Evening star., 1909-01-25
DR.. Marsh's Account.

DR.. Marsh's Account.
DR. Marsh said:
4 was in my cabin and. hearing three
short whistles. knew that something was
wrong and turned out. / had hardly
got to my feet when the crash came.
There was one heavy thud and then
the engines stopped Half a minute later
the electric lights went out, and when |
opened my stateroom door | found my
self in darkness.
The saloon raIidiy filled with women
and children half dressed But every
body did as they were told and there was
panic. Let me say now they were
thoroughly Anglo-Ameriean people for
pluck.
IL went on deck and saw the lights Of
the Florida through the fGg. Capt. Sealby
gave orders to get the lifeboats ready. In
The meantime all the passengers came up
on the upper deck.
TT was then that Capt. Sealby said to
them:
II do not think the boat will sink. 1t
will go 70 certain point and hang
there
The women and children ard the men
gave three cheers for the captain. Then
with few exceptions they went 10 their
staterooms TO get their clothes
Mr.. Lynch is on board the Florida. lie
is broken hearted over the loss of his
wife. His leg is fractured. Mrs. NJ. j.
Murphy of Grand Forks, N OAK. sus-
tanned severe injury to her right limb
There is steward on board by the name
OF Woodward who sustained fracture
at the base of the skull.
Mrs Griggs. who injured had a
miraculous escape She was found under
a pile of debris. For q time it was be-
lieved she was lost.
Woman Falls Overheard.
Miss Francis c. Morse of Worcester,
Mass told of the narrow escape of her
sister, Mrs. Alice Morse Earle of Brook
lyn, from drowning during the transfer
Of passengers from the Florida to the
Baltic.
Miss Morse said:
Our lifeboat was heavily loaded and
for more than three-quarters of an hour
we pitched and tumbled in that sea try
ing to get TO the gangway of the Baltic
We were only half dressed and the
drenching rain soaked us to the skin
Nearing the Baltic. we found that our
lfeboat was much lower than the gang
aboard. Two Italian seamen on the gang
way lifted my sister, Mrs. Earle, from
her seat to assist her.
she lost her balance. As car boat
swung away she dropped into the sea
Twice she sank before the seamen coult
catch her dress with boat hook. Then
holding her with the hook. two seamer
took her by the hair and under the arms
and dragged her forth in safety.
We had only the clothes that We
have on. having lost all our money
iewelry and our baggage"
While the passengers of the Republic
were being carried to the Baltic word
was spread about the Florida that she
was in danger of sinking. Italian
steerage passengers. who until this
time evidenced no fears. became greatly
alarmed.
They pressed about the entrance of the
cangway. which was guarded by Chief
Steward Stanyer and three of the other
ships officers. The Italians made sew
eral rushes for the sangway but were
repulsed by the officers and one OF two
passengers of the Republic. who used
their fists and few convenient spikes
one officer is said to have drawn re-
volver. Another used a rope-end.
All night long. while the slow progress
was made in the transfer of passengers.
the Italians were in a constant state of
fright One Italian woman was knocked
of the gangway. but was pulled aboard a
lifcboat.
Rrayton Ives. one of the Republics pas
sengers. and widely known in the financial
and insurance world. said that the crew of
the Republic. as well as the passengers
displayed remarkable coolness
Mr.. Ives said:
II was asleep at the time, and when
| heard the crash thought it was blast
in the subway. There was a ripping noise
and then the lights went out
II lighted a Christmas candle which
had. After dressing l went on deck but
observed no disorder"