Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1915-08-04

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 am glad that l saved
one, anyway.
ALL EXCEPT SON SAVED.
Casper Laline, ST., 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.
They climbed upon table, whence all
were pulled through a portfolio to the
upper side of the overturned boat
There the boy Casper disappeared.
and it was believed he had slipped of
the boat in the confusion and been
drowned.
Frank Spencer of 1883 South Robey
street saved two woman companions,
Mrs. K. Jena and her daughter Anna
of 1853 West Fifty-frst 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 up 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 a detailed description of the &C.
cident 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.
Il was standing on the bridge gaz-
ing at the boat" the policeman be-
gan, wiping the water from his eyes
and wringing his hair.
Il noticed that there was an awful
crowd on one side of the boat and
that it was leaning out towards the
water. l believed there were about
five hundred men, women and chill
dren Oh that side Of the steamer. The
promenade decks were lined Then
noticed the boat suddenly flop ever.
1t just went over on its. side without
the slightest warning.
II 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
came the flreboat. tugs and rowboats,
and l believe that altogether one hun
dred or more were taken from the
water We grabbed the nearest first
and put them ashore. At one time
had four women in the boat with me.
Others aided by simply lifting them
from the water to the landing"
WOMEN PULLED AWAY.
Joe Lannon, who was at the soda
fountain on the lower deck, said:
when the ship first started to turn
over everybody took it as joke. The
dance floor on the lower deck was
crowded with men and women, most
" the latter. Then when the boat
listed over so far that the people be-
gan to slide across the floor the panic
began. Women and children first?
Not on your life! l saw men tear
women and girls from where they
were clinging to rails above the water
in order TO get positions of temporary
safety. There was nothing like chiv-
airy. The stronger dragged down the
weaker into the water and usurped
their places, and usually the stronger
we're men and the weaker we're girls
and women oh, If the men had only
been as brave as the women, the loss
of life would have been much less! l
remember one girl-she was only
about sixteen-whom pulled through
the porthole As she reached safety
she tainted dead away. In another
case was lifting a woman out of the
water. She was heavy and / could
hardly raise her. A man grabbed my
foot. / shouted to him that all three
of us would be IN the water and lost
II he did not let go, but he hung on.
Finally / raised my foot and kicked
at him. The shoe slipped of my foot
and he disappeared. / got my own
footing again and hauled the woman
out"
/ ing barrels and coops and other things