The Washington herald., 1914-05-31

Montreal. May so.-walter Fenton. an
accountant from Montreal. whose home
Is IN Manchester. England. Is q frsi
cabin survivor OF the Empress disaster.
In an exclusive interHew today he
said:
When was awakened by crash and
shock. opened the door OF the cabin
next to mine which was occupied by two
friends, ". G. Brandon and p. c. Aver
deck. both from Manchester. near my
home. and they were sitting up in BED
rubbing their eyes
Il told them what was the matter and
hastened to get into some clothes. as the
boat was sinking rapidly and listed to an
angle Of y degrees. ! never saw either
of my friends again. Both were drowned:
No Uniformed onscers.
When went out on deck what struck
me the most forcefully was the utter
absence of any officer In uniform.
didn't see an officer anywhere. With
others l hastened to lower boat ano
got into it. It was crowded fun in Few
moments
we pushed or from the snip and be-
gan to nick up the struggling humanity
in the water We certainly had fun
house. Five other boats were launched,
and one to my knowledge foundered be-
fore II was dlled- 49, 5zsss s..ss = -
we rowed for the Storstad with the
water almost up to our lgvnwaies and
finally arrived at the golfers side. We
passed many corpses from both ships
Some of our people IN the boat nso 70
be Hfted aboard the Storstad they were
in such a fatigued and weakened con-
dition from exposure and fright
The scene beggars description I new
er want to Ike through such night
again
II want to say however. to the credit
Of our common humanity that during
all the terrible experiences of that hor-
rible night 1 never once saw single
case Of cowardice."
- Survivors, stories.
Win bowed head and tremulous voices
survivors of the Empress of Ireland dis
aster today told stories of their expe-
rience which out-thrilled anything in
fiction.
Tales appaIingly pitiful were told by
men and women. Some cried out in their
anguish that they did not wish to be
reminded of the tragedy.
OF the 100 survivors who reached Que
bee lest night. number came to Mon
treaf Today. One of the tragic figures of
the disaster is nine-year-cld Grace Han
nisan. who was made an orphan by the
tragedy. Maj Atwell, who with his
tie girl. told the story.
'Hannigan was on deck with his wife
and saw them said Mai, Atwell.
There was Ettle Grace ciinging to her
mothers skirts and crying. Suddenly
i saw the girl separated from her par
ents and then we leaped into the water
and were later picked up. I did nor
sec Grace again until We met her on
the train going from Rfmousd to Que
bee. The girl told us that when the
boat listed she fell into the water. She
managed to cling to a large piece of
wood until she was picked up by a life
boat" --a =
CIinEs to Hi. shirt.
His wife holding on to his undershirt.
the major said he and Mrs. Atwell
started to swim away from the ship.
Mrs Atwel went down three times. but
managed to make a lifeboat.
'T never even got wet said Louis f.
Gosseiin. a Montreal lawyer. While
trying TO launch a boat my feet went
out from under me and / slid down the
Inclined deck on my back. thought
sure i was going into the water. Sud-
denly a collapsible raft began sliding
down the deck in my wake. Heavens
only knows where 1t came from. 1t
gained on me and at the edge of the
deck il slid under me and we both went
over into the water with myself on the
raft. / did not touch the water and was
soon picked up."
Mrs Kierney, of Toronto, who was
described as lone of the bravest women
of the lot by an officer of the ship, told
her story in half pathetic, half hu-
morous way. She lost her savings Of
eighteen years. which she was taking to
England with her. ....
Weeping won't bring it back" said
she philosophically. r
The impact was strong enough to
awaken, but not severe enough to knock
a man from his feet" said Maj. Morris,
one Of the few survivors of the Salvation