New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-14
Rescues 2 Gas
ictins, Dies
With 2 Others
Boatswain of Italian Liner
Drags Seaman and Fire
man From Hold by Rope,
Then Plunges to Death
All Overcome by Fumes
Men Venture Under Hatches
at Pier Before F,lniga-
ton Vapor Is Dispelled

Batasti La Fauchia, thirty-four years
old, boatswain, gave his life yester.
day afternoon TO rescue single-handed
two shipmates from a gas-filed cham
Der of the italian American liner
Msncio, lying at the foot of Thirtieth
Street, North River.
After pulling the second Of the two
men to safety. La Fauchia was over
come by the fumes Of hydrogen cyan
ide. used in fumigating the ship, and
fell more than sixty feet to his death
into the hold. where two other seamen,
also persisted.
The men who were asphyxiated were
stokers on the liner. They were DOM
cncio Stropoli, twenty three years old.
and Ignatzio Fianacco, twenty-five
years old. The two rescued by La
Fauchia were Giuseppe GogAtta, thirty
FIVE years old. seaman, and Placido
Irrera, twenty-five years old, Are
man. The only address for all Ave
given in the ships papers were italy.
Crew Ashore During Fumigating
TAe Mincio arrived three days ago.
and after discharging her cargo was
taken to the Thirtieth Street pier to
undergo general repairs. Yesterday
morning all the matches were battened
down and fumigating tug pumped
hydrogen cyanide into the hold. The
crew went ashore during the process.
At / o'clock it was announced that
the matches could be opened. AS soon
as this was done La Fauchia, the three
firemen and Bogetta. who had been
etrolling about the pier, went on board
the ship. Without waiting for the
"sll clear" signal to be given the three
firemen and Bogetta went into the for
ward hold
The fumes were still heavy, and the
men Immediately realizing their peril
called for help.
La Fauchia was alone on the forward
several lengths Of rope, making one
end fast to hatch, he descended by
ladder into the ship.
In the darkened hold 1rrera's body
was the first he stumbled upon. Slip
ping the rope about the fireman's
waist he clambered up the ladder to
the deck and pulled the man up.
Again La Fauchia descended into the
held. After several minutes of scarce
anS ne Iound bogetta IN heap, over
come by the fumes. He tied the rope
about the mans waist and began TO
fight his way upward The sitting
fumes had begun to affect the boat
swain and it was with difficulty that
he reached the air.
Fumes Weaken Rescuer
On deck he began to haul the
stricken seaman to safety. Owing 70
his own weakened condition this took
longer than it had in the case OF
Irrera. He managed to pull Bogetta
out until his head and shoulders were
above the deck.
Reaching over the edge La Fauchia
dragged the senseless man to the de:k
The upward rush of gas overcame him
and he pitched into the hold.
A stevedore, Joseph Cornoma, came
on deck just as La Fauchi fell. He
united the rope from about Bogetta' S
waist and lowered himself into the
darkness. There he found the boat
swain dead beside the two firemen. La
Fauchi's skull has been fractured on
an iron plate in the floor of the ship.
He had been killed. instantly.
Members of the police rescue squad
summoned by Cornoma descended into
the hold, protected by gas masks, and
brought out the three bodies. "a
Bogetta and Irrera were removed to
Bellevue Hospital, where, it is said,
they would recover.