davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1928-11-14
BURNSIDE CORPS PARTY

Burnside Corps of No. A, of the
woman's Relief Corps, holds a card
party tonight at G. A. r. Hall,
Mrs. Rose Pennell is chairman.
The Washington times., 1928-11-14
Screaming Women and Children Hurled Into Sea
Beg Lifeboats to Pick Them Up

} ing cSpAA- in sight. But the American
Shipper got to us first"
Mrs. Lauretta Moore, gray
haired, motherly looking woman Of
81, whose home is in Jersey City,
cried softly as she told her story.
Her knees trembled and she could
hardly speak.
"Oh. those babies those childreI1!
she moaned. ."To think that they
so yoang-had to lose their lives,
while we old folks were saved.
She said she was so exhausted
when the American Shipper came
by her lifeboat that they had to pull
her aboard in net. She tloated
an hour and half on a plank pe-
fore she was picked up by q nIe
boat. ,
Il never hal such an experience,
she cried.
Babies, babies, babies-t h
what almost all Of the passengers
talked about. They told Of 20 cnli-
dren. screaming and terrified, with
only one sailor to care for them,
and of sudden cracking overhead
as the children rested in lfehoat
and then the plunging down OF q
heavy cargo on top Of them.
The picture of tragedy was
graphically described by G. Gla-
danes. pantryman of the Vestris,
the solitary seaman stationed in
the boat with the children az 1t
was lowered on davit into the
sea just before the Vestris sank
The Washington times., 1928-11-14

ldered into the first two boats. These
two Iifeboats were put over the port
side. I understand one of them
collapsed and the other sank be-
cause water poured through: a hole
in the bottom over which a piece
of tin had been placed.
''As the ship was about to go down
got into lifeboat No. 8, accom-
panied by. my husband. 1 was hold
ing my dog in my arms. With us
were Mr.. and Mrs. Norman Ratton.
Fully 20 of us got into the lifeboat.
Sees Hole In Boat
"My husband suddenly noticed
that there was hole in the lifeboat.
There was a piece OF tin over the
hole. Water began to come in.
My God. these women can't stay in
here my husband cried out. He
called up to Captain Carey, who was
standing beside the ship.
"'Captain, you don't want so
many people in this leaking boat, do
your There was no answer from
the captain, who was absorbed in
rescue work.
There had been considerable diff
The Washington times., 1928-11-14

piece Of driftwood.. l seized it and
weak as l. seemed, hung on. Hours
passed. They seemed ages. Finally
at $50 Monday evening a life boat
picked me up.
can night long we tossed about
in the boat. In sheer exhaustion
| tried to lie down but none of us
could get any rest.
Rain fell at times, accentuating
the hardship. I did not think that
at any time that 1 would live
through it. But. at $40 Tuesday
morning we were picked up"
Slaughter said he had pleaded
time and again. while clinging to
the piece of wreckage, to be taken
on lifebOats that passed. All of
them seemed to be crowded and for
hours no heed was paid to him. He
was SO exhausted when the Amer.
lean shipper came on the scene
that he had to be dragged aboard.
In Water 20 Hours
Dana, the radio man OF New York
City, who rescued Mrs. Ball. was
injured on the back of the neck by
a piece of falling timber.
Il was 20 hours in the water
from 1880 Monday afternoon until
nearly noon Tuesday" said Dana.
Captain Carey pumped overheard
at the last moment. He had no life.
belt. can't tel you my thoughts
as Mrs. Ball and l clung to that
piece OF wreckage hour after hour.
She is the hravest woman 1 have
ever seen. I'll tel you when you are
out in mid-ocean supported only by
a piece of wood, you begin tn think
of what bad bov you have been.
Frankly l had given UP hope OF
rescue when saw the S. S. Wyom-
The Washington times., 1928-11-14
Three Negro Heroes
Saved % Survivors
At Peril of Own Lives

BY International News Service
NEW YORK, Nov. IA tale or
herolsm that ranks with any in the
annals of navigation was told by
survivors of the Vestris who arrived
board the Berlin here today.
All the survivors, save one of the
% aboard the Berlin owe their lives
directly to three negro members OF
the crew, A. Bannfster, Joseph
Alexcei and Fred Myricle.
Following the launching of the life.
boats from the Vestris and the cap
sizing of two of them it was Bannis-
ter who swan back to the sinking
ship and succeeded in launching
life boat unaided.
Picking up Alexcei and Myricle,
Bannister piloted the boat to the re.
lief of overcrowded lifeboats and
those who were swimming in the
water.
To use the words of one OF the
passengers.
1--WE had given ourselves up for
lost when we saw the negroes conf
ing oour relief. SO sure were we
that all was over that we told
them Ito save themselves and not
bother with us.
!, "But they refused to desert us
and at peril Of their own lives stood
by until we were all transferred to
their boat and then to the Berlin.
1t was the bravest thing 1 have ever
seen"
Ninteen persons in all were rescued
by Bannister and his aides.
The only survivor aboard the Ber.
lin not rescued by them was Walter
Schmidt who was picked up while
swimming near the Berlin.
The Washington times., 1928-11-14

SIT was a horrible sight" Mack
continued. Confusion soon over
whelmed the passengers who had
not yet got into the life boats.
From every side there came the
screaming and bowling of women
and children.
"One woman in lifeboat No. had
two children with her. When the
boat tumbled into the water her life
preserved was torn from her and
all three fell into the sea. They
disappeared.
Throughout all the panic Captain
Carey appeared calm, but he also
appeared undecided as to what to
do. Lifeboats No. 4 and No. s
were lowered so late that they
capsized.
First Mate Praised
Mack gave considerable credit to
the calm attitude OF John Bolger,
first mate of the Vestris, and Alfred
Duncan, second steward, both of
whom, he said. were greatly re-
sponsible for quieting the women
and children after ltbeboat No. 8
fell into the water. Bolger, Mack
the ship.
Mack said his watch stopped at
2:35 p. m. on Monday and from this
fact he fixed the time of the sinking
of the Vestris.
He said some people who jumped
from the ship were sucked in with
the awful swirl as she went down.
Mack accounted for the heavy loss
of life among. women and chilren by
the fact that the first three boats to
be launched were wrecked and that
the ship went down almost inme-
diately after, dragging the swimming
passengers after it.
Swimming in the water for two
and a half hours, Mack finally To-
Gated o. L. Maxey, his travelling
companion.
To Die Like Pals
I'VE had been pals so long we de.
cided to die like pals said Mack, so
we swan on together. Maxey was
very courageous"
Maxey said the same thing about
Mack. Both were rescued aboard
the Berlin.
Mack said that he and Maxey
swan alongside lifebQat No. 13, and
InaL Inc pdSSCuSCLS "OuluI L iCA
them in. Finally Chief Engineer AL
ward Adams made room for them
and they were saved.
Carl Schmidt, of Chicago, whose
home is in Germany, was one of
the heroes of the disaster, accord
ing to the other passengers rescued
on the Berlin. Schmidt would not
talk about himself.
why it was nothing at air
Schmidt said when asked to tel
the story of his high seas ad
venture. There is nothing to tell
It was a sorrowful experience anc
one I would not want to repeat
halt II Is over and done with now.
Denies His HerOics
Schmidt tried to efface himself
He. said he was no hero" and he
did not know yet what his future
plans would be as he did not have
time to think of them.
II have nothing to say" saic
Schmidt. quiet slow.speaking fel
low. He walked phlegmaticaliy away
The Washington times., 1928-11-14

CONTINUED from First Page.)
life and, finally, along came the
American Shipper and rescued us. =
Mrs. De Wore, the Los Angeles
woman whose bravery all the pas.
sengers extolled, told her story in a
quiet, albeit tremulous voice. She
was worried-heartbrok in fact,
because she is sure her husband
went to his death. The last she
saw of him he was being swallowed
up by a wave.
II knew long before the ship
went down that we were in dan
GER" Mrs. De Wore related. I'VE
were not alarmed. however, because
all the passengers had been assured
what a good ship the Vestris was.
We knew one sos had gone out
Sunday afternoon, but that it had
been cancelled.
Another sos
'"rhen the weather became rougher
and huge streams of water poured
over the ship and ripped through
the matches, and another SOS was
sent out. Finally the Vestris began
to list badly to the starboard side.
women and children were or
The Washington times., 1928-11-14

= Guilty In lowering away, not only our
lifeboat, but the others.
| Some OF the boats were crushed
and broken by the yestris as it
listed over, on top OF the hoats.
There was scramble for the boats
and all of the, passengers could
not. be accommodated.
.."The Vestris sank less than Is
minutes after my husband and 1
got in the life boat.
Baled Out Water
I'VE baled the water out..of the
lifeboat but it became more and
more. unseaworthy. / saw life boat
No i pass. There were only four
men it in.
"'For Gods sake come over here
and take some of us Off" shouted.
| They did not want to- do it at
first but finally came.
"No one in our. boat wanted to
jimp into the other life boat. 1t
was too dangerous, splashing around
in the high sea. l tucked my dog
under my arm and jumped. Mr..
De Wore stayed in the other boat.
Gas ours pulled away a big wave
hit the other boat and Il saw my
husband doused with water. I
heard him calling ont to me. My
heart filled up as If it would
burst. / was in half daZe until
we were saved. shall never for
get my all-night experience in "a
little boat tossing around on the
waves"
| Not only did the captain of the
-Vestris lose his life but the wireless
officer. NJ. J. O'Loughtin no doubt
died, too-both sacrificing their lives
| in performance of their duty.
| Award Adams the chief engineer,
was reluctant to talk, he said:
II don't know what happened be.
cause | was in the engine room. l
will say this-there was nothing
wrong with the sea valve. l believe
the cargo shifted some but that's
| outside OF my province. Just what
happened is a mystery-but it Will
come out"
Sees Wife Washed Away
Tn voice that at times choked
with emotion, c. f. Slaughter, of
Chicago, and formerly of San An
tonic, Tex. told how he had seen.
his wife washed away from him and
how, for hours, he believed she was
dead. Imagine his happiness, he
said, when he learned that she had
been picked up by the French tanker
Myriam.
Slaughter, a travelling accountant
of the International Harvester Com
pany, said that he and his wifewere
in the last lifeboat that left the Yes
iris.
IL held my wife's hand" Slaugh-
ter said. "She was so brave. Don't
fear, dear, God will take care OF us.
she said as we jumped, hand In hand,
into the liTebOat.
I'VE had to jump, for, as we stood
| by the rail, the Vestris sank sud-
denly, on its starboard side. 1t
seemed to slip back from under us.
l am sure it went down infless than
! five minutes.
Hurled From Boat
"I was in the boat only a short
time when 1t was hit by a huge
wave and I was flung into the sea.
II thought my wife had been
cast into the water, too. could
not find her l was terrified at
the thought of losing her. swan
around and around trying to find
her. Finally / concluded she must
| have gone under.
Somehow 1 managed to find a
The Washington times., 1928-11-14

from the group of rescued passen-
gers on the deck.
Schmidt swan in the open sea for
21 hours before being picked up.
He was exposed for longer time
than any others. He was sighted
from The Berlin several hours after
the vessel had picked up lifeboat
thirteen with % persons. He was
hauled aboard practically exhausted.
Snatch Life Boat
Three negroes from the Vestris'
crew proved themselves heroes, they
were in the water while the liner
was sinking, swimming through the
wreckage not far from the stricken
vessel.
Finally they swan in close and
Continued on Page S, Column 81
The Washington times., 1928-11-14
Passengers Wore Life
Belts For "a Hours
On Vestris
by international News Service

by International News Service
NEW YORK, Nov. 14.-Pas-
sengers on the ill-fated liner
vestris wore life preservers for
nearly "a hours before the ship
was abandoned, according to in.
formation brought to port today.
The ship ran into stormy
weather and high seas late satur-
day and began to pitch and roll.
The passengers put on life belts
Sunday afternoon when 1t became
evident that the vessel was in
grave danger.
The liner was not abandoned
until Monday afternoon.
The Washington times., 1928-11-14
Life Boat StOues Ship Side

In fact it dipping into the Captain Carey ordered
all passengers deck and ordered the eels distributed
Then the began to lower the lfeboats.
1T took two hours to lower four 1ifeboas-Nos g. g.
and 1O' Mack emphasized. 'tAnd while No. was being
lowered crashed the side of the ship sovng in the
lfeboat.
'The passengers, most Of whom and children
tumbled into the water -
The Washington times., 1928-11-14
Unable to RecOUer Her Balance

T. E. Mack, construction engineer from Teoka WyO.
who his way to Brazil with Maxey, gave vivid
description Of the storm and difficulty experienced in
lowering the boats
The hurricane he said ''started Sunday about
O'Clock in the afternoon Soon after there decided list
of the ship which continued all day Sunday night the ship
started roll like bottle and she began list and
the starboard side each hour passed
1.-THE passengers became All the paraphernala
the port side ripped from their fasenings but
Monday when the became camer and the gale died
down. the starboard side continued to list heavily.
The Washington times., 1928-11-14
Jewish Women Aid
Red Cross Roll Call

The'Jewish .Women's Auxiliary OF
the District Chapter of the Amer.
iran Red Cross has drawn up its
mans for the twelfth annual roll
call of the organization.
The Washington times., 1928-11-14
Confusion and Panic Charged

"The failed hurry up the life boats and the
whole thing moved without any precision"
The confusion and panic in the water after the thres
boats with their precious burdens of human life had been
lost heartrendng the passengers still board
the sinking ship.
But the left behind had terrors and dangers
of their face for the ship began roll and pitch
fearfuy Beforehe last Of the small boats cleared
away it struck amdships by a tremendous
which rolled it over keel up.
The Vestris, waterogged and helpless foated like the
of huge dead whale while the passengers and
tossing in the tried to climb the slippery
bottom of the keel.
Fearing the ship would at any minute they dived
from the keel back into the attempt swim
fotsam and etsa until the rescue fleet could arrive on
the scene.
The Washington times., 1928-11-14
ENGINEER HEARD CLICK
Of INSTRUMENT AS
He JUMPED
Continued from First Page.)

CONTINUED Elrst PageJ
the in getting the open boats into the sea- They
said ii required two hours to lower four life boats.
f the first SOS had been sent out the night before
believe there would have been occasion for loss of
ife,'' said Maxey.
New Britain herald., 1928-10-03
WIFE WANTS DIVORCE

Judge l.. P. Waldo Marvin OF the
superior court OF Hartford reserved
decision in the divorce action of
Mrs. Edith Amanda Josephine Lind
gren. formerly Of New Britain. and
now of West Hartford, against
Ernest Albin Lindgren Of New York
city. In the event of a decision
against him, Lindgren agreed to pay
the sum of SO a week for the sup
port of their son. nine, who Is in the
Swedish Orphanage at Cromwell.
The Lindgrens were married in
1919 in New Britain. w. Mckleszer
was counsel for the plaintiff and
Harry Ginsburg represented the de-
PENDANT.
New Britain herald., 1928-10-03
o. D. S. H. ANNIVERSARY PARTY

o. d. S. Fl. ANNIVERSARY PARTY
Eintracht lodge, o. d. H. g.. will
attend the 47th anniversary celebra-
ton of Harmony lodge of Meriden
tomorrow night. Members will leave
on the 7:15 train or the 1885 o'clock
bus for Meriden.
New Britain herald., 1928-10-03
Two TRUCKS And SEDAN
IN WEST END COLLISION
Crash OF Heavy Vehicles F0rces
Lighter Machine ON Road
and Against Tree.

Two of the Sherman. Sand COM
pany's trucks and sedan figured
in i collision on West Main street.
east of Wooster street. about %:40
o'clock last evening. Carl Olson OF
rs Short street was driving one
truck. followed by the other in
charge OF Arthur Thoma Of West
Main street. while the sedan, driven
by Charles II. Watson Of SIS West
Main street, was behind the latter.
all headed easterly at q moderate
rate of speed, according TO infor-
nation gathered by Motorcycle Po-
liceman William +. Hayes.
Olson suddenly stopped his truck
and Thoma, not expecting him to
do SO. pulled to the left to avoid q
collision. Thomas truck struck the
rear of Olson's truck. damaging his
engine. radiator and head lights. and
forced Watson of the road, his Sc
dan striking tree. damaging the
radiator and puncturing both front
tires. Nobody was injured.
Officer Joseph Kennedy reported
that an automobile driven by Henry
J. Chalkowski of Kensington backed
against a Davidson g. Leventhal Co.
truck in charge Of Edward Bukow-
ski of Sc Silver street. on West
Main street yesterday afternoon.
causing slight damage. and also re-
ported that a car driven by Thomas
Latina of 467 Myrtle street struck q
parked car while rounding the cor
ner of Main and West Main streets
to the right. The damage was slight.
supernumerary Officer Samuel l.
Cole reported that cars driven by
Hazel NJ. Darling OF IS Osgood
avenue and Albert Demand. Jr.. OF
551 Stanley street were slightly
damaged about $3.50 last night when
Miss Darling's car. going south on
Main street, opposite Court street,
made a left turn and sideswiped the
other machine. There was slight
damage.
New Britain herald., 1928-10-03
MYSTERY IN INJURY
TO BOY BlCY0LIST|
Police Puzzled BY Crushing d
Lads Lee BY Truck

The exact manner In which Rob-
ert Goodrich. - years old. son Of
Mr.. and Mrs. Charles w. Goodrich
of ; Raymond street. Barnesdaie.
fell under a five-ton sand truck
owned by william +. Quinn Of Sc
Bassett street yesterday forenoon at
the intersection Of West Main street
and Corbin avenue. remain unde-
termined. according to the report Of
Sergeant p. J. OMara, who inter-
viewed all available witnesses.
Russell Baird. aged IL. Of 7t2
West Main street, told Sergeant
OMara that he and the injured boy
were riding their bicycles home
from central junior high school and
the truck passed them about ut the
intersection Of the two streets. 1t
was going slowly. according to the
boy, but 1t seemed to move slightly
towards the north curb ~ 1t passed.
and in an instant the Goodrich boy
was under the heavy machine and
the rear right wheel passed over his
right leg. crushing 1t. The Baird
boy could not say whether or not
the truck struck the Goodrich boys
bicycle.
Nicholas Bruno of Is Nash street.
Frank Cafaratti of 'sc5 Burritt
street. and John Dagata OF IL West
erly street. who were working in the
Stanley Works vacant lot on the
northeast corner of the intersection.
told the sergeant they did not see
the accident happen. while William
J. Birmingham. driver OF the truck,
told Detective Sergeant w. p. McCue
that the two boys were standing be-
side their bicycles as his truck
passed. Whether or not they has
tened to take hold Of the rear part
OF the truck to be pulled along with
out pedaling their bicycles IL not
known. but Birmingham said he felt
no bump and would not have known
OF the accident had not someone
called to him.
Sergeant OMara reported that the
pool of blood In which the injured
boy was found was S feet, 1oinchea
from the north curb and 80 feet
from the center Of the intersection
OF the streets. The truck stopped
west OF the intersection and 1t7 feet
from the pool Of blood.
At New Britain General hospital
today. the injured boys condition
remained critical. His leg was bad
ly crushed and he lost considerable
blood but he 10 thought to have a
fairly good chance for recovery.
New Britain herald., 1928-10-03
USED CARS
GOOD CARS
FOR THE HUNTING
SEASON
Best OF Them All

oeot VI AuSl1l Au
PAIGE. late pass. Sedan. (cost
new $1.700D. I wheel brakes.
balloons. slip covers, attractive
gray Duco. 1s miles per gallon.
Price t7s5.
CADILLAC "s1" : pass. Sedan. |
right from select private use.
hnish slightly duh. otherwise
remarkably fine condition.
Price $4ss.
AUBURN 1928 model SIS. 81
pass. Sedan. clean. attractive,
racy. excellent equipment. Price
$675.
NASH 1893" 5 pass. Sedan. 50 h.
p. finished in rich royal blue.
slip covers to match. Price
$3.50.
HUDSON Coach. 1885. q real
whirlwind of speed and power,
new balloons rear, spare. Price
$275.
ESSEX 1885 Coach. carefully
overhauled. Clean, neat carpets
and upholstery. new rubber
cushion bumper. Price t1s5.
REQ s pass. Sedan 1T" sturdiest
model right from an owner who
rode mostly on Sundays and
stored car winters, cracking
good equipment, Lovejoy shock
absorbers, $495.
REQ s pass. Sedan, half price,
500.
PAIGE Z pass. Sedan, half price,
$3.50.
Both excellent running condi-
ton. Good paint and tires.
HOWARD w. WHITMORE
Graham-Paige Cars
S19 East Main Street
Near Elm Phone cS10|
New Britain herald., 1928-10-03
TEACHERS ENJOY PICNIC

The teachers Of the Senior High
school held their picnic at Pinnacle
Rock yesterday afternoon. About so
of the fdculty were present. all hav-
ing an enjoyable time. The delicacies
were served on the rock with Will
liam Fallon catering. Several of the
teachers assembled the mountain.
A special schedule was observed
this afternoon at the school because
OF departmental meetings. The
school was dismissed at $40 o'clock.
New Britain herald., 1928-10-03

be-" Sybil TOLD her mother, I'D
think 1t was sin to love anything
as much as l love my baby"
Valerie adored the child.
I'D have one myself" she de-
clared. 'if it wasn't such q trouble.
Ugh! ! do love babies-but it's 10
unesthetic. getting them.
She crinkled her nose In z way
that Tad had found enhancing
some two years before.
'Unesthetic your grandmother
he told her brutally. you're scared.
That's all that's the trouble with
YOU"
ITO BE CONTINUED)