from my revolver 10 warn the
Gresham and tie Seneca TO cast OF as
we were sinking. I then shouted 10 VII
liams 70 make for the fore-rigginG- We
Ean from the bridge TO the saloon deck,
burning our blue lights as We went, and
carrying a lantern with Us. When We
got 10 the saloon deck We found the
water rushing in aft and as We ran for
ward the stern Of the ship was sinking
so rapidly and the slant Of the deck was
SO acute that il was impossible 10 keep
a fcothOld.
head we could not keep up. That was
the last that I saw Of Williams. He
caught hold Of the port rail and went
Up the rigging as far as the forward
running light, about 100 feet up the mast
I rested there and groped about for a
blue light IN my pockey. found one, but
= vas vet and would not go on
When The blue light refused 10 go or,
I fired my last shot from my revolver
Then the water caught up with ne The
sweep OF the waves spread out my heavy
coat and made the air inside OF It a sort
of life preserver. The weight Of my
binoculars and the revolver which had
in my pockets held down the skirts Of my
coat and really helped TO keep me afoat.
TT was very dark All around me
swept q boiling mass Of water was
caught in this in q sort OF whirlpool and
churned around and around When I
came 10 the surface I tried 10 pull ny
coat Of. but Il stuck. Considerable de-
bris, pieces Of broken plank, lengths Of
spars and odd articles from the ship lit
tered the sea around me. managed 10
set hold Of some spars and finally cap
tured a hatch. II spite Of the heavy. sea
mAl4lA N1S AAAA4AA4EH lllu44dEE4 10 DlLl
myself up on the hatch and make a life
raft Of Il, lying across it spread-eagle
fashion.
7 f7oated around for some tine. The
searohlights were playing ell over the
water, but il seemed TO ne that they
would never find ne. The searchlights
from the two revenue cutters and the
tug ScUIIy concentrated on the spot where
the Republic had gone down But some
how they missed me. managed to load
the chambers Of my revolver again and
fired several times IN an attempt TO
attract attention Then I got hold OF a
towel floating N the wreckage and waved
that when the light flashed on ne.
Then out Of the darkness sprang a
boat and I was hauled aboard OF her. I
was weak and finished I was glad to
find safe aboard her my mate, Williams.
who had stuck 70 me to the last He was
pretty well finished. ike myself. and
both Of US suffered acutely from the
cold
Lieut. Williams related al interesting
story Of what he termed the last dinner