Evening star., 1928-11-14


80 of its 328 passengers and crew had
been launched in lifeboats, after two
boatloads of women and children had
been hurled into the sea, most of them
to die, and while the rest were leaping
from the ships sides and swimming
for their lives lest they be dragged
down with the foundering hulk.
Traditions Declared Upheld.
Survivors told today that the tradi-
tions of the sea had been scrupulouSly
observed as to giving first thought to
women and children, but fate had
turned gallantry to disaster. And they
told an appalling story OF inadequate
preparation for disaster.
The first two boats were filled with
women and cf1ildren-there were 81
women and l3 children on board-and
the crew started to lower away. Then
the sinking ship lurched, the boats
crashed against its side and women and
children poured into the boiling waves.
Reports available today indicate that
all the children perished and but 10 OF
the women were saved.
Criticises Rescue Delay.
There was ample reason to send out
an S o S from the sinking steamer
Vestris a full day before this action was
finally taken, o. L. Maxey of Richmond,
Va, asserted today. But instead, he
said, officers circulated among the pas
Sengers assuring them that there was
no immediate danger.
When the S o S was sent there was
not time for rescue ships to reach the
scene until after the Vestris had sunk.
There was no need for loss OF life, =
Maxey said. "The call for help should
Myhn
were listing so heavily that our star
board rail on the promenade deck was
awash Officers and crew instead kept
telling us that there was no immediate
danger. If the S o S had been sent
i've hours earlier everybody could have
been saved"
Maxey arrived today on the rescue
ship Berlin with his business associate,
T. E. Mack, of Tekla, Wyo., who was
equally bitter in denunciation of delay
in starting rescue work.
125 Survivors Reach Port.
The steamer American Shipper, with
125 Vestris survivors, docked at 9:4S
am.
The experience they had beer
through was written sharply on the
pale, drawn faces of the survivors
brought by the American Shipper. sew
eral passengers had had medical atten'
ton, especially those who had beer
long exposed to wind and water aS
they awaited rescue in the life boats.
Some said that the friendly gul
stream had been responsible for th'
saving of many lives, for the water tina
drenched their clothing was warm.
E. j. Marvin of Mont Clair, N. j.,
representative of the Standard Oil co
of New Jersey, said the reSponslbllit!
would rest with Capt. Carey. Mr.. Mar
win said the skipper had been derelic
in not summoning aid "a hours earlier
Marvin also declared that had tn
lifeboats been sound and properl!
launched there would have been no los
of life, since the water, though rough
from a recent storm, was warm. How
ever, he said the sea was at no tlm'
so turbulent that the boats could no
have been navigated.
Marvin indicated that many of tn
crew, still unaccounted for, might haV
gone down with the ship. She droppe'
suddenly, the oil man said, and onl
a few of the boats were what he woul
call filled.
Marvin said the Vestris had run int
a heavy gale, with wind at so to z
miles an hour.
Calls Ship Disabled.
'It vase obvious" he asserted, "tha
the steamer was disabled on Sunday
She carried moderate list all da
Sunday and it is our understandin
that water was rapidly filling the bunk
ers.
"One of the doors to the coal bunker
on the starboard side, or the side tina
went under water when she began t
list so heavily, was in defective condi
ton. It is the consensus that the S o
should have been sent on Sunday, 70
if 1t had been sent then steamers woul
have been alongside on Monday morn
ing.
TT was also the opinion of some o
1s-and I have talked with most of OH
group-that not one lifeboat would hav
been lost if the S o S had been sen
at the proper time and If the lowering
of the lifehoats had not been left Il
ia lest uainUtA ~ matter Of fact