McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1915-05-14
LUS|TAN|A SINKS;
1900 LIVES LOST
GERMAN SUBMARINES SEND TOR
PEpoEs INTO LEvIATHlAN
NEAR IRISH COAST.
MANY AMERICANS GO DOWN
After Death Blow Boat Lists Quickly
and in Eighteen Minutes PIunges
to Bottom--Prominen U. s.
Citizens Drown.

London.--The Cunard Liner Lusi-
tania was torpedoed by a German
submarine off the southeast coast OF
Ireland, near the entrance to Saint
Georges channel, shortly after
o'clock on the afternoon OF May z
She was struck without warning and
sank in 1S minutes, within ten miles
of land.
Revised lists show that total Of
1,201 persons lost their lives in the dis
aster. This total is secured from the
latest official ship line list showing
1854 passengers and crew OF 500
were on board the steamer.
According to the best available fig
ures here total of 100 Americans lost
their lives when the great liner went
down. Latest lists show that total
of 6S out of 1873 Americans on board
the steamer have been accounted for
as rescued. The balance are all miss
ing and are believed lost. Among the
identified dead three boieds are those
of Americans Charles Frohman, Mrs
Amelia Mcdonald and Patrick Gallon
Officially given up as dead are: Al
fred Gwynne andverbilt, multi-million
aire: Charles Klein, playwright; JUS
tus M. Forman, playwright; Ebert
Hubbard, writer; Mrs. Hubbard.
The Lusitania was steaming alons
about ten miles off Old Head Kinsale
on the last leg Of her voyage to Liv
erpool. when about 2 o'clock in the at
ternoon submarine suddenly appear
ed and, so far as all reports go, free
| the torpedoes without warning at thu
| steamer. She was struck near thu
bow and in the engine room.
The powerful agents of destruction
tore through the vessels side, causing
terrific explosions. Almost immedi
ately great volumes of water poure'
through the openings and the Lusi
tania listed.
Boats, which were already swun
out on the davits, were dropped over
board and speedily filled with passer
gers who had been appalled, by tn
desperate attack. A wireless call TO
help was sent out, and immediatel
rescue boats of all kinds were sen
out, both from the neighboring point
along the coast and Queenstown.
But within fifteen minutes, as on
survivor estimated, and certainly will
in half an hour, the Lusitania had di
appeared
Where Great Britain's fastest me
chant vessel went down-Old Hea
Kinsale-is land that has brougf
Joy to many travellers as 1t Away
stood as the sign from shore that tn
perils of the voyage across the Alta
tic were at an end. The line, who's
boast has been that 1t has never To-
a passenger in the Atlantic servic
has now lost the shin that lodged Il
lurking enemy of Nantucket light Il
day after war was declared and lat
startled the world by flying the Sta
and Stripes.
When the passengers realized tn
the Lusitania was doomed they -four
that most of the boats on the port si'
were so jammed because OF the gre
list Of the vessel that they could not
lowered, and the last seen of them
, the more fortunate passengers wi
, had secured places in the starboa
boats. or who had jumped overboa
i and had been picked up, they we
lined on the sloping decks awaiti
q their fate, doubtless even then belle
ing that with land so close they won
still be saved.
However, the torpedoes had to
such gaping holes in the liner that s
d did not remain afloat for more than
q minutes. and the calls for help viii
g the wireless sent out, although
l. swered quickly, could not bring I
rescuing steamers in time
g A difference of opinion exists as
e whether two or three torpedoes stru
o the ship.