Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-06-05
THE ST. LAWRENCE DISASTER

Stories of Heroism in the Face of
Death.
Quebec, May 30-Stories of the
Empress of Ireland disaster brought
to Quebec by survivors gave vivid de-
tails of the most terrible tragedy in
the annals Of the st. Lawrence. Some
compared it to the sinking of the I'll
tanic. but pointed out that in the case
Of the Titanic there was time to pre-
pare for death, while with those who
perished on the Empress there was
little time for reflection or prayer.
From the accounts of the saved it
seems that soon after the ship was
rammed she careened until her deck
stood at right angles to the water. She
slid slowly into the water and it was
only possible to launch five boats in
the brief interval before she finally
sank.
Captain Kendall.
Captain Kendall was on the bridge
when the collision occurred. When
the steamer sank he was washed
away, later to be picked up by one of
the boats Passengers speak in his
praise and declare he did his full duty.
Chief officer Steed, it is stated, was
killed by a boat falling on him while
working to help the passengers es-
cape.
Laurence Irving, author and actor,
and son of Sir Henry Irving, accord
ing to survivors, died while trying to
save his wife. Mr.. and Mrs. Irving
were last seen on deck embracing one
another as if in farewell They went
down with the ship, locked in each
others arms.
f. NJ. Abbott of Toronto, was the
last man to see Mr. Irving alive.
Il met him first in the passage
way" he said, land he said calmly
is the boat going down. l said it
looked like it. 'Dearie,' Irving then
said to his wife, Hurry. There is no
time to lose
Mrs. Irving Frantic.
Mrs. Irving began to cry and as
the actor reached for a lifebelt the
boat suddenly lurched and he was
thrown against the door of his cabin.
His face was bloody and Mrs. Irving
became frantic.
keep COOL he warned her, but
she persisted in holding her arms
1lNAlt
over her, pushed her out of the door
and practically carried her upstairs.
asked if ! could help and Irving said,
Look after yourself first, old man, but
God bless you all the same"
Abbott got on deck and dived over
board. He caught hold of a piece of
timber and as he floated saw Irving
on deck kissing his wife as the ship
went down.
d. \. Darling, survivor here, was
saved by lifebelt that might have
saved Sir Henry Seton-Karr. MY
cabin was opposite Sir Henry's," said
Darling today, land when l opened
my door we bumped into each other in
the pasSageway. He had lifebelt
and he offered it to me. / refused it,
but he said, Go on, man, take it, and
| will get another l told him to
save himself, but he got angry and
actually forced the belt over me. He
then hurried me along the corridor to
the door Apparently he went back
for another belt. but a moment or two
after he had left me the ship went
down. | was picked up"
Salvation Army Hero.
Commissioner Rees of the Salvation
Army stood on the deck of the DOOM
ed vessel trying to persuade the peo-
pie to keep cool and lending helping
hand to many. When the ship was
almost under water one of his men
shouted to him TO jump for his life.
He replied he would stand by his wife
and children, and sank with the
words go, God, thy will be done" on
his lips.
Only 30 women and two children of
the many aboard appeared to have
been saved.
one little girl, Helen O'Hara. swan
until she was picked up, as also did
Miss Thompson from New Zealand.
Mrs. Greenaway, bride of a week,
was separated from her husband, and
thought she had lost him, but the two
had u happy reunion later at Rimou-
ski
- The Southern Presbyterian gener-
III assembly, in session at Kansas City,
on last Friday adopted a resolution fa-
vOring national prohibition. During
the discussion preceding the vote, a
number of commissioners declared
that the assembly should avoid such
an endorsement because of the politi-
cal character of the proposition. DR..
j. ). Lyons of Louisville, retiring mod
orator, said the Presbyterian church
was historically against taking part in
specific political action. After the
resolution had been adopted a com
munication signed by twenty commits
sionerS was filed, protesting against
the action The assembly adopted the
resolution presented Ia ii for action by
the Wpmen'S Christian Temperance
Union as follows: Resolved. That we
are i'm favor of Il national constitution
al prohibition, and We will do all in
our power to secure the adoption of
an amendment to the constitution for
ever prohibiting the sale, manufac-
ture for sale, transportation for sale,
importation for sale, expectation for
sale. or sale of intoxicating liquors for
beverage purposes in the United
States"