NIGHT OF TERROR

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 16 November 1928, Page 5

NIGHT OF TERROR

LIFEBOATS CAPSIZED.

SURVIVORS OF THE VESTRIS JOuR NA LI ST’S EX PER lENC ES. United Press Association —By Electric Tek-giupi, copyright.; (Australian Press Association.) NEW YORK, Nov. 14. The shock and nervous /strain of his experiences snowed clearly on the face or lVlr. Davies, the journalist-,' who Inns returned to New York.

Unlike any other passenger aboard the ill-starred Vestris, lie is not inclined) to blame the crew, officers, or master. He believes that the passengers, who have been made hysterical uy their sufferings, are inclined to stress the sins of omission andi commission. of those manning the vessel. He describes events from the abandonment of the Vestris until his fescue as follows: He and Koppe, a member of the staff of his paper, _ stood at the ship’s rail, viewing the disordered efforts to fill and lower the lifeboats. He saw two boats loaded with women and children capsize before reaching the water, and' every moment the confusion grew greater, with the helpless persons floundering about in the sea. He was fully dressed, including an overcoat, and had a life preserver on. When it seemed that all the passengers were off and the vessel was settling. with indications that it. might founder at any- moment, he and Koppe went over the rail and leaped into the sea. That was the last he saw of his companion. Davies swam to an overturned lifeboat, to which he clung, possibly for three-quarters of an hour, and) was then picked un by a lifeboat. Rain, the darkness, and wind made the discomfort intense. The occupants of his boat coukl see the American Shipper's searchlights comb the waters, and t hey sent up flares and shouted in frantic efforts to draw attention, all of which, failed. They rowed about all night, and between five and l six o’clock next morning the American Shipper saw them and took them aboard. Speaking pf the voyage on the ship, Mr. Davies said: “It begun in a quiet sea with every prospect of a. successful conclusion, but trouble began when a storm arose, andi during-the night the. ship took a definite list, which the | passengers cheerfully refused to regard as serious. They got fun out of trying to keep their feet, and some of the officers told them all would be well within an hour. “On Sunday night the officers still maintained that the list was temper- | ary, but some of the passengers felt it. | would be safer to stay up all night. When I awoke on Monday morning I felt, a crisis was at hand l . ,

Of Captain Carey’s last moments Mr. Davies said: “He was standing on the boat deck, looking haggard from lack of sleep. He coukl see many clinging to the. rails. Just before" the tship went under he cried ‘Good-bye all.’ ” Mr. Davies, describing being picked up, said: “1 understand it was the captain’s pinnace. There were two men aboard and one lady, Mrs. Devore. The rest were members of the crew, possibly three or four being negroes. The latter declined to row and bail the boat. They simply became insolent, and had to be kept in order by alternate threats and tact. The penetrating wind was frightfully cold.”

Speaking* of his leap into the waves, he said : “I clung to the rail, my feet dangling, and when the water seemed about 12 feet away I let myself go. Tlie noise was terrific. I expected the vessel would blow up at any moment. As I was sucked down the thought occurred that perhaps floating, timber might strike my head. I felt suffocated. When I came up the water was strewn with -wreckage, hut I could see nothing of the liner. I managed to catch hold of part of the railing of a hatch cover. Then I found an upturned boat, and had a vivid picture of a negro nearby with, a knife in his. hand, wanting to prevent an von© from seeking to occupy the small raft to which the negro clung.” CERTIFICATE OF SEAWORTHINESS. (Australian Press Association—United . Service.) NEW YORK. Nov. 14. Five days before she was lost the Vestris was completely inspected and received a certificate of'.seaworthiness and lawful equipment.