The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-01-27
Republics Captain Says
italian Steered Wrong.
PRAISE FOR WOMEN PASSENGERS
They Never Lost Their Heads Ii
the Most Trying Situations
and Acted Like Heroines,
He Declares.

New York. Jan. 26.-Captain Sealby
of the White Star steamer Republic,
who was rescued from drowning after
he had leaped from his sinking ship
south of Nantucket, declared today
that the italian Lloyd liner Florida
was to blame for the loss of the Re
public and her cargo and for the loss
of the baggage of her passengers.
"The Italian steered wrong" said
Captain Sealby, "and struck the Re
public amidships. Something went
wrong with the Florida's steering
wheel. A quartermaster had the wheel
when the commander yelled for 1t to
be jammed to starboard. He put 1t to
port instead. and the Florida crashed
into u.s.
Another version of the story is that
the man dropped his wheel in panic
when danger impended. Both versions
agree in saying that the commander
felled the quartermaster with an iron
spike following what he must have
considered the seaman's recreancy.
Possibly the verdict of a marine court
will be needed to determine the blame
Captain Sealby gave the warmest
praise to the conduct of the women
passengers. He said they never lost
their heads even in the most trying
situations and "acted like heroines.'
"It was mighty fine sensation
when 1 felt a strong hand seize me by
the hair when l came up the second
time" said Mrs. Alice Morse Earle,
xxyhn fall ha 1nrxy q
she was being transferred from the
Florida to the Baltic.
II had about given up hope, and in
the brief time that fancied was al
lowed me before l became unconscious
I was trying to resign myself to my
fate. l cannot swim. and l knew
could never save myself, but / felt
myself rising through those horrible
green depths, and then l felt a mans
hand seize Inc by the hair. 1t pulled
my hair terribly think l lost a lot
of it-but prayed that it wouldn't let
go, and when it pulled me to the edge
of the boat that brown face of the
italian sailor, the first thing / saw,
was the most welcome sight in the
world. He was Il brave and Il strong
man. and he pulled me into the dory
unaided''
Mrs. Herbert L. Griggs, who had a
narrow escape. said that she occupied
stateroom 80. next to the two rooms
occupied respectively by Mr.. Mooney
and Mrs. Lynch, who were killed.
Coming on near daylight" she said,
81 had fallen into nap when there
was terrific crash which sounded
like report Of cannon. All 1 re-
member of it was that I was covered
with debris.
Everything was in absolute dark
ness. 1 was pinned down by wreckage
and could not move. / think / lost
consciousness. / remember that
knocked repeatedly on ii piece of wood
that lay over my head. Then I cried
out as loudly as | could.
About that time / heard the voice
of my bedroom steward, who said:
There's woman in there. l know
there's "A lady in that berth. Let us get
her out
'They pushed their way in by ham
mering down some of the debris, and
Roberts, with ii cabin boy, brought me
out and carried me through the wreck
ed Murphy cabin, then through an
other wrecked cabin and into an alley
way. where was revived"
Mrs. f. McCready and her daughter,
Miss Grace McCready, were in state
room No. 2S. one of the five to receive
the brunt of the collision. They es-
capped without a scratch by what Mrs.
McCready referred reverently to as an
act of divine Providence.
''It was only the will Of God that
saved our lives" she declared, "for we
were thrown from our berths and piled
with wreckage. A great piece of iron
became wedged over us, but did not
touch u0, and we managed to crawl
out unscathed.
I'VE saved only our dressing gowns
and fur wraps. All my jewelry and
other clothing Is at the bottom of the
sea, but for that care nothing. That
we escaped with orr lives was a mir
acle."
Harry Savage LandOr, the African
explorer, a passenger on the Baltic,
was emphatic in his praise of the
pluck and bravery Of the American
women aboard the Republic.
'Never in my life." said the ex-
plorer, have l seen such splendid
nerve exhibited by human beings as
that displayed by the American WON
On after the terrible ordeal through