The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1915-07-30

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the struggle, but got the other WON
an TO shore safely.
All three of them might have been
saved if that fellow hadn't been scared
| into frenzy. l am glad that | saved
one. anyway.
ALL EXCEPT SON SAVED.
| Casper Laline, Sr, of 371S Ogden
avenue, his wife and their daughter
Cecilia, thirteen years old, were res
cued, but their son, Casper, Jr., eight
years old, is believed to have been
drowned.
The Laline family was in a state
room when the boat began to list and
water began to rush into the room.
Ihey climbed upon table, whence all
were pulled through portfolio to the
upper side Of the overturned boat.
There the boy Casper disappeared.
and it was believed he had slipped off
the boat in the confusion and beer
drowned
Frank Spencer of $3.50 South Robey
street saved two woman companions,
Mrs. K. Jena and her daughter Anna
OF 1853 West Fifty-first street.
The instant the hawsers were let
go the boat began to tip" Spencer
said. Il suspected what was coming
and lifted Miss Jena up over the rail.
Then together we managed to get her
mother up, and l scrambled I'D after
them. We all crawled up on top of
the boat as it turned over"
POLICEMAN SAW TRAGEDY
With water dripping from his hair
and clothing, Policeman John H.
Sescher, probably one Of the first to
go to the rescue of the passengers.
stood on the Clark street bridge and
gave detailed description of the ac-
cldent and of the scenes he witnessed
as men, women and cheldren were
flung into the water
He said he had assisted about fifty
persons to reach shore.
II was standing on the bridge gaz-
ing at the boat" the policeman be.
gan, wiping the water from his eyes
and wringing his hair.
/ noticed that there was an awful
crowd on one side of the boat and
that it was leaning out towards the
water. | believed there were about
five hundred men, women and chill |
dren on that side Of the steamer. The
promenade decks were lined. Then | |
noticed the boat suddenly flop over
1t just went over on its side without |
the slightest warning.
Il saw scores of men and women,
many holding children, plunged into
The water. | rushed down to the river
and jumped into a rowboat. | pulled
out the drowning as | reached them.
think | got about fifty ashore. Then
'ame the fireboat, tugs and rowboats.
md believe that altogether one hun
ired or more were taken from the
water. We grabbed the nearest first
md put them ashore. At one time |
lad four women in the boat with me.
others | aided by simply lifting them
rom the water to the landing"
WOmEN PULLED AWAY.
Joe Lannon, who was at the soda
ountain on the lower deck. said:
When the ship first started to turn
yer everybody took it as a Joke. The
ance floor on the lower deck was
rowded with men and women. most
Y the latter. Then when the boat
sted over so far that the people be-
an to slide across the floor the panic
egan. Women and children first?'
lot on your life! / saw men tear
Iomen and girls from where they
Tere clinging to rails above the water
order to get positions of temporary
afety. There, was nothing like chiv-
Try. The stronger dragged down the
Teaker into the water and usurped
leir places. and usually the stronger
ere men and the weaker were girls
nd women. Oh, II the men had only
cen as brave as the women, the loss
life would have been much less,
emember one girl-she was only
bout sixteen-whom / pulled through [
lie portfolio. AS she reached safety q
lie tainted dead away. In another :
ase | was lifting woman out of the
alter. She was heavy and I could L
ardly raise her A man grabbed my =
'ot. l shouted TO him that all three Z
us would be in the water and lost o
he did not let go. but he hung on. V
lnally l raised my foot and kicked s
him. The shoe slipped of my foot
Id he disappeared. l got my own .
oting again and hauled the woman
It" fl
e