Evening star., 1909-01-26
CAPTAIN OF REPUBLIC
TELLS OF HIS PERILS
Narrative of Last Moments on Sink
ing Ship as It Goes Down.
HE CLIMBED TO MASTHEAD
Wicked Up on Grating by Gresham's
Boat-Tribute to Second Officer
Williams and Wireless
Operator.

NEW York. January o6.-Capt. Sealby
and his officers and most of the crew of
the wrecked steamship Republic were
given a remarkable demonstration today
when they landed at the pier of the White
Star line from the revenue cutter Man
haitian. which transferred them from the
revenue cutter Seneca.
\ great throng of officers and seamen
of the steamships of the White Star line
in dock, together with three. or four hun
dred spectators. was on the dock when
Capt. Sealby and his shipwrecked crew
stepped down the gangplank.
Officers and seamen alike made a rush
for Capt. Sealby. Lifting him to their
shoulders. they carried him the whole
length of the dock to the street, while
the crowd yelled itself hoarse and stew
ards on the steamships blew trumpets.
Behind the captain the crowd carried
aloft the brave Binns, the wireless tele-
graph operator.
Capt. Sealby was carried from the street
to the offices of the steamship company,
on the second floor of the pier. There,
only on his earnest protest. would the
crowd cease its demonstration.
Capt. Sealby's Story.
Few marine stories in recent years Of
dramatic intensity the narrative that
Capt. Sealby told today of the escape of
Second Officer Williams and himself from
the Republic. The captain would not talk
of the collision with the steamer Florida.
Capt. Sealby said:
1t was about 8 o'clock Sunday night
when the Republic was sinking. and only
myself and Williams were on the bridge.
There was rumblns and cracking at
the after end of the boat. The stern was
settling rapidly and the sea was bad.
Then / said to Williams: We'll, what
do you think about 1t. ,villiams?' And
Williams answered: L don't think 1t will
be long race. Let us sprint for It. when
you are ready, let her go.
Il looked aft again and saw how fast
she was going. 1 told Williams 10 burn
blue light. Then I fired my revolver five
times to let the boats around me know
that we were going off.
Turning to Williams. l said: Let US
take to the forward rigging. We ran
from the bridge TO the saloon deck, ourn-
ing our blue lights as we went and carry
ing an ordinary lantern.
when we got to the saloon deck the
water was coming in little aft OF where
we stood. AS we ran forward the stern
was sinking so rapidly and the incline was
so steep that when We got to the fore rig.
ging we started to slip back and co0io
hardly keep on deck.
Climbs to Masthead.
.'The last 1 saw of Williams he had
crossed the port rail and was hanging
over the side. 1 took to the rigging and
went up as high as the masthead lights
a distance of many feet.
Il rested there and took out blue
light 1t was wet and would not go off.
then fired the last shCt from my re-
volver.
hnI to
coming up under my great Soat and
floated. The revolver and my binocular
held my coat down. acting as sortsof
ballast.
AT this time the water was a roaring
seethinG mass all about me. | was
caught in whirlpool fer some time. I
was churned around until l came to the
surface.
Il tried to pull off my coat but could
not. There was considerable debris l
tried to catch hold of some of the spars.
Then 1 caught hold CT a hatch covering
and pulled myself out on the hatch and
lay on II. spread-eagle fashion.
The searchlights had been playing on
the chip and were now playing on the
spot where she went down. 1t seemed an
intermnable time until they did see me.
II managed to load my revolver again
and fired it to attract their attention. The
bullets had been creased and that kept
them dry.
Il was getting weak, cold and numb.
/ just lay on the hatch and saved my
strength until the last. shouting at in
tervals. Then, when the lights played
on me ! waved towel which l had
found floating near me.
Shortly after the boats from the reve-
nue. cutter Gresham picked me up and
carried me aboard. l found Williams
in that little lifebcat. l thought / had
sean the last of him
Distribution of Praise.
Capt. SeaIby praised in unmeasured
terms the courage and pluck of the Re-
public's passengers, officers and crew and
Operator Binns. He will make his re-
port of the accident to the officers of the
White Star Company some time today
Second Officer Williams said that when
he found himself in the sea he seized two
pieces of floating grating and held him.
self up between them until picked up by
the revenue cutters boat.
Officer Williams said:
They found me before they picked up
Capt. Sealby. When the captain was
taken aboard the lfeboat he lay still for
a time. Then he turned and threw his
arms around me and said, You were
game to the last