The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-09-08
Men, Women and Children Trapped and
Burned to Death in Worst American
Disaster Since War.
HULK DRIFTS HELPLESSLY
Bodies Are Washed Ashore All Along New
Jersey Coast as Ships Stand by
Inflated MORO Castle.
BY SANDOR S. KLEIN
United Press STAFF Correspondent
(CopyriEht. 1884. BY United Press

ASBURY PARK, N. j., Sept. 8.-The holiday
liner MORO Castle, bound home from Havana with
558 passengers and crew aboard struck by light
ming off the New Jersey coast today and turned into
flaming holocaust in which men, women and children
were trapped and burned to death.
The dead were estimated by the coast guard at
200 and by Asbury Park police at $50 Survivors were
being brought ashore at various ports along the
Jersey coast.
With her captain, Robert R. Wilmott dead in his
cabin of heart disease-he stricken before the fire
and did not live to the tragedy-the flaming,
52O-ton luxury liner drifed heplessly toward the
stormy coast
Frantic sos calls went through the air and
dozen liners and smaller ships FASTENED to the rescue
Nothing could be done except to pick survivors Many
passengers trapped in their cabins with hope OF es
cape Others threw themselves into the sea-
Probably six twelve feboats managed to get over
the side with varying numbers of and women aboard
They unmanageabe in the off-shore storm
Many of Survivors Are Burned Badly
Some of the boats upset the surf trying to make shore
Coast guards and feguards helped the survivors to land
Many badly burned otherwise injured 1hey we're
treated at hospitals, police stations and hotels.
Bodies were being washed ashore all along the coast
# was estimated that probably than 300 persons,
crew and passengers escaped with their lives although 1t
was almost miraculous how managed to get OUT
of their cabins and the from the depths of the ship
The lightning apparently hit oil tank, and in an IN
credby short time the liner was sheahed IN ames Scream
ing passengers caught their saterooms Some man.
aged to get out of doors windows but those who were
not quick enough lost.
Swims Eight Miles to Shore
Most of the survivors taken aboard the liner Mon
arch of Bermuda the Andre Luckenback and the C OF
Savannah The Others ptfuy few in number reached the
beach One woman Mrs. Howard PaninO of Bangor, "a"
an expert swimmer eight miles to shore through tne
heavy Her husband Jumped IN with ner ouC was DE-
leved drowned.
The MORO Castle was of steel construction, are
all large ocean going vessels Ward line advertising had
stressed its nvulneraby and in at least one instance
called attention to it's guards against fire danger.
luxury ship of $50 TONS built especially for the gay
New YorHavana trade she only four years DID, having
made her maiden trip in May 1880 She said to repre-
sent an outlay of 100000
Rain SQUALLS heavy swels and high wind contributed
the horror Survivors reached shore exhausted burned and
injured Many of them forbidden to talk by officials
of the Ward ne who the nearest point of land
where one by surf bringing the battered pas
sengers to shore.
The first stories ncoherent and confused Out OF
them came the general statement I'VE trapped like
rats in our cabins-we had no time to get out
Members of the crew told of being awakened, shortly
after midnight by general fire alarm. The lightning pre-
sumably struck oil tank and within few minutes the
entire ship was abaze mdshp The flames spread so rap
were unable force their way to the decks from the
interior.
without funds and scany clothed Wire,
filed the air with messages from
their safety
heartrendng stories 10 tell
their the furious fire and turned 70
aiding screaming and frightened
Capoe Of Havana told the United Press nov
window OF SUITE Win
flames all around managed to reach life boat
Is My Daughter, She Cries
bodies and living humans saved by
their life belts the pounding surf along
the
incidents when Mrs Mary
Robinson Of Richmond through the breakers
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