New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-11
Would Do 1t Again,
Turner TeStifieS to
Coroner.
MURDER VERDICT
AGAINST KAISER
Liner Had Been Warned of
SubmarineS-ASked
No Convoy.

Kinsale, Ireland. May 1o.-Captain
Turner Of the Lusitania told on the
witness stand to-day the conditions
under which the big liner was tor
pedoed and tie reasons for them. He
had received TO warnings except those
widely published, he said. before he
sailed. and, though lie had been ad-
vised that submarines were lurking
near the Irish coast, he had not been
asked to sail north of his regular
course.
The reason the Lusitania was not
at high speed. he explained, was be-
cause he wished to reach Liverpool
near high tide without having to wait
outside the bar. The boats had not
been lowered earlier because the speed
of the liner would have swamped them.
He had kept a double lookout.
81 simply had to carry out my orders
to 60" he said finally. ~ would do 1t
again"
Following his testimony and that
of two or three other survivors, the
jury returned the following verdict:
1--WE find that the deceased met death
from prolonged immersion and ex-
haustion in the sea eight miles south
southwest of Old Head of Kinsale,
Friday, May 7, 1915, owing to the sink
ing of the Lusitania by torpedoes hred
by a German submarine.
I'VE find that this appalling crime
was committed contrary TO internation-
al law and the conventions Of all civ
ilized nations.
1--WE also charge the officers OF said
submarine and the Emperor and gov
ernment of Germany, under whose ord
ers they acted, with the crime OF
wholesale murder before the tribunal
of the civilized world.
1--WE desire TO express sincere con-
dolences and sympathy with the rela-
tives of the deceased, the Cunard COM
pany and the United States, many OF
whose citizens perished in this muir
derous attack on an unarmed liner.
Coroner Horgan said that the hrst
torpedo fired by the German subma-
rine did serious damage TO the Lusi-
taria. bu. that, not satisfied with this,
the Germans had discharged another
h.a
must have been more deadly, because
il went right through the ship. has
tening the work of destruction.
"Only Verdict Possible"
81 propose to ask the jury" he con-
tinued, ''to return the only verdict
possible for a self-respecting jury,
that the men in charge Of the German
submarine were guilty of wilful mur-
der"
Ships Bugler Livermore testified
that the watertight compartments were
closed, but that the explosion and the
force of the water must have burst
them open. He said that all the Of
ficers were at their posts, and that
earlier arrivals of the rescue craft
would not have saved the situation:
Captain Turner testified briefly. The
Coroner asked him:
"You were aware threats had been
made that the ship would be tor
pedoed"
I'VE were," the captain replied.
"Was she armed?"
"No, sir"
what precautions did you take"
ave had all the boats swung when
we came within the danger zone, be
tween the passing Of Fastnet and the
time of the accident"
Received Special Instructions.
The Coroner asked him whether he
had received a message concerning the
sinking Of a ship off Kinsdale by a sub
marine. Captain Turner replied that
he had not.
"Did you receive any special in
structions as TO the voyage
Are you at liberty to tell US what
they were"
"No. sir"
"Did you carry them OUT"
ayes, TO the best of my ability
Tell US in your own words what
happened after passing Fastnet."
"The weather was clear" Captain
Turner answ red. I'VE were going at
a speed OF eighteen knots. ] was on
the port side and heard Second Of
ficer Hefford call out: Here's a tor
pedo.'
"I ran 70 the other side and saw
clearly the wake Of n torpedo. Smoke
and steam came up between the last
two tunnels. There was slight
shock. Immediately after the first ex-
plosion there was another report, but
Conti.sued on page 3. column