THE WOMAN FIRST.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2438, 1 March 1909, Page 2

THE WOMAN FIRST.

TRAGIC HEROISM AT A WRECK. A thrilling story- of the efforts to rescue. Miss Maxwell, the stewardess who was drowned with -the captain and three sailors in the wreck of the Liverpool steamer Irada, at Mizen Head, was told by a number of tho survivors. . . . When the ship struck on a precipitous, isolated crag near the head it was 'about midnight. "The -shock was terrific-, the spars thundering down on the deck. The,water, poured in through the holes in the bottom, and in a few moments the engineroom was (flooded. ' Captain Roberts at once ordered tho boats to be launched, but tho wild sea that avas -running dashed to pieces tho first that was lowered against the ship’s side. It was -evident that no boat could live in the heavy seas, and the captain ordered the men to save themselves -as best they could, ail effort first being made to rescuo Miss Maxwell, "the stewardess. . ■ / • A rope was passed under -her arms,, and she was lowered on the rocks by the captain -and several others. Just as she was apparently reaching safety the ship,heeled over and crushed the life out of her. - Her body was washed out to sea. '. As the ship heeled over the captain and three other men were washed away and drowned. The other members of the crew, Go in all, managed to-reach _the rock, where, climbing as high as.they could,

they clung for seven hours. About eight o’clock they wero discovered l>> some workmen. Ropes were lowered, and they we hauled into satovy#