THE TERRIBLE ACCIDENT ON LAKE ERIE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1518, 6 October 1868, Page 7

THE TERRIBLE ACCIDENT ON LAKE ERIE.

(From tho New York Herald.) The following is a version of the statement made by Mr. T. B. Chase, one of the survivors of the Morning Star, so far as relates to the melancholy fate of the Misses Patchin :— I was asleep at the time of the collision ; got up immediately and dressed- Went to my door, and as X stepped out the Misses Patchin -were at their door, and asked me, " What is the matter ?" I replied, " I do not know, but think ws have run down a schooner," and that I hoped it was nothing serious to our boat, and that I would go and find out, and tell thein at once. X then went out of the cabin door I at the stem, passed round on the starboard deck, and I saw the Courtland juat clear of the bows of the Star, j Went down to tho engine room and asked Watson 1 what was the matter, &0., as you have stated it. '1 Went forward and looked down into the forecastle, i but saw no water. Then went upstairs and told the Misses Patchin and others that aB near as I could learn we were all right, but would keep watch, and if anything was wrong would let them know at once. Went again out of the cabin door and looked for the Courtland, and as I went forward I saw her stem bringing up against the Star's whefllhouse. Stood some little time, ana saw it grinding into the side of the Star. Heard a man call out from the Courtland, " Are you sinking ?" A reply was made from our pilot hon?e, which I could not understand ; then the Bamo voice called out, " If you ain't going to sink I want to come aboard, for we shall go down in twepty minutes." 'lhe reply was, " The water won't come np to the top of your spars ; hang On and you will he all right." I then went down to the engine room a second time, and said to Watson, "Is not this a pretty serious business ?" Ho replied, "It is for somebody, and will bo for us unless we can get away from that vessel." I said that our wheel must bo ground up. He replied in effect that the wheel must he used up, but still ho thought we wero not in great danger. I asked him as I did at first, if we were taking water ? He said " Yes." Said I, "Pretty fast?" He said, "Pretty fast, but that they could keep it down." I then went up and told the Misses Patchin and others that we were likely to be in serious danger unless we could gat clear of the Courtland, and that they had better get out theirlife preservers. The oldest Mies P. was dressed—tho youngest was in her night clothes, with a Bhawl around her shoulders. The youngor one, whose name I learn was Minnie, asked mo if I was a sailor. I replied, "No, I was a passenger only." Nhe said they were alone and did not know what to do, and if I would show them she could not thank me enough. 1 then showed her how to put on and use her life-preserver. The elder sister watched her closely, and imitated her in putting on tho preserver, but said little or nothing. Minnie then aßked me if I could swim. I told her I could. Sho then said, " May I stay by you," and took old of my arm with both hands. /1 told her that so far as I was able, I would surely give her my assistance, but I hoped we would not come to that; to keep perfectly calm, and such like directions'. In fixing her life-preserver on, she said, " You see lam not dressed; had I better put on my dress? Ido not knpw what to do on such an occasion." I advised her to put on her dress. At this point the oldest sister said," Jf we are in danger, would not the captain blow tho whißtle ?" I replied that doubtless the captain would notify us when he thought wo were in danger, and that I would go again and see if I could find out our real situation. I then left them standing near the stato-room door, Miss Minnie going towards it as though to put on her dress as I had advised.

Went a third time below; spoke to Watson, " Are we making water fast?" He said, "Yes." Just then some one came along and called for help to throw pig-iron overboard; went forward with a view to help to do it-, and noticed the deck sinking forward ; looked into the forecastle and saw the water rushing in aB though the entice larboard bow was gone. I went at once to Watson and told him wo should go down in less than a minute. He put hia head out of his side window and looked forward, and said, " My God,..that's so!" and left the room. Wo went together to the larboard cabin stairs, when I lost sight of him. I went to my room and put on my life preservers. The ladies and men were alike provided with preservers, and, so far as I know, had them on properly. I told them the boat would go down in one minute, and the sooner we got off and away from her the hotter. The ladies were more calm and collectod than most of the men. lhere was no shrieking or fainting, but all went out to the outside deck through the larboard Cabin door, and hesitated a moment to get over the stern. I passed through the crowd and got over the netting, and found the bow had settled ; it was much like climbing down a ladder to tho guard or lower deck. Called out to tlioao above that 1 it was not difficult to get down there, and came on.

I stood on the outside edge or bar of the lower deok at that time. Turned round licoway from the boat, fixed my life preservers under eaoh arm, and jumped in feet foremost. "When I came above water again I found some of the ladies in the water very close to me and others came immediately, so that four or five were close together. I did not see the boat again, but hoard her go under within a few seconds from the time I rose to the surface. Neither myself nor the ladies near me were drawn down by the boat, but we were whirled rapidly round by the eddies. So fav as 1 saw after the eddies h*d ceased, the parsons in the water still held their life preservers, but some wero out of place, being drawn round over the wearer's buck or shoulders. The older Miss Patchin, or a lady I supposed to be her from the colour of her dress, was assisted by some man near her to a box, which I think Bho grasped with her hands. The younger one, or lady I supposed her to be, in a black dress (it was too dark to rooognine countenances easily, especially of persons nearly Btrangerß), was very near to mo, and I helped her to replace one of her life preservers under her arm, Sha spoke several times about her sister ; wished she was with her sister, and such expressions, during the first fifteen minutes. A cabin-door floated near us about half un hour after we went into the water in tho meantimo the water, which was at first very comfortablo, had becomo intensely cold, and when the door was placed partly under her, her lioad and right arm being well upon it, she did not appear to bo able to grasp it, and lay quite still upon it, but with her hoadout of the water. Soon a severe squall come u,j, and in tho rain I was separated from the rest of the survivors, and waß not again within seeing distance of any one again until daylight.

Thi3 is the story of what I saw in connection with the wresk of the Morning Star, so far as other persona than myself are concerned.

It is painfully clear from the acount of Mr. Chaße that the sisters wore denied the last sad privilege of perishing together.