South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-06-01
Survivors Declare Seamen Filled Life Boats
And Pushed Others Out-Captains Each
Blaming Other, Must Face at Canadian
Government Inquiry
MUST PRESENT EVIDENCE TO
CLEAR UP CONTRADICTIONS

~ = ~DA-At - ullt l.. ~ AANAANN - pr
ing up that the loss of hundreds OF
lives in the Empress of Ireland dis
aster could have been materially les
Sened. From suffering survivors there
came today charges of cowardice and
brutality directed against the members
Of the crew of the Empress of Ire
land
The investigation to be conducted
by the government viii be the most
searching ever conducted in Canada.
Capt. Kendall. of the sunken liner,
and Capt. Anderson, OF the collier
Storstad. Will confront each other at
this inquiry and will be sharply ques-
toned on the points where their stories
of the disaster differ.
Each commander has blamed the
other for the tragedy and the contra
dictiOns are so pointed, that both cap
tains will be compelled To repeat their
versions and present evidence TO back
them up.
Survivors of the disaster today ac-
cused members Of the crew Of the
wrecked Empress of filling the first
two lifebOats that were launched. They
were charged with failing 10 heed the
gasps Tor help of men and women, al
though there was ample room in the
boats. The sailors of the sunken liner
were also charged with pushing men
off the open boats when they attempt
ed TO save themselves.
Kicked out of Boat.
Victor Van Coster. a young Belgian,
declared that when ne tried to- get into
a lifebOat a sailor kicked him in the
chest and knocked him back into the
water. lie said he feared the man
would kill hlm if he made a second at
tempt and therefore swan away to
bit of wreckage and managed TO keep
afiOat until the tug Eureka arrived
and picked him up.
Abraham Heller. of Toronto, declar-
ed that sailors put off in the first boat
he saw launched and that one Of the
men whom he tried To help into
lifeboat proved TO be a member of the
Empress of Ireland s crew half dress
ed. This man thanked Heller. but
Soundly cursed his shipmateS in the
boat for trying 10 leave him to drown.
1t was charged that one OF these
boats could have held a score more
persons than were in ii.
Van Coster had to tell his story
through an interpreter. From time
to time he stopped. overcome by the
memory Of the horrors through which
he had passed.
81 heard a noise Of people running
about and shouting" he said. and I
ran out of my stateroom. Men and
women were running every way. not
knowing what TO do. / had hard
job trying to get on deck. 1t was like
climbing up a steep bank. / did not
see many people up there because they
slipped off. IL was hard TO climb, for
the ship hlled with water on one side
and rolled over in a few minutes. sud
denly there was noise like water
boiling and / went far down under the
surface. / fought TO get to the surface
and when l did 50 / began TO swim.
Men and women were all about. /
all was silent. l saw a boat. / had
to fight 10 get on board ii. / put my
hand on the gunwale and started to
climb in, but a sailor kicked me on
the right shoulder and / went down
again. 1 could tell him again. Some
sailors were in caps and uniforms and
some men in their night clothes.
Paid No Heed TO Passengers.
They had no locks for the oars.
The sailors did not think Of the pas
SengerS on the ship or Of those in the
water. They thought only of their own
safety They did not do their duty.
There was not much time. but with
men and women near they did not try
to get them into the lifeboats.
There was room ia the boats for
more survivors. There was plenty OF
spare room in the boat into which /
tried TO climb.
The sailors were the first TO climb
into the lifeboats and the first 10 be
saved. ] saw more sailors than pas
sengers in the boats.
When the sailor kicked me of the
rim OF that lifeboat ! knew I must
save myself alone I was afraid he
would kill me if I made a second effort
TO climb into the boat. I was
steerage passenger and / suppose he
did not care.
THE weather was not foggy. as the
officials OF the line said. II was pretty
clear The coal ship was a mile away
and ] could see them putting of small
boats, but the work seemed mighty
slow The Eureka did the best work.
They got me and the captain and his
crew We're very fine and kind.