South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-05-06
Clothing Taken From Corpse
Used as Distress Signal Di-
reCtS ReSCuerS to Survivors
of Burning Columbian.
FRANCONIA'S CAPTAIN
GIVES RESCUE DETAILS
Men Adrift 40 Hours After ES-
cape From Blazing Ship Are
Picked up in State of Com
pIete Exhaustion.

BOSTON. Mass. May Clothing
taken from a corpse and waved from
a boat hook brought rescue TO thirteen
survivors of the burned steamer Co
lumbian
Captain Miller of the CUnard liner
FTancOnia. which picked up the thlr-
teen survivors and the body OF the
chief steward, told his own story OF
the rescue in wireless messages from
his vessel today. His report follows:
1--WE received a wireless from the
steamer Georgia at 11:2 "A. m. on May
that the Seydlitz passed in 41;27
north. 59:07 west. large steamer
burning all over the hull, high out of
water fOremaSt and funnel gone ana
no people on board
AT the same time ] received wire
less from Sable island requesting me
TO endeavor to identify the burning
steamer should L pass close At 1:15
u. m we received a press despatch
that there was great alarm over the
Seydlitz report that a big ocean liner
was ahre. This despatch said there
had been rescues by the Franconia
and asked for a brief despatch.
Rushed TO Liners Aid.
AT that time 1 replied: Rumor of
rescue not true ON receipt Of the
Georges message / changed my course
10 cross the position given of the
burning steamer. We arrived about
%. m. We could discover no trace OF
the wreck but we decided that owing
10 the false report that the Franconla
had made rescues and fearing its in
fuence on other possible rescuing
steamers, TO encircle the position in a
six mile radius.
AT $3.50 p. m. 7 sighted boat an
my starbOard bow. Being already
prepared for a rescue. the occupants
of this small boat we're taken on board
inn A
heavy swell was running at the time.
So I took the precautiOn OF putting out
my seabOatS to cover their embarka-
ton. The boat contained thirteen men
and corpse lying awash in he bottom
OF the boat. The survivors had used
the trousers leg from the corpse on
the end Of a boat hook for "A distress
signal. The survivors were in a state
of exhaustion and total collapse. Some
had been burned by fire.
Adrift 10 hours.
They stated hat they had been
adrift forty hours. Six were put nm
der the doctors care in the hospital
and the others were given brandy and
soup and Dathed in hot water and put
10 bed As they Immediately fell
asleep little information could be OBJ
taineG from them. The carpenter
said that the ship was the Columbian.
sailing from Antwerp, about $4,000
asleep but heard the alarm of fire. He
was coming along the deck and arrived
about amidShipS when an explosion
occurred under his feet which blew
him overheard He was picked up by
the boac.
THE lamp trimmers son stated that
his father was coming forward calling
for him when the deck blew up and
the father fell into the burning hold.
4 quartermaster said that Captain Nc
Donald. chief engineer. chief officer
and several others were getting a third
boat out when "A big explosion took
place lie does not know whether the
captain and others were saved. The
second officer got away with about
twenty-four men ten minutes before
the boat picked mp ny me got away.
"AIi agree that the IRE started at
midnight on Sunday, cause unknown.
III was first reported by the lookout
who saw smoke coming up from No.
4 hatch. Half an hour later the whole
ship forward and amidships was in
flames with constant and violent eNplo-
sionS. which wrecked the wireless ap-
paratus. We are carrying 20 Boston
the remains Of the chief steward who
was frightfully injured by the eXplo-
sion. lie was delirious soon after the
boat got away and died on Thursday
at midday.
"Our doctor certified that his death
was due 10 SnOCk and exposure after
picking up the boat I made another
detour. searching for the other boats
and deeply regret that I could not find
them. But many other steamers are
Fastening To the scene OF the disaster
and I trust that IL no already picked
Up they viii be rescued by steamers fol-
lowing.
"T have sent MarConigrams 10 all
ships 20 look out for the two missing
boats. I have received replies from
the Manhattan. Haverford and Ma
rengo."
ElAlIu hAlTIlAIr0n