New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-11-16
negro fireman IS /
ALSO wreck HERO
Survivors Laud Strength and
ValOr Of Gerald Burton


steamship Vestris were safely |
ashore here today. regaining
strength by much needed rest.
OF the group. five were women.
one Of whom had lost her husband |
and 4 child. Two others lost their !
husbands The fourth. who lost
child. learned that her husband had
come safely through the great
tragedy of the seas. The eight were
brought into Hampton Roads yes
terday by the battleship Wyoming.
Mrs. Norman X. Batten Of Brook
lyn. N. Y, was acclaimed as one OF
the heroines Of the disaster. Her
husband. with other men in a
crowded lifeboat that repeatedly
capsized. had exhausted themselves
in bailing and Fighting the craft.
When the boat capsized tho last
time Mrs. Batten kept her husband
ahoat al long as life remained. At
length she was forced to relinquish
her hold before help arrived.
Mrs. Elvira Fernandez Rua Of
New Bedford. Mass, lost both hus-
band and child. Mrs. Mary Ulrich
Of New York lost child but learn
ed that her husband was safe. Mrs.
Dolores Barriero Doril of Brooklyn
has been informed that her husband
Teruko Inouye mourned the death
of her husband. who was on his
way to Buenos Aires to assume his
post as japanese consul there.
Negro Hailed as Hero
Among the three men. all ne
groes, was one who was hailed as
a hero. He was Gerald Burton, a
stalwart fireman.
IF it hadn't been for Gerald we
wouldn't be here" was the COM
ment of Mrs. Batten just before she
lapsed into sleep at the naval hos
pital last night.
Burton was a first class fireman
on the Vestris. When the water
crept down in the boiler room Mon
day he remained under decks and
kept up steam In an upper boiler to
give power to the generators operat-
ing the radcliffe last hope of the
doomed vessel. He remained there
when the ship was standing almost
on her beam ends. but was forced
finally to leave.
When the lifeboat capsized, Bur-
ton was one Of the men who helped
10 right 1t and assist the women to
reembark. The capsizing and right
ing continued six times and at last
the SO or 60 survivors had become
mere handful. Burton found him
self struggling alongside Mrs. Bat
ten and Mrs. tlrich.
'Stay with me and ] won't let
you drown" they quoted the negro
as saying.
.AAnother OF the negroes. Joseph
lSoxil. was hoisted by a rope from
a piece of wreckage where he was
found in an unconscious condition.
Violation Of Sen Law
A story of violation OF the first
stern law of the sea-women and
children first--was brought to the
Wyoming officers by the women
survivors along with theory from
the stokers that the Vestris possibly
was unfit for sea before she left
port in New York.
Mrs. Batten told the officers that
she was placed in lifeboat No. S
with about 60 other persons. An
other boat containing only a few
members Of the crew was seen
nearby and the No. 8 boat drew
alongside to transfer some of its
passengers. Mrs. Batten was quoted
as saying that one woman got into
the other boat but that when she
tried to follow she was pushed back
by an oar and the boat then showed
away. 1t was only a few minutes
afterward that her lifeboat cap
sized.
The stokers told the officers that
they though sea valve leading to
the ash hopper had cracked and
that this had probably happened
before the vessel left port.
The Wyoming picked up Mrs.
Rua, Mrs. Doril and Mrs. Inouye.
clinging to an improvised raft of
life belts and what appeared to be
. door.