Victim of the General Slocum Fire - age 38 years old, wife Velasca died day of tragedy, sons Grover(13), Walter (10) and Arthur (6) injured but survived, son Edgar (4) also perished, lived at 95 2nd Avenue.
He was able to tell his story before his death:
"Myself, my wife, and four sons, were sitting on the first deck when I saw smoke coming up through the deck in great clouds. The people on the boat acted as though they had lost their minds. I grabbed life preservers, and, after putting them on my wife and children, assisted them over the side of the boat into the water. Then I put one on and went after them, telling them to make for shore. The youngest child was in my wife's arms. I started after them, but had not taken more than half a dozen strokes when I was surrounded by half a dozen women, who clung to me and dragged me under. I had all I could do to save myself from being drowned by their frantic efforts to hold on to me. A rowboat came up and took us all on board. When we got there I searched for my wife and family in vain. They were not to be found."
He was able to tell his story before his death:
"Myself, my wife, and four sons, were sitting on the first deck when I saw smoke coming up through the deck in great clouds. The people on the boat acted as though they had lost their minds. I grabbed life preservers, and, after putting them on my wife and children, assisted them over the side of the boat into the water. Then I put one on and went after them, telling them to make for shore. The youngest child was in my wife's arms. I started after them, but had not taken more than half a dozen strokes when I was surrounded by half a dozen women, who clung to me and dragged me under. I had all I could do to save myself from being drowned by their frantic efforts to hold on to me. A rowboat came up and took us all on board. When we got there I searched for my wife and family in vain. They were not to be found."
Victim of the General Slocum Fire - age 38 years old, wife Velasca died day of tragedy, sons Grover(13), Walter (10) and Arthur (6) injured but survived, son Edgar (4) also perished, lived at 95 2nd Avenue.
He was able to tell his story before his death:
"Myself, my wife, and four sons, were sitting on the first deck when I saw smoke coming up through the deck in great clouds. The people on the boat acted as though they had lost their minds. I grabbed life preservers, and, after putting them on my wife and children, assisted them over the side of the boat into the water. Then I put one on and went after them, telling them to make for shore. The youngest child was in my wife's arms. I started after them, but had not taken more than half a dozen strokes when I was surrounded by half a dozen women, who clung to me and dragged me under. I had all I could do to save myself from being drowned by their frantic efforts to hold on to me. A rowboat came up and took us all on board. When we got there I searched for my wife and family in vain. They were not to be found."
He was able to tell his story before his death:
"Myself, my wife, and four sons, were sitting on the first deck when I saw smoke coming up through the deck in great clouds. The people on the boat acted as though they had lost their minds. I grabbed life preservers, and, after putting them on my wife and children, assisted them over the side of the boat into the water. Then I put one on and went after them, telling them to make for shore. The youngest child was in my wife's arms. I started after them, but had not taken more than half a dozen strokes when I was surrounded by half a dozen women, who clung to me and dragged me under. I had all I could do to save myself from being drowned by their frantic efforts to hold on to me. A rowboat came up and took us all on board. When we got there I searched for my wife and family in vain. They were not to be found."
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