New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-16
1hrcnq Masses About Hebrew
Shelter to See Those Saved
from the VOlturn1.
GAYS CREW FLED DANGER
Young Man, Thought Dead,
Tells Tale of Cowardice-De-
scribes Passengers Mad
Fight for Life.

doOr Of the Hebrew SHei'ei anu Aiiii''
r-ant Aid Society. at No. 229 East Broad
gov Yesterday when it was learned that
.ssengers rescued from the Nolturno
Nil he brought to that institution from
,he Grosser Kurfiirst.
Some had been at their vigil since day
,,sak Among these was Mrs Beck Tan
as,nick, of No. go East l0lst street.
hose son Akiva had left Warsaw 10 go
- hoard the Volturn1 The son was not
40 of those who were brought 10 the
building.
Early in the afternoon several automo-
hges lent to aid in the work. began to
arrive at the society When the first
~.re ND the crowd surCed forward. and
tho special detail of police had difficulty
in holding tie people IN check.
First to step out of the machine was
puhin RnIer twenty ears old. who was
70 have gone to the home of his brother
Harry al No. EOS East lG5th street. The
youth his face drawn and pale. stag
gered toward the steps. 1t was learned
that his feet had teen blistered by the
heat Of the deck.
Refore he reached the door a man
struggled through the police lines ana
threw his arms around Rubin's neck
sobbng together they walked into the
b,ildinC. Then it was learned that the
m>n was the brother. Harry, who had
scanned the steamship lists without fn6-
Inr the others name and had given his
brother up Tor lost. II was only by chance
that ne had gone to the Hebrew insGtU-
ton.
When the two brothers became quoted
Rubin told a story OF cowardice among
the crew and of an ordeal of seven hours
IN the water clinging TO rope until
boa. Of the Grosser Kurfurst picked MIN
tip
Il was in the steerage when the room
became smoky" ne said. through an in
terpreter. Two Jews rushed in. They
we're shouting Fire" There was a
scramble by those In the steerage to
reach the stairways leading TO the upper
deck. We saw the flames and could feel
the heat blistering our feet Some OF the
frenzieC ones trampled others underfoot;
some pulled and tugged to drag back
those that had gone before, in order to
take their places
COOlO see ptDllt SlOtiiS ''''i'
through the dense cloud Of black and then
fall on the deck There were five hundred
persons on the upper deck. all herded to-
eether like cattle and struggling to get
to the rail and into the boats
"A number of the crew were busy with
Nfeboats. I thought they were getting the
boat ready for the women and children.
hut then | saw the women pushed aside
and saw the men climb I'm themselves
II saw the boat reach the water. but II
vas only a short life they enjoyed. for
the boat was smashed against the SIDE
Of the steamship.
Il saw six children and a woman clmD-
Ing one % the masts. in fear the SLIP
was sinking. The mast broke, but three
o, the children and the woman lung TO
something The others fell into the sea
and were drowned.
Where | stood the heat was so intense
II singed my hair and l afterward found
my feet were blistered from the heat OF
the deck. l jumped into the water to
keep from being burned alive. | knew
that the people on the deck were crying
and praying. and could see more boats
WheItut Only 10 SllldSit dSdiAiSN N'N ''N'N'
For seven hours I remained in the
water. holding 10 a rope.
How. even in the midst of the panic
that prevailed in the steerage, the Jews on
board the Volturno remembered the teach
ings Of their faith was told by Pincus
Rabinowitz
II was tale Of the attempts OF the
little band Of Jews 10 save one or their
most sacred possession. the sacred scroll
which had been given them by rabbi In
Rotterdam for use on the morning o,
the Day of Atonement.
In the midst Of the ceremony two boys
rushed into the cabin and cried that the
ship was on fire The ceremony was in
,erruped. and each hurried to get his
relatives or friends together and go on the
upper deck
In the confusion the scroll was mislaid.
Il was not until several were clustered on
the upper deck that some one remembered
that II had been left behind.
The safa torah will be burned :" some
one shouted
No one moved. None Of them would
face the fire which had driven them out.
Then the people went into their DOCK
eu" said Rabinowitz. and brought out
the money they had. They held II out
70 the younger men.
Take this they entreatcd. Take II
slL It is yours II you go below and get
he holy SCROLL"
One Of the younger men volunteered ana
turned 70 his companions.
Il was with them" continued hao'no-
wtz. 1--WE were forced back by the
smoke But then it lifted and we started
Gown the stairs. Half way down a man
appeared before us We were pushed oy
strong arms.
Get back he was saying. It's sure
oeath If you go down now
But the safa torah.' the young man
Who haG volunteered answered.
The man on the stairway had inc
suength Of a giant He pushed us PACK
W tie stairs When he got out on deck
ana the smoke was blown away j saw
mat II was Captain Inch himself.
K Kelmarkiewar, who had awakenei
With the first cry OF Fire :" said he heard
an explosion
am not sure that the fire was caused
W smoking in the steerage." he said. but
KNOW that those OF the crew who served
ne meals to the passengers were smoking
all the time"
mere were eighty-three In all who
''e taken from the steamship to the
nsorew society's house. OF these most
d.. II II los 4