The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-05-02
WITNESS OF "a TELLS
OF TITANIC TRAGEDY
AND HIS own ESCAPE
Lone Traveller From Sweden
Describes Events in Ships
Dying Moments.

Hawarden, Ia, April 29.-One Of the
survivors Of the Titanic, a boy IA years
old. arrived In Hawarden yesterday on
his way to Alcester, s. D., where his
father is.
The boy, whose name is Cervin
where he left his mother and five of
her children, entirely alone. A COM
rade, several years Older, had meant ia
accompany him, but decided to travel
on a Scandinavian boat. The boy. who
does not speak a word Of English was
entertained last night at the home of
Mr.. Elmer johnson, OF the firm OF
Johnson & Cooper. of this place, and
through Mr.. Johnson an interesting
story Is given Of the young travellers
experiences.
Sailors Joke Of Accident.
Cervin was a third cabin passenger
and was asleep In his bunk at the time
OF the collision. He and three men who
shared his compartment were aroused
tokingly Of the accident, saying that
they had stuck O ma sandbar. Cervin
went up on deck, where many passen-
gers were standing about with life belts
on. The sailors made fun Of them for
wearing them. There was not much
confusion or excitement, but as the Of
flcers began to fill the life boats, peo-
bh~ Wy civ NiVy "StS Nv
very roughly by the officials, as they
had to do to keep any discipline. Ger
vim himself tried repeatedly to get into
a boat but again and again was
crowded back. The deck was covered
with handbags, suit cases and all sorts
of light baggage which passengers had
meant to a X with them in the boats
but they were not allowed to 10 SO.
Finally the boy managed to get into
q boat and was allowed to stay. There
were so persons In this boat, mostly
women and children. They were all
very quiet, even when the ship sank,
which they plainly saw, being as the
boy put 1t "just about a kilometer away
when it went down." A kilometer is
fve-eighths Of a mile.
Mon Shoot Themselves.
He declares that he saw a man,
whom he thought to be one of the
officers, shoot himself. HE put his
gun right in his mouth and shot" He
also says that there was considerable
shooting on deck. After they were in
the boat. they heard many shots. The
three men who had been his room
mates, he never saw again. but in his
feboa was a young Swedish woman
the only n in the boat to whom he
could talk. She had been married but
two months. Her husband was also a
passenger and vas drowned. After
poo siA HouTS III the lie BOAT they
were taken on h Carpathia. All had
been very still till then, out as the ship
approached, the woman screamed and
cried and went crazy as Cervin put
1t. They did not seem to know what
they were doing n many Of them
had be taken board the ship by force.
In the other boats, they were the same
way. On the Carpathia he was put
In the steerage with "dagoes and
Chinese" and thought he had pretty
poor quarters, though thankful for any.
Treatment in New York.
On reaching New York he was taken
TO the Swedish Lutheran Emigrant
home, which Is in charge of Rev. Lila,
q prominent minister of that domina-
ton. Here he staid while in New York.
He was given two suit cases full of
clothing, an o%vercoat and $25 in cash
BY the relief committee. He tells of
countless kindnesses that he has re-
ceived in New York and on his way
here and says he thinks this the great
est country n the Americans the
kindest people in the world.
The boy is described as an unusually
shrewd, bright lad. and to this he
doubtless owes his life, as he was
among the saved entirely by his own
efforts. He left by the early train for
Alcester near which place his father is
working on n farm.