The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-31
THRILLING STORY
OF CAPT. Johnson
Commander of Monroe Tells
How His Vessel Went
Down.
GREAT HEROIsM DISPLAYED
Many Passengers Refuse to Take
to Lifeboats-Bravc Death
of Operator.
GREAT HEROISM DISPLAYED
Especial to The T1mes-Dispatch. J

most thrilling stories ever related over
the long distance telephone was heard
to day by President Walker, of the
Old Dominion Steamship Company, who
sat in the Raleigh Hotel here. and
listened to Captain Johnson. of the III
fated ship Monroe. tell of the terrible
disaster in Chesapeake Bay.
Captain Johnson talked from his
room in a Norfolk hotel. where he
sought seclusion after his experience.
| The story told by Captain Johnson
to his chief Official was tho first real
istic description OF the catastrophe OBJ
talned. President Walker repeated the
story, substantially. as follows:
ut was a disagreeable, foggy night
when we left Norfolk Thimble shoai
light. in Hampton Roads. could not be
seen thirty yards away. Six hours
were consumed In the passage from
Old Point wharf to where we were
wrecked. little less than forty miles
The Monroe went down eighteen miles
north of Cape Charles.
Nearly All on noard AsIcen
The siren was kept continuously I'm
action. At the time the Nantucket
struck, we were lying to. The Nan
tucket was moving at slow rate.
All at once there was terrible crash
we were struck amidships, tho bow
lof tho Nantucket rending n fearful
hole In the side Of the Monroe. was
on the bridge at tho time. The first
mate was dispatched below, and other
officers were sent to care for the pas
sengers Practically all on board were
asleep. except those on duty. We had
been struck on the starboard side. and
sleepers out OF their berths
Immediately there was a rush for
the promenade deck. although there
was little confusion. We tried our
pest TO get the passengers up on tho
boat deck and into tho lifeboats. but
many refused to go. The boats on the
low side were easily launched
quickly rs possible we got the pas
sengers into the lifeboats, proyidinr
each with life-preservers
mere ,i,,, was choppy sea, and the air
Has chilly Lifeboat No. g. the f7rst
BOAT launched. swamped as soon az
she struck The water. Bont No bod
been crumpled by the collision and
could not be used.
First officer Horsley launched life
boat No. 8. taking with him ten nae
sengers. He picked twenty four out or
the water Lifeboat No. 2 WINS launch
eu OH the forward deck, carrying ten
passengers. and when safely away
eo mo slnKinG vessel. picked up
second Mate Gately. who was foatinp
on ladder. s
Two boats from the Nantucket
picked up fourteen OF our peopie
iaunched llfeboat No. myself. takin~
M Mn me inc last eight on board. and
picking up twenty-seven persons Who
houndered In the Icy waters"
captain johnson said that manv or
tHe passengers were taken away In
ene,r night cloths suffering from the
td. some were battered and
tossed about In the water. and othars
We're, we're struck by floating timbers.
Twelve of these are In st. vincentss
Hospital. in Norfolk.
Leaves for Scene of Disaster.
Nonf esloent Walker left tonight on the
Norfoik boat, bound for the scene or
the disaster, and said he had wired
instructions to the officials of the com
pahy there to look after the shipwreok.
ed passengers oN
- I'VE VIII do all in our power to take
care of them" he said "So,ne ~,iII
have to be provided with clothes and
may want to be sent immediateiv to
Iheir homes Their comfort will be our
ghrst consideration"
president Walker. before leaving for
said: ="
The Monroe was one of tho snest
SHIPS or our line. She was modern in
eNery detail. equipped with all the lat
est NE saving appurtenances and safe
guarded by water-tight compartments
aboard.
1t Is beyond me why such a shin On
tho Monroe should have sunk so sud
denly but 1 attribute 1t to the fearful
dow she received amidships. before anv
one had time to realize the damage
done.
within the last thirty davs Tho
n sol III
ton and was pronounced absoIutelv
sate' believe there was not a strong
err punt ship plying the Atlantic Coast
than the Monroe"
president Walker said the Monroe
was built in 1903 by herself. there be-
ing no sister ship, as is usual. She
was II singlecrew vessel, measuring
800 feet overall. She was fortvsix
feet wide and the depth OF her hold
was twenty-eight feet six inches. Her
weight was 400 tons
TO show that tho loss OF life could
In no way be attributed to improper
precautton. President walker said
there were nine lifeboats in readiness.
each capable of holding thirty per-
sons Tho full capacity OF the boat
provides for 234 passengers. and at
the time Of the accident there was ONLY
1873 aboard.
His Death Heroic.
The heroism and death OF Chief
wireless Operator Kuehn. was de-
scrlbed to President Walker by Cap
tain Johnson. of the Monroe, as fol-
lows:
'Kuehn was standing by lifeboat
No. 3. and was about to leave the sink
Ing ship. He had life preserver on.
saw him unfasten tho preserver
place 1t about the waist of q woman
and after seeing her safely away,
missed his footing and fell overheard.
He swan for n while in tho cold,
4 troubled waters, but before We could
reach him, he sank, and was gone.
lie had stuck to tho last
Harrington an Athlete. s9
Bridgeport, Conn. January 3o-Thomas n. )
Harrington. whose heroic hut vain ATTEMPT