Evening star., 1939-10-21
Harding Docks;
.26 Removed
On Stretchers
Broken Furniture
Pinned Passengers
As Big Wave Hit
BY the Associated Press.

NEW YORK, Oct. 21.-Twenty-
six persons were removed on stretch
ers from the United States liner
President Harding today when the
storm battered bessel arrived after
one of the most tempestuous and
dramatic voyages in modern mari
time annals
Eyes were blackened, bones frac-
tured and bodies bruised by tum-
bling furniture and heaving decks
when the 1859 ton liner was caught
by bowling hurricane after rescu-
ing the crew of the torpedoed Brit
ish freighter Heronspool.
Altogether, 73 passengers and
crew members were injured in the
storm, but all except the 26 most
seriously hurt were able to walk by
the time the ship docked.
A cabin boy, Paul (RedD Johnson,
was washed overheard and lost
when mountain wave broke over
the decks.
Flag at Half Mast.
johnson, recent graduate of the
University of Wisconsin, was max
ing his fourth trip on the ship. Be-
cause of his death, the President
Hardings flag was at half mast
when she arrived.
The hurricane, which had eluded
meteorologlsts as result of war
time restrictions on weather reports
from ships at sea. struck the liner
approximately 300 miles east of Bos-
ton Tuesday night
l. Passengers said most of the in
jurieS were caused by one huge wave.
propelled by mile-an-hou
wind. Some said it was 100 feet
high.
A fleet Of ambulances and stretch
er bearers waited at the dock when
the vessel arrived.
Most Of them severely injured were
in the smoking room aft when the
wave heeled the ship over to star
board. Tables. chairs, smoking
stands and pottery slithered across
the floor, pinning passengers against
the wall.
Pots and Pans Fell Butcher.
Down below, Frederick Stover.
chief butcher, was passing through
a galley door when a pile of pots
and pans knocked him to the floor.
Except for that would have been
all right he said. Getting knocked
down slowed me up just enough for
me to be caught in Hood of boiling
water and scalding grease that tip
pea over from a stove.
Il didn't know was so badly hurt.
and with my clothes stuck to me. /
knew was burned all right. but
walked through a passage toward
my bunk and 1 saw a couple of men.
and I waved my arm and said to
them. Get out of my way, boys. I'm
hurt
He was taken to hospital.
Bobby Vernon, actor and singer
whose name appeared on a passport
as Ralph Keller of Los Angeles, ex-
planned the distress call that led to
medical supplies being rushed to the
President Harding by the Coast
Guard cutter Hamilton.
Our ships hospital was wrecked
in the storm and our bandages and
other supplies were ruined" Mr..
Keller said.
After the big wave hit. Mr.. Keller
said, the smoking room "Was a
shambles and full of horrible
scenes"
People Piled in Heaps.
People were piled in heaps and
furniture was splintered and
smashed" he said. Human legs
were sticking out of piles of broken
table legs and chairs. A big console
radio, which was bolted to the wall,
tore loose and was smashed against
the opposite wall
Il was sitting in a chair on the
side of the ship where the wave
struck, and I found myself flying
across to the other side. There was
no chance to get to your feet, be-
cause first the ship would be tilted
one way and then the other. The
floor was like a creased pig and
the water and furniture would knock
us down as fast as we tried to
stand up"
William Hepburn Buckler, noted
Baltimore archaeologist. said the
(See HARDING, Page A-3.)