South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-05-19
WATCHED SHIP
AFTER SHIP co
STEAM|NG PAST
Men Aboard Life Boat For Over
Thirteen Days Had Several
Chances to be Rescued But
Vessel Never Halted.

HALIFAX. Y. =, May 19.-Four
wrecks Of humanity who "a hours be-
fore had abandoned all hope of life.
were tenderly carried down the side
of the revenue cutter Seneca Monday
and taken ashore TO the hospital
here. They alone OF ) men who took
TO one of the life boats when the
steamer Colum bian burned on May 3,
survived 13 y days exposure.
Eleven of their companions died IN
the boat from hunger, thirst and eX-
posture. Two or three Of them died
from hunger and exposure alone, but
the majority drank salt water, which
drove them insane, and one of the
last TO die, a giant Russian fireman,
tried TO murder his five companions.
lie was overpowered after a desperate
battle.
The 18th man to die. Mess Room
Steward Prieve, expired Sunday
morning He prophesied the disaster
shortly after the steamer left Ant
werp and added he dreamed he
would be a fortnight in an open boat.
When he expired the four survivors
gave up all hope The last OF the
biscuits on which they had existed
for nearly a fortnight were gone,
every drop of water was used up and
the gates of death were looming up
large in front of them when the
smoke of the revenue cutter was seen
and after a period of breathless
anxiety they were sighted.
Four Survivors.
The four survivors were Robert
There, first officer; Adelard Belanger
and oscar Wendall. seamen, and
Michael Lumwigsen, fireman.
Those who persisted were r. j.
Maggetts, third engineer George
Hull, oiler; Hans Anderson. fireman /;
G.. Antinio, fireman: Ernest Richmer.
fireman; Fritz Jakob. fireman; Gus
tafsen, fireman; .. christensen. sea-
man; Chrimberg. cook; Dyckman.
boy; Peter Prieve, boy.
With both feet swollen from cold
and exposure that they will have TO
be amputated. worn TO a skeleton by
hunger and thirst, Robert There, the
22-year-Old first officer of the Co
lumbar. lay in the sick ward OF the
revenue cutter Seneca and in a voice
which betrayed nothing OF the suffer
ings he had undergone. told the
story of the fateful 10 days cruise of
the missing life boat in which three
quarters of its crew died Of hunger.
thirst and exposure.
1T was in my Wa.ch that the eX-
plosion occurred said Mr.. There. Il
came on the bridge at midnight and
when relieving the third officer re-
marked that I smelled something
burning. A few minutes later the
quartermaster reported that there
was fire in No hatch. the coal
bunker. 1 turned in the fire call.
rousing all hands. and scarcely had
done so when there was a terrific ex-
plosion in the coal bunkers which
ripped up the whole boat deck.
think that the fire must have gotten
into the bunker and encountered gas
in the coal which exploded.
Columbian Was Ablaze.
Almost at once explosions follow
ed from AL the other matches and in
a few m nutes the Columbian was
ablaze forward and aft
There was no time TO wait for
more provisions. clothing or any
II ing We just had TO tumble into
the boats. TO row away as fast as we
could. for at any minute il seemed
the ship might go down. Some Of
the men just had on dungaree pants
and undershirts. and little Dyckman.
the cabin boy. wore only a pair of
trousers.
There was "A strong sOutherly wind
blowing. which drove US northward.
There was no time 70 put navigating
instruments In the boat and as We
drove northward we soon realized
that We might have trouble if We did
not meet any ship quickly.
Early in the morning We saw a
steamers light looming up. She
came On quickly ana from the size OF
her We judged il was the Olympic.