The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-01-24

 the passengers. She said that not until the plane had struck, and wa ter was knee deep in the cabin, did steward Robert Spence stand at tho emergency exit in the smoking room and pass out the buoyant cushions which were to sustain them for 10 hours. Before Spence had talked about Handing for lunch"
 Captain Aiderson and members of his crew would not discuss the technical difnculties that had brought the plane down, but 1t was evident that Ice had formed In the carburetors, stalling one after an- other of the four motors, causing the plane to lose altitude from i2,000 feet until 1t was barely skimming the surface, then to crash Into the surging seq with such force that 1t stove in the planes bottom.
 Water gushed in instantly and by the time the last of passengers and crew had stepped out the doors, the cabin was almost filled. There was no time to gather Up anything more than the life belts.
 Three Died in 10 Hours
 That was e little after D. m. Saturday. In the 10 hours that fol- lowed. three of the men died. Two members of the crew swan about tho raft they made by tying the life preservers together, in relays, splashing and yelling to frighten off sharks. The women revived the spirits of all by singing; they couldn't remember what songs they sang. At dusk . ship passed in the distance and they shouted in union but failed to attract 1t. It was 9 D. m. before the Standard oil tanker Esso Baytown, which had vered of its course from New York to Bay town, Texas, in response to the planes sos, heard their cries. Two hours later It's life boat plucked them out of the sea.
 Charles Talbot, %, of Brookline, Mass Q student of the Harvard graduate school of business admin istration, who had c broken arm in c cast, but survived, gave this yer- sion of what happened abroad the plane carrying crew Of five and eight passengers, bound out of New York's cold weather for seni- -tropi- cal Bermuda:
 We were flying along under a clear sky at about i2,000 feet, they told us, when the air got very bumpy. Spence, the steward, came through and said we were going to have lunch. As the lunch was being prepared, he came again and said we are going to drop to about 5000 feet. We did just that and plunged into clouds.
 "Then he came around again and said we were going down another thousand. Two of the engines had stopped, filled up with Ice. We were skimming along at about 900 feet. Then Spence came around quietly and said to hang on as Fast as pos- sible, we were going to land. By that time c third motor had cut out.
 "When the ship hit 1t bounced off the top of one swell. struck . second time and went nose up. It hit e third time with c terrific boom and the bottom came in."
 No Life Belts
 Mrs. George fngham, 24. also said that no life belts had been given out until after the crash. She said that as soon as they struck, Q steward hurried her te the einerg- ency door Ia the pantry, which was midships, between the smoking room and the after cabin. She was one of the first ones out.
 By the time tho steward rad the door open the water was sady pouring in and the floor was knee deep in watcr,' sine said, T literally had to step out into the ocean"
 The three who died were Donald Miller, Lincoln, Neb., department store owner: John Gordon Noakes, New York fur auctioneer, and Robs crt Spence, e steward.
 Miller was caught ir swell and dashed against c wing Yis read was injured. Spence, who had no I: belt for himself grasped Miller and swan with him until he was ex. hausted He died in about on hour, of exhaustion. Miller had already slipped from his grasp and dfo ned. Noakes also was badly injured by the crash. but he was pulled to the raft and lived about two hours. be- fore he slipped off and was drown' cd.
 Survivors List
 The survivors were.
 Mrs. fnggham. 24. of Hamilton, Bermuda; Mrs. Watson, Mrs, Don- aid Miller, Mrs. Noakes; Miss Nellie Smith, 34, of Bermuda. Charles Tal- bot, 23, of Brookiine. Mass, all pas. scngers; and Capt. Alderson, Capt. Richardson, Patrick Chapman, radio officer. and David Williams. steward
 Capt. Aiderson suffered c gash oil his head when the plane struck, but he required no medical treatment when the rescue ship landed,
 Mrs. Noskes and Mrs. Miller were aided down the gangplank Both were grief-stricken. Mrs. NoakeS soil. Donald c. Noakes. said today that she was under the care Of physician and was doing aS well ai