The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-21
MONTELLO SI N X $.
 AFTER LONG FIGHT UPON TOSSING SEA|
Thrilling Rescue Effected by Steamer Verdi Vessel Was More Than 400 Miles
 From Land
By Associated Press

NEW YORK, Jan. 20.-The Giuseppe Verdi steamed into port today, two days late from Naples, with graphic details of the rescue of the crew of the Italian freighter Montello, which succumbed to a mid-Atlantic storm last Wednesday.
 The rescued men-33 in all were aboard, one of them in the sick bay with cracked skull and smashed feet. The others had fully recovered.
 Shot through with heroism was the story told by the Verdi's admir- ing passengers-a story fervently attested by Capt. Francesca Sturese of the Montello.
 Loaded With Wheat
 On January 10 the Montello sailed from Philadelphia for Marseilles, her wheat-filled holds pushing her far down into the water. Two days later. about 400 miles north of Bermuda, she encountered a whistling north wester.
 For three bleak days, with her crew never out of oil skins. straining en- zines showed the Montello ahead at eight knots. On the night of January 15, last Monday, at 10 o'clock she heeled over.
 Her rudder chains had damned. Then they had broken.
 Three of the crew, lashed to stan- chions, manipulated a hand gear un- til it, too, crashed uneal the seas cudgeling.
 Vessel Helpless
 The vessel, her engines slowed down to four knots an hour, was helpless 400 miles from the nearest land and in hurricane sea.
 Then the bulked grain shifted and the ship listed.
 Waves washed tks deck at every lunge. The cowl bunkers floated and water poured into the ship faster than the exhausted men could pump it out It was not until s o'clock Tuesday morning that Captain Eturese permit ted Wireless Operator Tomaso Mon tanari to ask aid. The Verdi, 100 miles away, answered. and arrived at 3 o'clock that afternoon.
 It was impossible to launch boats in that sea. So the Verdi, with 610 passengers aboard, spent the night slowly circling about the water logged ontello. whose decks now were continually under water. Com forting messages were wirelessed at intervals.
 Passengers Pace Deckn
 Throughout the night the NerdPs passengers paced the decks, their eyes straining toward the Montello. Now and then they sang hymns. Finally they knelt in prayer.
 Among them knelt four nuns. The ships chaplain, Giuseppe Verde, chanted the Te Deum, and plaintiye Italian voices repeated it.
 As told in wireless dispatches sent from the Verdi as she approached New York, the sea thwarted an ef- fort to launch 8 boat at dawn. At 7:30 the Montello got boat overheard, the sea having calmed slightly.
 The first lowering into the heav- ing shell was the Montello's mascot Nanetti, a water spaniel. Twenty-two men followed the dog.
 The crew had refused to budge un- til the pup was saved.
 A battle of an hour and a half brought the weary sailors close to the verdi's side. As they grasped for lines and life belts a swell washed over their boat and Il went overheard. All were saved.
 A half-hour later First Officer Stagnaro and Il members of the Verdi's crew rescued the II remain ing aboard the Montello. The freishter7 sank as the Verdi turned her nose toward New York.