New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-04
Crew in Small Boats
Picked Up by British
Patrol Vessels.
BERLIN MUST EXPLAIN
Wilson Directs American Am.
bassador to Call for Full
Details of Attack.
fBr C.hll % N. Trlhuns ]

ship Lulfiight was torpcdoed a. midday
without the slightest warning while
flying the American flag. TIE Tribune's
&C respondent at Pcuznce learned this
tonight from surviv ng members Of the
crew and telephored it to the London
correspondent os The Tribune.
The German submarine gave no OPP
portunity for the crew to escape. The
crew lau. ched mall boats and aban-
doned the sh.) after she had been
struck. A member of the crew told
The Tribune the following story Of the
attack:
with the American flag flying, va
were being guided toward Havrc by
two British patrol boats, which were
we'll ahead of US. At l2:45 noon the
second mate and quartermsster sighted
a submarine a nil and a half of tho
port bow This was fifteen miles south
west of Bishop Rock. The submarine
few no colors. We didn't know what
she was and We proceeded on our
course.
"The submarine disappeared. Twenty
five minutes later, with no warning Of
an kind, we were struck on the star
board The torpedo hit just aft of~sae
forecastle head and pierced an oil tank.
"We didn't see the submarine thSn.
Sh was evidently submerged. In fact,
we never did see her again.
Two Men Drowned.
ave wee apparently badly wounded
and we made ready to leave the ship.
Two men. however, in their excitement
jumped overheard and we never saw
them again. One was the wireless
operator and the other q sailor named
Chapanta. Both were Americans. Oil
Rad spread over the water. and this
probably accounts for their loss. They
must hGye had trouble swimming in
oil, ard likely as not they got it into
their mouths and strangled. We never
saw them again.
"We had plenty OF time TO get two
boats into the water, and We all got
in. There were thirty-tour Of us lett
then. One sailor, a Scotchman, was
left aboard, having gone back TO obtain
some clothes. ard after we had pulled
away from the ship we had 70 return
to take him Off.
THE patrol boats. which had been
guiding us, came to our assistance.
One of them was the trayler laso.
She took US on board. where We we're
we'll cared for. Our captain, however,
was fearfully upset. He was taken
very badly between and . O'Clock on
SUNDAY morning and died at $3.50 from
heart failure due 10 shock.
"The patrol boats came along and
towed the Gulfight to Crow Sound.
Scilly. She had her nose deep IN the
water, but apparently can be saved
There were thirty-siX men, all told, on
board. all Americans, except two
Swedes and one Dane.
In Danger from Gale.
The Gulhight is now at Grow Sound
with a hole in her bow, her forward
deck down TO the water and her pro-
heller Just showing astern. Her an
chorage. however, is exposed and \
heavy gale is blowing, so that she may
not be out Of all trouble. Her crew,
except the mate, who remained at -.
Mary. Scilly, has gone 70 Penzane@.
taking with them the body OF Captain
Gunter.
Salvage steamers and British patrol
boats are standing by the Gulhight
while preparations are already being
made for emptying her Of tanks,
which must be done before she can be
moved any further.
The American Consul General has
asked Washington for instructions
concerning the body of Captain Gunter.
The American Consul at Falmouth.
under directions from here, is conduct
ing an investigation and ARA glng for
obtaining full statemer OF facts
concerning the torpedoing OF the
steamer, which will be forwarded to
Washington.
This first tCrpedoiLg OF an Ameri-
can vessel has aroused widespread in
terest. President Wilson's blunt
warning to Germany at the outset OF
Germany's submarine blockade is re-
called, and it is with the keenest in
terest that developments are awaited,
II is generally considered that this
case is outside the category OF the
sinking Of the hip William Frye.
where no lives were lost, or the Evelyn,
which was mined. or even the case ot
the death OF Mr.. ThEasher, II being IN
such direct conflict with President
Wilson's outspoken warning.
British Boat Faced Peril.
The towing II he Gulhight By the
British boat, under the circumstances,
s regarded as a very sporty thing
10 do. as it was known that German
submarine was in the immediate yiein.
ity and also that the Germans had
been torpedo;ng ships which, went 20
the assistance Of others already struck;
The Gulhght's crew was taken oi'
| III. ship in Crow Sound and taken TO
ST. Mary, and from there to Penzanee.
Il is expected some of them will con q
TO Londoa tomorrow.
II. L. Watson, London agent Of tAa