New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-09
LuSitania'S Passengers
Sc0rned Idea of Sinking

many people down also.
Noise Of Explosion Not Great.
"The noise Of the explosion was not
very great. The first torpedo burst
with q big thud and We knew that we
were doomed We had hoatod about
two hours IN our small boat before
the first rescue steamers arrived. Pre-
vious 20 this time some small shore
boats and fishing smacks came along
and helped us
The Rev. II. ". Simpson. a passen-
ger in the second cabin. saved himself
bv clinging TO an upturncd boat.
After struggle we filed this boat
with all We could rescue" DR.. Simpson
said to-day. I'VE tied pair OF trou-
sers to an oar ard hoisted It as a signal
Of distress. A big trawlcr came along
and took us aboard
when we were struck ] was in the
saloon. Lifebelts were handed around,
but the people did not want 70 put them
on. and they rushed off to the deck just
as they were
81 picked up a little child on deck
and climbed down one OF the ropes
into a boat that was lowered. After
that | gave the child 20 another man
and picked two other children out Of
the water We also picked up an old
man and an old woman, who were
saved in our boat
Slid Down Rope Into Water.
William Brown, Of Alaska, another
Of the survivors to reach here, said he
decided not TO Join the rush for the
boats. IL came 10 the conclusion that
a lfebelt was the thing for me- he
said. $50 | went 20 my cabin and Sc
cured one With il on | slid down a
long rope into the water. Subsequent
ly got into a boat"
H. Smethurst, n steerage passenger,
was saved in the same way. lie had
put his wife into lifeboat, and in
spite Of her urging he refused to &C
company her, saying that the women
and children must 90 first. After the
boat with his wife in il had pulled
away the husband put on a lifebelt,
slipped into the water and foated until
he was picked up.
A cabin steward Of the Lusi.ania
gave the following account OF the sink
ing Of the vessel.
"The passengers. large number OF
whom were seriously injured by the
explosion of the torpedoes and by
splinters from the wreckage, were all
fully clear and calm. We were going
at about sixteen knots and were seven
or eight miles south Of Gal!eyhead
when we were struck by one torpedo
and, i'm O. minute or two afterward, by
two more.
1T was a terrible sight, but the pas
sengcrs were surprisingly cool.
I'VE did not get 4 moments notice
from the submarine. II appeared sud
denly above the surface on our star
board bow, discharged torpedo at us
and then disappeared as suddenly as II
came into view. Il went off after ac-
Complshing its work and diI not at
tempt 10 save men, women or children,
but left them TO drown like rats in a
trap when the great ship sank like a
stone.
The scene was a frightful one as the
ship went down A great many per-
sons were carried down az once by the
suction Of the big vessel. About 100
persons jumped overheard and chung to
hoating wrcckage or upturned boats
which were blown Off the ship by the
explosion.
zone of the cabin passengers, a
Greek woman. was rescued after swim
ming a long distance in a sweater and
trousers loaned her by Il sailor. She
fears her husband drowned, as he could
not swim"
". G. +. Meyers, of Stratfcrd, On.
tario, lad Of sixteen years, who was
on his way 10 join the British navy
as cadet, said:
BOYS Saw Torpedo Coming.
81 had just gone to the upper deck
after luncheon to play game of quolts
with two other boys. One OF them,
looking over the side, saw r white
streak in the water and shouted:
There's a torpedo coming straight 70
u.s. We watched II until It struck
US, with an awful explosion. Then we
rushed down to the boat deck.
"A second torpedo struck us about
four minutes after the first. | went
below to get iifebcit and met wom-
an who was frenzIed with fear tried
10 calm her and helped her into a
boat. Then | saw boat which was
nearly swamped. got into II and
with other men baled it out Then a
crowd Of men clambercd into it and
nearly swampcd il.
I'VE got only 200 yards away when
the Lusitania sank, her bow first. We
had to pull hard to get away, and as it
was we were almost dragged down"