Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 January 1884 — A TERRIBLE STORY. [ARTICLE]

A TERRIBLE STORY.

The Horrible Fate T)f the Crew of a Steamer Burned at Sea. [Cable dispatch from London.] The second engineer of the burned steamer St. Augustin, who was landed at Shields, tells a heartrending story-of the wreck. He says that when all the boats had been filled there were still thirty people on the burning ship. The lifeboat, which was. already loaded down to the gunwales, was appealed to by these unfortunates to save them. Their agonized cries were irresistible, and even the strong desire for life, always selfishly- manifest under extreme circumstances, was overcome, and the boat returned. The folly Of the attempt was apparent to all. The weight of one more human being, let alone thirty, would be fatal, but this was forgotten or disregarded and the life boat turned her course toward the doomed vessel. She approached as carefully as possible, laboring over the big seas, only to be dashed to pieces, for when near the St. Augustin she was thrown with terrific force against the side of the ship and crushed. Nearly all in her were drowned at once. The rest clambered over the sides, catching overhanging ropes, and sufferod probably a worse fate with those 011 board. Ihe Captain of the St. Augustin, after having his legs cut off by a falling spar, begged ol’ the crew to tie some weight to his body and throw him overboard. He preferred drowning to being burned. The crew finally complied, and he was heavily weighted and thrown into the sea. The second mate, after his master had gone, became perfectly frantic, and, pulling his pistol, he put the muzzle into his mouth, and sent the charge through his brain. He fell dead in his tracks. These examples were followed by the rest. Some jumped overboard, others stabbed themselves, all seeming to prefer some quicker mode of terminating existence than the borribie torture awaiting them from the rapidly advancing flames. YY’hen the John YViUiamson hove to and stood by, a perfect hurricane was blowing. She nevertheless touched a boat containing a volunteer crew and sent it to tho rescue. YVben the St. Augustin waa reached the man in the bow jumped for a dangling line, but he missed it and was drowned. A second man made the attempt. He was dashed against the side of the vessel and killed. Two others followed and were drowned. Finally a line was secured and six persons were taken off. This waß all that could be done. The sea ran bo high that a near approach meant certaiu death, and the gallant orew of the Wfillaihson were obliged to return, leaving those still on board the blazing ship to their fate. The YVilliamson was meanwhile drifting away. She made desperate efforts to face the storm and keep her boat in sight, but they were almost useless. When she wai about to give up the boat was seen coming toward her and the crew with the six rescued men were with great difficulty taken on board. The boat bad rescued Six persons and had lost four in doing so.