Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-04-25

ing stories which had been brought back
by the ship.
STORIES or CAPTAINS SUICIDE.
Physicians and nurses went aboard the
'arpathia before any one was allowed TO
go down the gangway. but soon after
the first cabin passengers, women pre-
dominating. began descending the incline.
Some walked unaided. some were assist
ed by friends, relatives and nurses, and
some were on stretchers. Mrs John Jacob
Aston, now widow. was met by her
strpson. Vincent. and her sister. Miss
Force. They embraced with tears hur-
ried to n limousine ana drove to the
Aston townhouse.
The two hundred and more steerage
passengers did not leave the ship until
eleven O'Clock. They We're In a sad con
dition. The women were without wraps
and the few men there We're wore very
little clothing. \ poor Syrian woman,
who said she was Mrs. Habush. bound
for Youngs town. ohio. carried in her
arms six year old baby girl The child
wore only a light calico dress, was bare
footed and bare legged. This woman had
lost her husband and three brothers. 81
| lost four of my men folks" she cried.
One of the most sensational stories that
came from the Carpathia was ono that
Captain Smith. and the first officer and
the CHIEF engineer had shot themselves
| when they realized that the ship was
doomed These reports could not be con-
| ilrmed; in fact they were denied by most
of the passengers although one or two
said that they had heard there was some
sho oting.
! DISCIPLINE SEEMED WONDERFUL.
New York, April 1S.-E. u. Taylor of
! Philadelphia. one OF the survivors.
| jumped into the sea three minutes be-
| fore the boats sank. He told a graph
| ic story as he came from the Car
| pathla
| Il was eating when the boat struck
/ the iceberg he said. There was "a
awful shock that made the boat trem-
| bic from stem 10 stern. No one SEEM
ed to know the extent Of the accident
/ We were told that an iceberg had been
struck by the ship. felt the boat
rise and it ed to me that she was
riding over the ice. ran out on leck
and then could see ice II was n
Neritablc sea of ice and the boat was
rocking over il. | should say that
PARTS of the iceberg we're so feet high.
bat it had been broken into sections,
probably by our ship
II jumped into the ocean and was
| picked up by one OF the boats. |
never expected to see land again.
! Waftcd on board the boat until the
lights went out. 1t seemed to me that
the discipline on board was wonder.
! full"
COZ. Archibald Oracle. L. s. A.. the last
man saved, went down with the vessel.
but was picked up. He. was met tonight
by his daughter. who had arrived from
Washington. and his son-in-law. Paul II.
Fabrcus Colonel Oracle told a remark
able story of personal hardship and denied
cmphaticaly the reports that there had
been any panic on board, He praised In
| the highest terms the behavior OF both
the passengers and crew and paid a high
tribute to the heroism OF the women.
MRS. sTRAUS WOULD NOT GO.
Mrs. Isidor Strauss" he said, went IA
her death because she would not desert
her husband. Although he pleaded with
her 10 take her place In the boat she
stoadfastly refused and when the ship
settled at the head the two were en-
gullcd by the wave that swept her"
Colonel Oracle told OF how he was
driven to the topmost deck when the
ship settled and was the sole survivos
after the wave that swept her just before
her final plunge had passed.
II jumped with the wave" said ne
| Just as ! often have jumped with the
breakers at the seashore. by great good
fortune | managed to grasp the brass
railing on the deck above and ! hung on
by might and main When the shI
plunged down | was forced to let go and
was swirled around and around for
what seemed " be an interminable time