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VOLTURNO A GHASTLY SIGHT
The New York Times, October 30, 1913, Thursday
Crew of Ship That Sank Her Tell of Finding Bodies on Board.
ROTTERDAM, Oct. 29. -- The story of the finding and sinking of the charred derelict "Volturno" was told to-day on the arrival of the Dutch oil steamer "Charlois", belonging to the American Petroleum Company, the Dutch branch of the Standard Oil Company.
The Charlois sighted the Volturno on Oct. 17, Capt. Schmidt had not heard of the burning of the vessel and thought it possible that there might be survivors on the derelict. A boat was lowered under the command of the First Officer, who stayed all night a short distance from the wreck.
At dawn the Charlois's sailors boarded the derelict, which exhibited a desolate spectacle. Flocks of sea-birds were hovering, srtieking, over the blackened hull. The decks were bent and twisted in all directions with the heat, while down in the hold the cargo was still smoldering. Flames still came from the forecastle and stern. Apparently the only part of the ship not damaged by the flames was the engine room.
In the crew's messroom and quarters the Charlois's men found four charred corpses, completely unrecog-nizable. One of the dead was a man of stout build; one of the others apparently a boy.
Before departing the First Officer of the Charlois decided to sink the wreck, as it was in a position dangerous to navigation.
He had the outer circulation tubes and seacocks opened, so as to let in the sea and cause her slowly to sink.
The Charlois's men left the derelict on Oct. 18 at .9:30 :A.M., and half an hour later the oil-tanker parted company with the Volturno. When last seen the derelict was still floating, but it was certain she would sink. The Charlois's crew state, in a short time after we left the Volturno sank.
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The New York Times, October 21, 1913, Thursday
SINKS VOLTURNO WITH DEAD
Dutch Crew Opens Hulk's Sea Cocks
Several Bodies Aboard.
LONDON, Oct. 20. The Dutch tank steamer Charlois reports having examined the steamer Volturno on Oct. 17, which she found entirely burned out. Several bodies were aboard the ship. The Volturno's stopcocks were opened and she was left sinking.
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