New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-18
LUSITANIA SUNK
WITH AIM TO KILL,
MERSEY ASSERTS
Court of Inquiry Finds
Murder by Submarine
Was Deliberate.

London. July 17.--The German ter
pedo which sank the Lusitania was
aimed to kill the passengers as well
as to destroy the ship.
That is the finding Of the court of
inquiry, announced to-day by Baron
Mersey, president of the court. The
whole blame for the destruction Of -.fe
in this catastrophe must rest solely on
those who plotted and those who COM
mitted the crime" he said.
The court found that two torpedoes,
fred from a German submarine, struck
the Cunarder almost simultaneously.
There was no explosion, it said, from
anv part of the cargo and the ship $
not armed, thus refuting the conten-
ton of the affidavit squad" in Few
York, which swore that the rapid sink
ing of the vessel was due to the ex-
plosion of ammunition she carried in
her hold.
Survivors Hear the Report.
A small gathering, composed almost
entirely of survivors and their Iela-
tives. heard the report. They ~
pressed surprise and indignation at the
sections which exonerated Captain
Turner and the Cunard Line from
blame and praised the discipline and
precautions on board the vessel.
The verdict will have a great effect
on actions brought against the steam
ship company. Several attorneys. rep
resenting American clients, listened
closely to the report.
Among the spectators were Wall
Webb Ware, representing the Fancer-
bilt family; Major F. Warren Pearl
and Mrs Pearl, of New York. and r:
B. Jenkins, of Chicago, survivors, and
william Crichton, of New York, whose
wife was lost.
No incompetence or Neglect.
The salient features Of the report are
that the lfeboat and life belt facilities
we're ADEQUATE; that the demeanor OF
the crew was above blame, and that the
conduct of the passengers. barring
slight panic when the steerage passen-
gers came on deck, was praiseworthy..
"No doubt there were mishaps IN
handling the ropes of the boats" Lord
Mersey said, but in my opinion there
was no incompetence or neglect.
BARON Mersey found that Captain
Turner was fully advised by the British
Admiralty as TO the best course 70 fol-
,ow. and added that in some respects he
did not follow this advice. The court
pointed out that the Admiralty instruc-
tluns were not intended 20 prevent
Captain Turner from exercising his in
c:yidual judgment, and that his failure
10 follow the Admiralty's advice TO the
letter was no reason for blame.
Exonerates Cunard Company.
The reduction of the Lusitania's
speed from 241s to q knots still left
the vessel faster than any other boat
on the Atlantic, said Baron Mersey.
and he found there was no reason 10
blame the Cunsrd company for this
economy during war times.
Lord Mersey, in handing down the
judgment, said;
The captain OF the ship, Thomas
Turner, gave his evidence truthfully
md well. am quite satisfied that the
two captains and the officers are COM
fetent men and that they did their
auty. Captain Turner remained on the
bridge till he was swept into the sea,
aid Captain Anderson was working on
deck until he went overheard and was
drowned"
The court praised Leslie n. Morton,
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