Emma Schabert's New York Tribune Account

Emma Schabert

First-class passenger

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Among the first passengers off the boat was Mrs. Paul Schabert, of Derby, Conn. She said she had stateroom No. 28 on the port side 1 and that she had sailed with her brother, Philip, who was saved. 2 In telling how she and her brother were saved she said it was only because she refused to leave him. When asked about Mrs. Isidor Straus, Mrs. Shabert said:

"Mrs. Straus declared that she would not leave her husband, who had a stateroom near me and to whom I spoke frequently. They were standing arm in arm as the last boat left. She would not forsake her husband. As she refused she clung to him, and they went down arm in arm with the boat."

Mrs. Schabert, in telling her story, said: "It was a terrible experience, but worth going through. I was awakened by the shock of the collision and went out on deck. There was no great excitement and persons were coming out of their rooms and asking what had happened.

"Suddenly from the bridge or from some of the officers came the cry, 'Ladies first.' This was the first inkling we had that the ship was in danger. We went back to the staterooms and dressed.

"Then came the horrifying order that women must leave their husbands and brothers and that no man was to go in the boats. I refused to leave my brother and remained on deck until the next to last boat was leaving. They looked around and saw that I was the only woman. I told them that I would not go without my brother, and then they took me and my brother. I thus saved him.

"We left the ship about twenty-five minutes before the ship sank. She sank at about 1:50 Monday morning. At 6 o'clock the same morning the Carpathia put in an appearance and we were picked up. We were probably one mile away from the ship when she went down, and the steward that had given me the first warning that the ship might sink went down with all the others.

"As we left the ship it was the most remarkable and brilliant night I had ever witnessed on the water. All the lights were burning and the band was playing as if at a concert."