Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1912-04-26
MRS. MINAHAN'S
TALE OF HORROR

Fond du Lac Woman Saw I'll
taniC Sink as Husband
Waves Last Farewell.
WAS IN LIFE BOAT WITH ISMAY
Declares Score of Women Remained
on Titanc's Deck When Ship
owner Left Vessel in Small Boat
Already Overloaded.
Chicago.-Leaning feebly upon the
arms of their brother, DR.. J. r. Min
ahan of Green Bay, their eyes moist
with the tears OF four days, Mrs. w.
f. Minahan of Fond du Lac, Wis,
and Miss Daisy Minahan os Green
Bay, Wis, aiighted from the platform
of the Twentieth Century Limited at
the LaSalle street station, at 9:15
o'clock yesterday morning-the first
survivors of the Titanic disaster to
reach this city.
TRAGIC END OF TRIP.
Mrs Minahan, physically worn
out, nervously wreck, burst into
historical sobs. 1t was at the same
station four months ago that she and
her husband, perhaps Fond du Lac's
best known physician and surgeon,
had boarded the Twentieth Century
flyer, with Miss Minahan, bound for
New York, whence they had planned
a delightful Mediterranean voyage.
They were happy party then. But
yesterday, as she left the train, Mrs.
Minahan realized that she was a
widow-ner husband had perished
with the hundreds of oilers in the
most terrible accident in the annals
of marine history.
Mrs. Minahan tried in vain to re-
late the terrible story. Before each
word there was the barrier of a
throat choked with sobs, and it was
impossible to gain coherent idea
OF what she and her sister had en-
dured during the few, though long
days, since the tragedy, until short
ly before she left on Northwestern
train for the home of her brother in
Green Bay.
MRS. MINAHAN'S STORY.
Partly through Dr. J. P. Minahan,
Mrs. Minahan told the story, weep
ing frequently, about as follows:
DIR. Minahan, his sister and N.Y.
self had retired early Sunday night
on account of the frigid temperatures
which was even felt in the cabins.
In the salon of the first cabin a, party
was in progress. and before retiring
we had joined those in the salon for
awhile. Cards were played by some,
others We're chatting and others were
enjoying the musical entertainment
IT was about $50 when | got
into bed, and l know / had been
sleeping soundly for two hours or
more when both the doctor and my
self we're awakened by frantic cries
outside our door My husband peer
ed into the corridor and saw Mrs.
John Jacob Astor running frantically
and shrieking: 1.-THE boats sinkingi
The boats sinking. Help! Help!
Help
Both fully AWAKENING from our
sleep we felt the huge ship reclin-
ing upon its portside. My husband
threw several blankets about me,
hurried into some clothes himself
and ran to the adjoining state room,
nhere Daisy was sleeping After
throwing blanket about her, he
LOOK us to the main deck, where we
FOUND things in confusion. Life boats
were being lifted down into the sea
ana two We're already being put off
with frightened and hysterical wom-
en- in them.
WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST.
The first thing that | heard was
this cry: Not one man must leave
'He boat until all of the children and
@ohen are cared for 1t was Mr..
Astor shouting, and the cry was re-
eehoed by number of brave men at
~ size. Among them | saw Ben
;siln Guggenheim, j. B. Thayer, C.
~ Hayes and Isidor Straus, and at
uls side his wife.
>. There was heart-rending wall
from the steerage. as the words that
the ship is sinking went up, and
"omen clinging to their babies and
Vuiiaren We're frenziad.
HEARD SHOTS FIRED.
-, men | heard members of the
sup crew crying out orders, which
~ one seemed to hear or heed. L
t an remember any one vivid pic
sule' 1t was all so awful. Both men
mn uu women We're praying and | re-
r' emoer someone shouted that the
Az operator had called for help
onu mat steamer was coming to
ma, ala. But that did not quiet
inc Tor the huge ship was sink
iaster and faster.
was too dumbfounded RI move