Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-31
GIVES BEL 7
. To WOMAN
AND SINKS
Deeds Of Unsurpassed Heroism
on Part of Monroe's Crew
Told by Survivors.

NORFOLK, VA, Jan. 31.-Heroism
unsurpassed in the annals of the sea
was revealed to-day by the stories
told by the passengers of the sunken
liner Monroe. And in the forefront
of the heroes stands the name of
Ferdinand ]. Kuehn, the 21-year- old
wireless operator who remained at
his post until his batteries failed. and
then gave up his own life that a
woman might be saved. Ninety nine
in all were rescued, and 80 drowned.
according to revised figures.
Kuehn was the sole support of his
parents and little sister but he went
to his death without hesitation when
the crisis came. r. L. Etheridge,
the junior operator, gave a thrilling
description of Kuehn's sacrifice to-
day.
He was man 20 the very last"
said Etheridse. HE insisted that |
should save myself. and said that he
would remain behind. AS soon as the
crash came he flashed the IS. o. s.
over the sea, but had to give up his
efforts when the batteries failed.
Then he got his life preserver.
Suddenly he saw a woman who had
no preserver, and thereupon was en-
acted the greatest deed OF heroism
that | ever EXPECT To see
Placed His Belt on Woman.
Making his way along the tilted
deck to the woman, Ferdie said quiet
ly, Here. take this and jump. It's
your last chance.
He placed the cork belt about the
woman and threw her overheard. She
was picked up by a llfeboat from
the Nantucket. but Ferdie, poor fell
low, went down with the ship. He
would not leave as long as there we're
others on board. He died hero"
Peter Davis. negro head waiter on
the Monroe, crawled along the gun
vale of the sinking liner took Off his
life preserver and adjusted it on an
elderly white woman. An officer
urged Davis to seek another life pre-
server. He replied: Never mind me.
I'm looking after the ladies'. He was
drowned
Members OF the Monroes crew took
off life preservers and gave them TO
Charles Rollins and his wife, of Law
renceville, Va. who were saved
Charles Sutton, member OF the
crew. gave Sallie McCombs. passen-
ger. his life preserver and swan
alongside her till she was saved.
Government Starts Probe.
While the waters OF the Atlantic
near Hog Island were giving up TO-
day some of the bodies OF the Mon q.
roe, which was rammed and sunk b.
the Merchants and Miners liner Nan =
tucket, steps were taken here by the
Department of Commerce for one OF
the most rigid inquiries undertaken
by the Government to fix the blame
for a sea disaster.
Some OF the survivors who were
brought to port by the collision dam
aged Nantucket were still In hospi-
tails, and doctors were fighting to
save the reason OF Miss Hilda Havi-
land, leading lady of the Mac Aria
Theatrical Company, who was in Sc
rious condition from shock and ex-
posure
The three chief lines OF inquiry TO
be followed in the Federal investi-
cation:
Whether the masters Of the two
ships used every possible precaution,
Including speed reduction and con-
tinuous use of the sirens on account
of the dense fog.
Whether the heavy death toll on
the Monroe was due to any extent TO
absence Of discipline among the
crew,
Whether the two vessels were in
their proper navigation routes when
the disaster occurred.