CAPTAIN SAVED BELL-BOY
Charles Spencer, a bell-boy on the Empress, told of the manner in which Captain Kendall of the Empress saved him. Still hysterical from the suffering he endured, he cried as he told of his experiences.
“When the crash came I ran down to the steerage to wake up the boys there and get them to go to the bulkheads and turn them. They are closed by hand wheels. I did not have much time, because when I reached there the water was two feet deep and I could hardly get through it. I know two of the boys were drowned there. I and another, Samuel Baker, were the only bell-boys saved out of the dozen on the vessel. When I woke the boys below I ran to the boat deck where the men were trying to put the life-boats overboard. The Empress had a list to starboard and the top deck was down to the water. She was going very fast. One of the funnels toppled into the water and almost fell on a life-boat. When the boat made a final lurch I dived into the water, because I felt I could get somewhere. When I came up Captain Kendall was near me. He caught hold of me and helped me along, and we were in the water about twenty minutes when we were picked up and taken to the coal boat.”