The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-05-18
SAILORS SAVED
AFTER IA DAYS
in OPEN BOAT
Eleven Others of Columbian's
Crew Succumb to Starvation
and Exposure
DYING WHEN PICKED UP
BY REVENUE CUTTER
Government Steamer Looking
For Icebergs, Sights Sea
Waits in Nick of Time

HALIFAX, n. S., May lS.-Snatch'
ed from the very jaws Of death. after
IA days Of famine on an Arctic sea
four survivors or crew Of 10 who
escaped a fiery fate when the freight
steamer Columbian burned, May 8 at
rived here today on the United States
revenue cutter Seneca, which picked
them up after II OF their NUMBER
starved.
Officer Robert There, Sailors Oscar
Kendall and Peter Belanger and Fire
man Mitchell Ludwigsen were the
uuartette who arrived today aboard
the Seneca. Stripped OF their cloth
ing by their famishing mates, the
bodies of the II other sailors, one
by one, were consigned TO the pitt
less sea.
Word by word, after their rescue,
the four starving men told In gasps
OF their awful experience. water
and biscuits gone, they said, the cast
Always existed on scraps Of hardtack'
catching in tarpaulins and in the
Jackets of their dead fellows the rain
which fell from the limitless sky
bending above the great gray waste
OF water on which their boat hoated.
When the Columbian, OF the Ley
land line, burned at sea so miles
south OF Sable island, three boats
full OF her crew left the flaming YES
sells side. In the wallow OF the
waves they separated. Two days
later two OF the boats containing -
OF the crew, were picked up by the
liners Franconia and Manhattan. The
third, that which the Seneca rescued,
was given up as lost.
The revenue cutter was on duty as
an Ice patrol boat. scanning the sea
for icebergs, when, on Sunday morn
ing. the lookout shouted. Boat ahead
on the starboard bow" In an in
slant Capt. Johnston ordered fnll
steam ahead and eager eyes watched
the little derelict as the cutters prov
sheared through the waves. Not
sign OF life was TO be seen from the
deck, but to make sure the captain
ordered the gig overheard for closer
examination
When their boat hook gripped the
grnwale OF the drifting lifeboat four
men, huddled together IN her bottom,
were found. All were in a state OF
absolute collapse. They could not
speak. Their lack.lustre eyes and
hollow cheeks plainly told their story
or starvation. The pile of clothing
on which they crouched was the trst
indication that others who shared
their fate had gone to the bottom OF
the sea-.
Spoonfuls OF brandy and sips OF
water were given the rescued four
Immediately. In sings the rescued
men were hoisted up the cutters
side. Her physician ministered to
them, and from very exhaustion they
slept Then the cutters nose was
turned towards Halifax and all speed
made for this port.
After several hours rest, the res.
cued men told briefly the story OF
their ordeal Weakly they gasped
out how, when the Columbian burned,
their boat was third to leave her side.
Pounding in a heavy sea during the
night, they said, the 10 men by turns
held her head up to the waves When
morning dawned they were alone
upon the heaving sea.
All that day and the next they en-.
dured and hoped for succor. Within
the first AS hours three steamers
went by. With each sight OF a YES
sci their hopes rose and fell again
into dull despair as liner after linef
vanished hull down on the horizon.
For seven days the Is endured, the
stronger aiding their weaker fellows.
There was little food. Water was
short But they portioned out what
they had fairly. and kept up their
hearts.
On the seventh day 0iler George
Hill passed with a groan. That was
on May 10. That was the first death.
Hills body was stripped and slid
into the sea, and his clothing, still
warm from the lifeless body, was
used to aid in keeping heat in the
frames OF those who still lived.
Soon the food was all gone There
was no more water Rain, however.
prolonged the lives OF tho men, but
one after another they succumbed,
and their bodies, Nike that OF Hill
were cast into the waves. The last
20 go was Peter Elriel. He died just
before the Seneca appeared. Teire
the officer, and the three others res
cued, had stretched out their lives
by chewing their boots and still had
morsel of strength. When Elrie
died they summoned up their last en-
ereies, stripped his body and sent II
TO join those OF the 10 who had gone
before. Then they lay down to die
When the Seneca's bow showed
above the horizon Teire, straining for
q last look over the sea, saw the cut
ter, but he was too weak to do more
than mutter his discovery TO mis-
mates piled in the bottom OF the boat
He took one look, prayed that aiC
might come. and collapsed. He was
Unconscious when the Seneca's cutter
came.
The Seneca was due TO dock here
today with the four survivors.
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