Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-16
captain AND SAILORS
GO DOWN WITH STEAMER
Master OF Miguel dc Larrinaga Re.
fuses to Crowd Into Boats AL
ready Heavily Loaded.
wARsHPs UNABLE TO ASSIST
Heavy Sea Prevents British Craft
Saving Devastating OF Grain
Cargo Responsible for Disaster.
NiDc Survivors, Reach New York
my A,sotdated Prc.s.1


NEW YORK. February 15.-Tradl-
'ions or the sea were upheld by Cap
tain r. Williams and nine members of
tho crew or the British s,camghip
Miguel dc Larr:naga. who volunteered
to perish that others might live when
inc vessel foundered in midocean Feb
ruary G. according to survivors, who
arrived here to-day from a NewfoInd-
land port
Rather than ovcrcrowd the lifeboats,
Captain Williams announced his pur-
pose to stick to his ship. which was
fast sinking. lie called for nine vol
nnteers to remain with him and make
the boats safe for The others
Two Of his officers. Il gunner and six
Seamen lined up beside him and de-
clared they were willing 10 take IL
Snance of being rescued before the ship
sank
British warship sighted the ves-
sci and boats were launched. but the
fury OF hurricane made * imposSl-
bic to take OF the ten men. who for
forty hours had chung 10 the half
submerged ship. knocked about and
pounded by heavy seas.
At intervals during the night the
ten mon sent up rockets TO hear,en
the rcscucrs, but ia. signals ceased
after ~. n. Al daybreak only
patches OF wreckagc marked the spot
whcro they had gone down.
The LarrinaSa left Newport News
late in January for France with cargo
of grain.
We had bad weather right from the
capce." Jesse Cilsomini. one or the
survivors. said and our caps:zing was
caused by the shifting OF the cargo.
Sunday, February .. II blew 10 hard
and the sea was 40 rough that We
could hardly keep 10 the decks. Mon
day morning the old ship began 20 itee!
over. and soon IL was TO be seen SHE
was 'goncr.' some of tho lifcboats
were carried away before she capsized
Captain Williams ordered us into the
boats that were left, hut a there was
not room for US al without overload
ing them in the rough sea. lie said he
would stick TO tho ship. Mr.. Marn. the
hrst officer. said he would stick. too,
and then tho accond mate said he
would. and then the others who were
lost volunteered 10 stay with them.
They said there was chance they
would hc able to hoat long enough 10
be picked of by some passing ship.
we LETT them behind with the same
hope in our minds. and when we
sighted the war vessel. u former mcr-
chairman. coming our way we felt
pretty good about Il; AS soon as the
warship picked US up she tried 20 sa"e
the others. who could be seen pcrched
on the side OF the overturned and
pitching vessel. Ii was use, how
ever. tho seas were 100 rough TO get
near them. That night we kept track
OF them by the rockets ;hey were send
Ing up. II was still blowing a hurri-
cane tho next day. The wa-sh:p
launched boats but it was no use.
Tuesday night pu; IN with us still
standing by. They shot rockets every
now and then. and We prayed tina; by
daylight the sea would go down. The
laat rocket went up al 8 In the morn
ing.
when dawn came there was nothing
In sight but the storm blown waves
with patches OF drifting grain and
wreckagc. No douh, the compressed
air that was Keeping the ship ahoat
escaped from her hold. or she broke
in two-anyhow. she u-as gone, and our
captai nand sh;pmatcs with her. It's
the luck OF the sea"