The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-05-09
)VER ONE HUNDRED AMERICANS
AMONG LNSITANIA'S VICTIMS
FRIGHT AND AGONY ON FACES Of DEAD
TELL Of THE HORROR OF THE VICTIMS

been only ordinarily rough, they as
sert not single boat from the lusi-
tania would ever have lived in the
sea. The entrance to ST. Georges
channel was almost like mill pond
when the big liner was torpedoed, they
say, and to that and that alone is due
the successful launching Of at least
ten boats.
Many Of the boats and life RATS Of
the Lusitania went down with her
Those on the port side, with the ex-
ception Of two forward and one aft
could not be launched. Some Of the
life RATS remained attached because
the panic stricken passengers had
nothing available to cut them loose.
Although there was no panic, In the
broad sense Of the wrod, many Of the
women became hystericaI through the
shock Of the explosion and the expio-
sive fumes. Some tried to get their
children into the boats and impedeG
Instead Of helped the work Of getting
the boats oversize.
THE RULE OF THE SEA.
The rule of the sea, "women and
children first" seems to have been
followed in the first of the boats
launched. But many Of the boats
went overside with only few In them
and when they were cut loose In the
water it was men that they picked up,
as there were few women sturdy
enough TO swim In che cold water In
which they were immersed when the
lusitanIa went to the bottom.
Captain Turner, officials say, was
still at his post on the bridge when
the vessel took her final plunge. He
is In his room in the Imperial hotel
here, suffering very seriously from
shock caused by his immersion OF
three hours. He declined to receive
me or to make any statement, saying
that his official report must be made
to the admiralty, he being member
Of the royal naval reserve, and to the
cunard line officials. Because Of his
age, he is SO, the doctors are fearful
as to his recovery, although they say
that they are hopeful.
No trace has yet been found Of A.
fred g. Vanderbilt, Chas. Klein, Ebert
Hubbard, or any Of the other promt-
nent Americans who are missing and
believed to have been drowned. At
the request Of Ambassador Page,
StFlCt watch is pS'H9 HSPe ~ e''SSS
bodies and their descriptions have
been sent to all Of the little fishing
viIlares that dot the southern Irish
coast.
That the submarine which sunk the
LusitanIa had completed her task
when she launched the fatal torpedoes
at their mark, and has etarted back to
the heIisoIand base Is the belief here.
Patrol boats and other craft have
been keeping a close watch for her,
but there has been no trace since the
periscope disappeared below the sur
face lust at the moment TIE first tor
pedo met its mark in the Lusitania
lust between the first and second fun
neIs.
Madame De Page, chief Of the Bel
oian Red Cross. told me that when she
saw that the Lusitania was about to
founder she jumped Into the water to
avoid the suction.
"But | was drawn into the vortex
Of the sinking ship and carried away
down. When came up there was
nobody in sight. was finally picked
up by torpedo boat number d, which
also rescued twenty others. The COM
mander, Officer Burroughs, was very
kind to the survivors, among whom
were Richard Freeman Of Boston, and
Herbert Stone Of New York, son o:
the general manager Of the Associated
Press. -
Robert Rankin Of 116 Schuyler
Place, Ithaca, N. Y, a mining eneI-
neer, said:
SAW THE PERIscoPE.
al was standing on the deck talk
ino to Thomas Bloomfield Of New
York. a New York insurance agent,
and Isaac Lehman, a Canadian, when
| saw part Of a coming tower and
periscope Of a submarine, ! esclain,- =,
cd: That looks like torpedo Bloom
field said, NY God! IT'S torpedo
Almost before he had the words out
of his mouth an explosion followed. |
The vessel was deiuged with black
smoke and rain Of debris fell about
us. It raincd on us for two minutes
I should think The second cabin
passencers rushed through the bar
riers toward the boat deck and the
steeraoe passengers also were panic
stricken. When the water was within
twelve feet of the deck ] missed my
! jumped overheard and
swan to starboard. There / was pick
ed up by one Of the starboard life
heats which was in charge ct the ,
coolest man that ! ever saw, Weich, |
fContinued on page 2.)