The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-01-26
HERO|SM OF.
CAPT AIN
RELATE D
Commander and Brave Sc
cond Officer Stay Until
Ship Goes Down.

Woodshole, Mass. Jan. 25.-The
story Of the sinking OF the big liner
Republic and the heroism Of Captain
Sealby in sticking to his vessel until
il, had sunk beneath him. was told to-
day by Lieutenant Scott executive
officer Of the revenue cutter Gresham.
Lieutenant Scott said that when the
Gresham found the Republic Sunday
morning the passengers and all the
crew had been transferred TO the Bal.
tic. except the second officer and 35
men. who had volunteered to stay by
their chief, Captain Sealby.
The Gresham and a British passen-
ger steamer passed lines to the Repub-
lie to tow the injured vessel, but she
proved very unmanageable In the
northwest wind Late In the after
noon the derelict destroyer Seneca ar
rived and passed n line to the Repub-
lie, but by that time she was making
water. At Z o'clock last night the en-
tire crew were ordered by Captain
Sealby to abandon the ship. They
easily overlook the Gresham and said
they could not persuade Captain Seal
by to leave his vessel. and the second
officer refused to leave the Side Of his
commander.
"At S o'clock last night" continued
Lieutenant Scott, the bow Of the Re-
searchlights. was seen rising fast.
Five minutes later two pistol shots
were heard and two blue lights were
burned At $40 the Republics bow
shot up high in the abr and she sank
In thirty-eight fathoms Of water in a
position fifteen miles west southwest
Of Nantucket south shoals lightship.
"a lifeboat was dropped from the
side OF the Gresham and a crew un-
der command of Gunner Carl Johan-
son, started of. The boat returned in
three quarters Of an hour with both
the captain and the second officer on
board. They had been picked up
clinging to wreckage. Neither had on
life preservers.
When the Republic began to sink.
Captain Sealby climbed the foremast
and reached the masthead light as
his boat went down The second off,
Ger jumped from the rail to the sea
sustained Slight bruises in striking
the surface Of the water. Captain
Sealby was unhurt
The Republic was struck on the
port side little more than two.thirds
Of the way aft, A large hole was torn
In her side, which was clearly visible,
but. as sometimes happens In such
cases. she had big list to starboard.
Captain Sealby stated that on the
deck Of the Republic when she went
down, rested two caskets containing
the bodies OF those passengers who
had been killed In the collision"
According to the officers of the
Gresham. Captain Sealby and the men
Of the Republic praised the conduct
Of the Republics passengers during the
hours Immediately following the ac-
cident when 1t was known the vessel
might go down at any time. While
preparations were being made to aban-
don the Republic one woman beguifed
the time OF waiting for the boats by
sitting down on the deck Of the Repub-
lie to play solitaire Another passen-
ger, a man. came up TO the first off,
Ger and, apologizing for speaking to
him on such an occasion, when he
knew he was very busy, said that his
wife had been injured and asked that
she be taken In one of the first boats.
The man also was injured. but made
no mention Of the fact. Captain Seal
by said that room was made for these
people In the first boat that left the
ship.
Gunner Johanson declined to discuss
his exploit In leading In the rescue Of
Captain Sealby, and Second officer
Williams. but from other members Of
the Grey the story was obtained.
When the Republics crew, at the
command Of Captain Sealby, left the
steamer. he said that he would signal
before the final plunge Of his ship In
order that the towing lines might be
cut and the possibility Of the Gresham
being drawn under avoided Those
on the Gresham were watching for
the signal and when at length 1t flash
ed out, accompanied by two pistol
shots, the connecting hawser was
severed with an axe. At the same in.
stant the Gresham's lifeboat was low
cred and Gunner Johaneon, with four
Of the Gresham's mon and four from
the Republic, pulled swiftly toward
the whirlpool made by the sinking
steamer. Once when Gunner Johan-
son was peering into the darkness,
small spar. possibly a flagstaff, shot
up and struck him In the face, caus-
Ing bad bruise. The boat came by
accident upon Second Officer williams
as he was swimming Although he
was hampered by his heavy oyercoat,