Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 January 1913 — SUICIDE HOLDS BIG LINER [ARTICLE]

SUICIDE HOLDS BIG LINER

Passenger Jumps Overboard in Gale; Rescue Attempt From Ship’s Ladder.

New York.—The story of a thrilling but fruitless attempt to rescue a man who had jumped overboard in mildocean was related by passengers and the crew of the French liner France, which arrived in port fi*om Havre .thirty hours late. The incident oc[Curred during a ninety-mile gale which was whipping the waves into watery mountains Only the hardiest passengers ventured on deck. During the morning a three-ton winch had been washed overboard. William Lees of Manchester, England. a flrst-vabin passenger, appeared on the promenade deck at 4 o’clock He made his way along the cabins until he met a sailor, to whom he handed a note addressed to the captain Then without warning Leeß leaped over the rail Into the Bea. The cry of “man overboard” was raised. Captain Poncelet and his officers on the bridge could see a black object appearing at intervals on the tops of waves astern. The sea was too rough to admit of lowering a boat. Captain Poncelet Bwung his ship in a circle until he had the vessel directly alongside of Lees. who. while making no efforts to support himself, was floating. The skippei* directed that a sailor be lowered over the side by a rope.' Try as he would, the roan could not reach Lees, who was floating face downward with arms extended. The sailor was drawn aboard after a few minutes and a ship’s ladder was lowered. Another sailor descended this and, hanging to the bottom step, reached out every time the roll of the ship permitted and made a grab for After a dozen unsuccessful tries be managed to get his fingers clutched In the clothing of the man in the water, when a heavy wave rolled along and whipped the prise from his grasp. Then the captain lowered a boat far

enough to touch the water, but not Abating on it. In it were a dozen sailors. Tbey were reaching for Lees with a boat book when the body sank