The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-05-08
LONDON STUPEFIED.
People Seem Unable to Realize That
Such Deed Could be Done.

LONDON, May s. Stupefaction is |
the word which best describes the first
impression created by the news of the |
sinking Of the Lusitania. People seem
ed unable to realize that at this stage
OF the world S progress such deed
could be committed as an act of war |
have no words for it, = said Lord
Rosebery, and everywhere one found
the same sentiment repeated.
1T was some hours between the time
the first reports of the disaster were
received at the admiralty and the time
the news was made public by a com
munlcation from the press bureau. Dur
ing this interval the news spread
quickly through official, parliamentary
shipping and newspaper circles.
At the Cunard offices in the later
hours of the afternoon men rushed in
asking, Is it true?'' When and how
they heard the news was a mystery
Shipping offices could give little or no
information until the official statement
was issued that the Lusitania was
sunk by a submarine at 2.33 p. M.
light miles south of West Kinsale.
There was remarkable scene in the
Strand when the news first became
known. A newsboy shouting out the
contents of a bill of an evening paper
| Lusitania torpedied and sunk. of
| iciali was stopped outside the Hotel
| Cecil by police constable, who refused
| . believe the news. He intimated the
| lad would be arrested if it were shown
| he was crying out false news The
| boy promptly showed the policeman the
| official news of the disaster in the
Z stop-press column and he was al
| owed to proceed The incident at
| racted huge crowd and in a few
minutes the boy had sold all his pa
4 1eFs.
/ The official news was first published
| ut $40 p. m. and created a profound
| impression on the public. and especially
| n the west end hotels where the guests
| gathered round the newspaper ma
| hines. Many Americans. mostly bus
ness men are at present staying at the
| Hotel Cecil, Savoy. and other big ho-
els in Northumberland avenue and
hose who had expected relatives ana
friends to arriye in London today
hurried in taxicabs to make inquiries
| It the Cunard offices. Americans in
| evening dress rose hurriedly from the
| Inner table when they heard the news
| nd drove off to the shipping Office in
| 'ockspur street. Americans did not at
| empt to hide their anger. A group
/ outside the Carlton Hotel hailed \
| lewsboy and on glaneing at the official
| statement became Infatuated and shook
heir fists in disguset.
Stewards Story of Attack.
The tug, Stormcock. was one of the
rst of the rescue vessels to return K
| queenstown. bringing about $50 sur
-ivors of the Lusitania, principally
passengers, among whom were many
women, several of the crew and ont
| toward. Describing the experience o
| he Lusitania, the steward said:
'The passengers were at lunch whel
submarine came up and fired two to
| ,edoes, which struck the Lusitania o.
the starboard side, one forward an
| another in the engine room. The,
y caused terrific explosions.
"Captain Turner Immediately order
ell the boats out. The ship began {
/ list badly Immediately.
: ''Ten boats were put into the water
and between 400 and 500 passenger
), entered them The boat in which
!. was approached the land with tire
e other boats and we were picked u
shortly after 4 o'clock by the Storm
d cock.
~ fear that few of the officers wer
:. saved. They acted bravely.
"There was only Is minutes fro1
the time the ship was struck until sh
: foundered 1t was a dreadful sight.