The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-05-15
WOMEN CALM AS
THEY FACE DEATH
One Saw Torpedo Speeding to
Send luSitania TO Doom.
SURVIVORS, STIRRING STORY

Nothing but Possible Fate After
German Threat, and as Ship Was
Struck American Exclaimed, "By
Heavens, They've Done I'll"
Olver +. Barnard, the scenic artist
OF the Covent Garden Opera, who told
OF A. G. Vanderbilts bravery and Froh-
mans stoicism, gave the following ac-
count of the ~torpedoing of the Lusita.
MIA:
1T was my rare fortune to be one OF
0 u people who saw the torpedo or
h German submarine fired at the
Lusitania at a distance OF probably
not more than 200 yards. | had Just
come up from luncheon and was look.
ing across an uncommonly calm and
beautiful sea when | saw on the star
board what at first seemed to be the
tail or a fish. 1t was the %periscope OIL
our assailant.
The next thing | observed was the
fast lengthening track of a newly
launched torpedo. itself a streak OF
froth. We had all beer thinking.
dreaming, sleeping and eating 'subma
rlnes' from the hour we left New YORK.
and yet with the dreadful danger about
to descend upon us | could hardly be
lieve the evidence OF NV own eyes.
An American lady rushed M to
where ! stood, exclaiming nonchalant-
ly. This isn't a torpedo, is itY
Il was too spellbound To answer. 4
felt absolutely sick.
Hit With Terrific Impact.
Then we were hit. My impression
of the contact of the torpedo was that
1t was an indescribably terrific impact.
though not marked by anything such
as the Imagination might fancy In the
way of a roar.
The torpedo must have penetrated
deeply into the side of the vessel and
exploded internally.
THE point OF contact was about be-
Meath the grand entrance to the sa.
loon. and the result of the explosion
was that 1t blew everything in that
immediate vicinity into ~smithereens.
Then the tremendous water tanks on
the funnel deck burst. releasing their
enormous contents and flooding ev-
erything.
The moment the explosion took
place the Lusitania simply fell over
Just as a house. kept up by underpin-
ming. would topple the instant the
main props were pulled out.
Stunned and Astounded.
Instantly there was a tremendous
rush OF passengers to the deck from
the saloon and lounge. | did not think
that anybody. rot ever the women and
children. were SO much terrified as
they were astounded and stunned by
the consciousness that the fears. cher
ished half In ridicule for five days
previously. had at last been realized
and the German bluff bad actually
come of.
by heavens. they've done 1t" ejac
ulafed a broad shouldered American
whom | never saw again.
That was the first universal
thought What shall we dor was the
next
Many people, evidently convinced
that the Lusiania was unsuitable.
made preparations TO sit tight and let
things take their course.
My own first impulse was to obtain
n life belt. Excitement and fright were
now everywhere. but there was no
panic. Keep cool seemed tn be ev-
erybody's motto. though there was on
all hands q pellmell scurry below TO
obtain life belts. Every second people
groups armed with belts. uselessly
carried out I'm most cases and made
quately strapped on. Others forgot
the belts and devoted themselves tn
hunting for their relatives.
Brave Wireless Lad.
The last passenger | spoke to was a
young American bride. Mrs. Steward
Mason. the daughter of William Linds-
ley, an American manufacturer.
Have you seen my husbandr she
shrieked at me appealingly.
II crossed owe to the starboard side
again. and on my way encountered the
two Marconi operators In the emergen
cy wireless room. They. too. were cool
ness p~ersonifed. | learned from them
that the explosion had put the main
wireless room out of action. Ii also
put out every electric light In the ship
Finding that he could do no more
a young operator. superbly humored
and careless of what looked like SURE
disaster for us all. took up a kneeling
position on the funnel deck In order to
make snapshots of the Lusitania set
Ting to its doom.
1.-THE snap was probably the only
one attempted In the whole ship. but
II did not come off. A further lurch
of the boat upset him and his plans.
for the last glimpse ! had OF him was
astride a chair In which he said that
he was going to sit down and swim.
The glorious old cry Of the sea.
Women and children first was the
unvarying rule on the Lusitania. Some