Norwich bulletin., 1919-10-17
SURVIVORS OF THE ONATO
 RELATE NARROWING TALE

Philadelphia, Oct 16.-A tragic tale of the seas was unfolded here today by four survivors of the British schooner Onato, picked up while drift ing helpleSsly several hundred miles from miles from shore by the Ameri- can steamship Zirkel. The survivors, all from Newfoundland, say the cap tain of the Onato. James Prussia, and his brother, Ernest, first mate, were crushe dto death by the shifting of the ships cargo.
 Their stories, however. do not agree with that told by Captain Daniel A. Sullivan, master of the Zirkel. which arrived here today, and all four men were lockep up at the Gloucester inn migration station on charges of mu- tiny. They will be turned over to the British consul Captain Sullivan de- clared that when he drew near the schooner he plainly could see what appeared to be general fight raging upon the little crafts deck amidships and that one of his officers said he had heard what he believed to be two pis- tol shots.
 The survivors, Douglas Nicholl Thomas Motion, Loronzo Ash and Ernest Frizzard, all told virtually the same story, except as@to some of the details, which the authorities said officers met an accidental death while the entire schooner's company of six was battling to save the craft during a terrific gale. Captain Prussia and his brother, they said. went below to look after the cargo and were crushed to death when it shifted.
 The crew of the Zirkel sighted the Onato about 1o.45 o'clock on the night of October when about 300 miles due east of Newfoundland.
 There had been heavy weather ana a high sea was running" said Cap tain Sullivan, of the rescue ship. About lO.45 p. m. lookut reported a light about mile away, two points eff the starboard bow. It was a flare and plainly called for investigation.
 T gave directions to bear down up- on the light and soon we were close enough to see that it was a two mast ed schoon<. We rigged up a flare and in the increased light we saw what appeared to be a general fight raging upon the schooner's deck amid ships.
 We were just closing in with the schooner when our steam steering gear broke and we ddifted away out of control. We hastily rigged up a hand steering gear and while we were at this work the schooner come down the wind and crossed under our stern.
 T plainly saw a human body at- tired in dark clothes. lying on the 'midship hatchway. Then the schoon- again. with only her flare showing One of my officers said he heard two reports which he believed to be pis- tol shots but which might have been from gun with which they were trying to shoot line aboard us. or may have been intended as signals.
 When we again camealongside, the four mfA asked us to save them, and with much difficulty we launched a beat Several times the high seas aI- most swamped it but finally we man aged to take the survivors from the doomed craft. The Onato drifted away and disappeared in the mist"
 The Onato, a I05 ton schooner. was bound for Newfoundland port from Oporto, Spain, with a cargo of salt OGNers of the Zirkel believe the little craft sank shortly after the four men " . off
 The zirkel left Rotterdam in ball. last on October l.