Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-11-14
Minneapolis Man Tells Con-
dItiOnS on Board hell
Ship
Passengers. Not Allowed TO
Dress, Sent ShiVefing
on Deck
~
Confusion EVerywheie;Ofunk.
en- Sailors We're Panic
Stricken
Life Boats Crambling; No
Straps for Rotten Life
Presefvers

st. Paul, Nov. 13.-Sensational charges
that the, Volturno. transatlantic liner,
which burned with heavy loss OF life re-
Gently, was equipped with worthless life
saving apparatus, are made in affidavits
filed with c. F. Hamilton, British vice
consul in st. Paul, by survivors of the
ocean disaster.
Mr.. Hamilton accepted the %affidavits
Chicago, at the ~latter's request. The
St. Paul man would not divulge the ma
ture of the disclosures today, but from
the atlantis themselves, through an in
terpreterI, the charges We're learned.
According to their stories, many of
officers and members OF the crew were
drunk. Some stole a lifeboat and a
their W escape, while passengers burn
ed and drowned. Nearly all life-preservers
were so flimsy that they fell to pieces
with the weight lo1 the passengers and
drowned hem, and other lifeboats could
not bcygOt of the dayits.
Mrs. Mary Zulkowska, 6s5 Marshall
street. Minneapolis. and John J~abloneski,
Ola Fifth street northeast, Minneapolis
olturna survivors $, ARE autnorlty tor these
sensational charges. They have reconnted
the samessstGries tV dozens ct. their friends
III all essential points the tale Of the
hell ship as5fgiveli by Jabloneski, is
identical with that told by Mrs. Zulkow-
ska. She remained in the ship a little
accompanied by ave children when they
let Rotterdam III the steerage, Oct. 2.
Jablonskis children became separated
from him. ana were taken 20 Havre.
They are said to be on their way to
This is Joblonski's story Of the disas-
ter:
1T was the evening before the fire
alarm-I think October SHAT my wife
and my children. and started to our
ship was burning None of the officers
did anything about 1t. We Went to bed.
early the next morning we were all
called on deck and told the ship was
and were not allowed to take anything
with us to keep sus warm. There was
plenty. of time to get warmer clothing
and shoes. but the stewards would not
which were lost.
MY wife. my children and l went on
deck. The fire was burning in the bow.
We W. to the stern and remained
r 1esre; s ships esme = sSH o plovi sna1l T sss
made for feeding us or giving us water.
There was no discipline, everywhere
was confusion. A lifeboat was lowered
the first one. A panic stricken 10y
ten that he went straight through the.
bottom. and he boat sunk. Tyeny-M
women and children. got into the next
boat. The bottom fell ont and the sides
COLLAPSED. drowning them.
The davits were so rusty and the
chains so rusty, too, that many Of the
life boats could not be lowered at all.
smashed but one. three officers got in 1t.
They said they were going to one of the
rescue ships. Before they got there they
stood waist deep In water and the other
ships crew had to aid them.
THE first and second captain and one
steward were all the crew. Of the Vol
turno who remained AIN and tried to
help the passengers.
The fire got hotter n hotter. II
crowded us back to the stern. 1t burned
under the deck and scorched our feet. It
burned all around us. At s9p. M. I became
panic stricken. I begged my wife to give
me the Youngest child and let me jump
with it. She said. no: I sought HE pre-
servers. They were rotten. Most Of them
had no straps. The one I tied on had
body.
4 jumped overheard in my frenzy. For
I'VE hours ] was In the water before