Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-02
SURVIVOR CALLS
WOMEN HERO|NES
CaImer Than Men in Sea Trag-
edy, Raymond S. Van
Wrinkle Declares.

That women passengers were more
calm than men when the Old Do
minion liner Monroe was rammed by
the Nantucket off the coast of Vir-
ginia last Friday morning, was stated
by Raymond S. Van Wrinkle. one of
the Monroe survivors, who was given
up for dead. Van Wrinkle arrived at
his home, 10 Union avenue, Nutley,
late Saturday night. Another survivor
who arrived at his home yesterday
was Chief Engineer John H. b. Per-
kins. of 9S Stuyvesant avenue. Airing
ton.
Mr.. Van Wrinkle said that he had
retired to his berth at IL o'clock that
night, but could not sleep on account
of the blowing of the foghorn every
minute. "Of course" he continued, Il
knew that it was foggy and that there
was danger of a collision with some
other boat and this may have made
me somewhat nervous
''It was about lao O'Clock that the
foghorn blew twice and repeated the
double blast twice. The Monroe then
stopped and felt that something was
wrong. Almost Immediately 1 heard
a crash. 1t was not very loud crash,
however.
ut seemed as if the ship was scra-
ping on a rock. I now felt 1T was
time to act. I hurriedly drew on my
trousers and got on one sock.
grabbed my coat and vest and put
them on as l left my stateroom.
II saw three life preservers in the
passageway and quickly put on one
and threw the others to two women.
They were too excited to pick them
up and two men took them away
with them.
No Disorder Among Passengers.
'There was no pushing or showing
among the passengers and. strange
to say, the women were quieter than
the men. OF course the passengers
were all in a hurry to reach the deck
and did not tarry as they emerged
from their staterooms, partly dressed,
"One woman fell as she was ascend
ing to- the deck and broke her arm.
Her husband was with her and tried
to help her. | believe both were lost.
when l reached the deck there
were only nine people there. 1t was
the side of the ship which was 1.-The
last to go down. In one grour Asere
were two women and man. The
man seemed to be afraid and the
women kept telling him that they
would save him. I think they were
all three lost, however
THE boat kept sinking all the time
and finally a big wave washed all
of us into the water. / swan around
for about half an hour and at first
could see no light at all in the dense
fog. The water was icy cold and
/ felt that / could not survive long
unless help arrived. So
Suddenly l heard a lifeboat ap-
preaching, but could not see it.
reached out and caught hold of the
bow. / was too weak to pull myself
VI and waited for big wave which
carried ms into 1t. 1 was so weak
raise my hands to pull up my coat
collar. L took an hour for the boat
to reach the Nantucket. When we
got near and the searchlight of the
ship located us, the men who were
rowing were so exhausted that they
could row no more, and the boat had
to be drawn to the ship by means
of ropes which were thrown to US.
Almost Crazed by Tragedy.
I'VE were made as comfortable a,
possible aboard the Nantucket.
met = K. Harrington, of Bridgeport
NOiAtiss W III liuu u leu " save ILLS VIII
by swimming with her hair between
his teeth. His wife was dead from
exhaustion when both were pulled
aboard the Nantucket. Her body wa.
placed in a temporary coffin and hi
refused to leave the Nantucket wher
Norfolk was reached until her body
was brought ashore. He seemed
partly crazed by the tragedy.
After reaching Norfolk was sent
to the Hotel National, where 1 re-
ceived medical treatment, and after
resting there for over five hours was
able to leave for home. 1t was an
experience that / never want to &c
through again."
Many friends of Van Wrinkle when
they learned that he was home
called to see him yesterday and
rendered their congratulations on his
rescue.
Mr.. Perkins is in New York at j
meeting of the company directorate
He could not be seen last night.
He had not slept since the tragedy,
his wife said, and was too nearly ex-
hausted to talk. Because of that she
did not insist on hearing from him a
description of the affair or how he
managed to escape. He only stated
that all aboard the laundering vessel
did their duty as best they could.
PVINGTON-H TON