The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-01-24
CAPTAIN DIES FIGH7IN6 MIST Of EXPORT STEEL |
FIRE N HOLD AT SEA NOT FOR USES Of war

New York. Jan. ga stirring ro-
nance of theesea was told today when
details of the death of Captain John
Matthias, commander Of the auxiliary
cruiser Laurentic. reached relatives
here by mail. The Laurentic Is a White
Star liner, taken over by the British
admiralty.
Only two days from his wife and
babies, and on his way home after
two years continuous patrolling in thu
Far East. Captain Matthias died at
tempting to rescue men trapped in the
| blazing hold OF his ship near the pow
der magazine.
Flying the homeward bound pam
nant at the peak, the Laurentic
steamed at full speed for port. From
coal passers in the stoke hole to Of
ficers on the bridge every man was
bent on pushing the cruiser to reach
port in time for the holidays.
In hamlet in Yorkshire Captain
Mathiass wife and two young chill
dren heard the Laurentic had been
ordered to return to her home sta
ton. Mrs Matthias, with her two lit.
tie girls, aged ten and twelve years.
made the trip to Liverpool.
On December Is, within two DAYS
run from port, serious fire was dis
covered in hold No. 2. with the chief
officer at their head a squad OF men
plunged into the hold to fight the fire.
The fire had gained such headwa
that it was sweeping toward the pow
der magazine, cutting off their escape.
Signalling frantically to their com
rades on the deck, the trapped men
succeeded in getting word of their
desperate plight to Captain Matthias
on the bridge.
Captain Matthias ordered some of
his crew to follow him and plunge
to the rescue in the smoke filled com.
partment. The rescue squad succeed
ed in dragging out some OF the inn
prisoned men and then went back for
the rest
When Captain Matthias was entering
the furnace-Iike hold to rescue the
last his crew an iron beam, warped
out OF place by the intense heat of
the blaze fell on him and his squad
of rescuers. Captain Matthias was in
stantly killed and several of his men
were injured. Another squad of sea-
men removed the injured sailors and
succeeded in recovering the body of
the captain. The fire was got under
control and the cruiser put into Liv-
erpooi.
Under admiralty instructions the
officers of the ship were not permit
ted to wireless the news of the acct
dent and fire. With the homebound
pennant still at the fore the Laurentic
docketed at Liverpool Mrs. Matthias
and her two children waited for the
captain. whom they had not seen for
two years 10 come off the ship Finally
an officer appeared and told them how
the captain had sacrificed his life for
his men.
Captain Matthias was we'll known In
this port. The Laurentic, his last
command. after she finished the Mon
treal- Liverpool summer service. used
to sail from New York on winter
cruises to the Mediterranean and the
caribbean Seas
The captain first went to sea be-
cause Of the fitting he received at the
hands of a little Irish girl He was
born in York. County Cork. and at
the age OF fifteen was keeping COM
pany with fair colleen who lived
near the Rushpool Docks. Queenstown.
One day he declared his intentions to
the girl. Molly by name
Jack" she replied, 80 the theory
goes, ANY time you want your socks
darned. a shirt patched or tear In
your brooches mended, you're welcome
enough here. But you're only an APP
prentice and | could not take what
you say seriously
When come back I'll he captain
of an Atlantic liner" the youth an
swered hotly.