Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-25
DAMAGE IS M|N|M|zED
BY OFFICIAL ACCOUNTS
Bring Graphic Stories OF --latest
Zeppelin Raid.
DETAILS ARE NARROWING
Number OF Killed Placed as High as
300, While English Statement Had
Only Fifty-SiX Dend-Antiaircraft
Guns Seem Powcrless.
Lsnecial to The Timcs-Dispatch.

TSnecial to The Times Dispatch
NEW YORK, October 2i.-Graphic
stories of the last Zeppelin raid OF
London. the most disastrous i'll his
tory. were told by passengers on the
American liner St Paul which ar
rived from Liverpool! to-day.
All these stories agreed that tho
loss of life WAS far greater than oth-
ciaily admitted by the British govern
ment, and much larger than in any
previous raid. The property loss was
not extensive. Five Ieppelins took
part In the raid.
Thomas I1vurts Adams. son OF the
famous New York merchant. said:
"a friend of mine in the admiralty
told me the number OF killed In the
raid reached SOC"
Frederick w. Whitridge. president
OF the Third Avenue Railroad. placed
the number of killed at 1874. The first
official British statement issued after
the raid placed the number at eight.
and subsequent statement at fifty
six.
CHARAcTERIZES RAID As
"DAMNABLE BLACKGUARDI"
One OF the most thrilling accounts
of the raid was given by Mr.. Whit
ridge. who characterized it as dam
nable blackguardy."
Il was in the Ritz Hotel having din
ner on the night of October 10. when
the raid began" he said. IL went out
side. There were five Zeppelins TAX
ing part in the raid, but they split
company before reaching the city.
only saw one rather indstinctly''
At this part Of the story tears he
gan to trickle down Mr.. Whitridge's
face. II knew one old gentleman" he
continued. who was walking down the
street when bomb came down upon
his head. killing him instantly.
The people i'm the streets were
about as calm as convention Of oys-
ters. Ii the Germans have set out TO
terrorize the people of London. they
have got lot of work to do yet"
Another thrilling story was told by
passenger, who asked that his name
be withheld because he intends to re-
turn to England next week:
Il was in the Gaicty Thcater at the
time of the raid" 'hc said. This is
the same building in which the Mar
conf Company has it's headquarters
and on which a large wireless station
is erected
-Four bombs fell on the street
around this building, tearing up the
pavement. One of the bombs. struck a
gas main in Wellington Street. near
the Strand and started huge blaze
that lit up the city for hours he
fore il could he eXtinguishcd.
WOMAN CUT IN TWO
ny PIECE OF PLATE-GLASS
Il rushed out of the theater and as
! reached the street saw one woman
completely cut in two by huge piece
OF plate glass that was blown from a
building next TO the Lyceum Theatcr
Another bomb fell within ten feet of
che i.yceun Theater. One man was
carried into the Gaiety Theatcr with
his leg completely severed.
The audience in the Gaiety re-
manned perfectly calm. and filed out
orderly. but the girls ut the back of
the stage became panic-stricken. Many
, OF them were changing clothes at the
time, and rushed out into the street
half-dressed, screaming Historically
"All the bombs dropped in an area
! of a few blocks about quarter past .
; SO far as / could see. not = solitary
window remained unbroken in this
| vicinity. All the pavcmcnts were torn
up and pieces Hung i'll every direc-
! ton.
The an:iaircraf, guns of London
are completely useless, and the Yep
pelin commanders, out OF sheer dare
dcviltry. returned 70 London at raid-
night and again at o'clock in the
morning.
The following night they again re-
turned, hut were driven off when with
in about twenty miles of London one
= bomb Went clear through Hatton
Gardens building into the cellar with
out exploding"
| Alfred II. urion, counsel of the Chi
| caso meat packers said:
| The Zeppelins came from a north
eaSterly direction. witnessed the
| raid from my rooms in Queen Annt's
! Gardens, near Buckingham Palace.
One Of the big antiaircraft guns is
mounted near my residence there
HE DISTINCTLY SEES
FOUR BOMBS DROPPED
Through the converEcnt rays OF the
| scarchlights. distinctly saw four
! bombs dropped We could also sec tho
course OF the antiaircraft she'll; rush
! ing through the air toward the Zeppe-
, !inS, and then the tiny, fieecy pulfs of
! smoke as they exploded
! We could also see the incendiary
! bombs dropped. They were ds;in-
| Suishcd by the purple flame that ac-
I companted them on their downward
s hisht. The principal damage seemed
I 20 he between Wellington street
strand and Somerset House. where the
, British official statistics are housed
"Onc bomb fell into the Bell Pub
. lie House in Catherine street. killing
number of persons. The whole thing
! WAS over i'll seven minutes. There did
! not seem to be so much damage TO
| property this time. as most of the
bombs fell into the streets"
! .------------------