The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-05-10

breathe q sigh OF relief when saw
that my horrors had just begun. The
boat was half filled with water.
| Although we baled feverishly TO get
the water ont. we could not do IL. and.
In addition. the boat upset. throwing
all Of US into the water. Out we would
20 into chilling water only to right
/ the craft. get little water cut OF IL
when IL would capstxe again.
1T may seem increditable TO you. but
| 10 absolutely true. that the little boat
turned turtle eight times before we
| were picked mp. Long before this
had ceased TO comprehend anything.
ana acted mechanically.
Tells ~ IxegrOrs-
+! was II trying Let me tell you
part OF that horror. II have spoken of
the six stokers. They were big. husky
young fellows. strong AZ lions ap-
parentiy. Those men were lying dead
| In the bottom of the boat when We were
picked up. either through exhaustion
| or drowned. In that boat there were
six strong young men dead when. we
were dragged out. and only three OF US
alive One of them. like myself, was
pretty old man.
Il do not know how stood those
three hours--I viii never know"
Mr.. Kess.er was asked how long IL
| was between the striking of the tor
pedc and the sinking Of ths ship
mphatic answer. THE Lusitania
was struck at AIS. o'clock In the At
ternoon, and sank az $3.50.
Look here" and Mr.. Kessfef
pulled out his watch, which was, one
OF fine gold, but 10 now green and
furnished by the salt water. See.
It has stopped exactiy u S:se That
4 WAS when was thrown into faa
water by the sinking Of the ship.
Then followed q much more dra-
! mafic incident As Mr.. kessier had
talked. some OF the other survivors
had come up and stood listening.
There were a dozen OF them. When
| Mr.. Kesaler brought forth his watch
] ssverai others initiated him You
! are right - came the chorus zee
! here" A dozen watches were then
flashed in the hight. all OF them tar
nished ana water soaksd- Eleven o!
| them showed that submersion had
come within y second Of 2:se. while
the twelfth registered 3:13 o'clock.
! MI. Kessier added his testimony 10
! the sfortes OF others which were con-
| firmed In the group on the unprepar.
ednsas OF the ship'S crew Tor thsi
| particular emergency. Inemcienoy
was the word 10 used. That boats
1HiI. In8f tuEy lfCN&0AhNa SIS tA<$ /" =
ter. shat the rops Of davtts mapped,
wero some of his charCeA.
He was asked II he knew anything
Of the fate CT Alfred q. Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt Periahed.
II arm certain he peffshed." Wal
his reply He had Identified the body
| of Charles Frohman In the little tenn
porsry mcrgue ~ ouesnstswn thai
when the thirty survivors arrived
| At Euston station 1T o'clock this
/ morning. the Americans were met by
Ambassador Page and hts sscretArfes
! ana attaches, j. R. Carter and j. r.
lIAuxhiin. They were there 10 ten
| der every rossible aid to the men
| ana women. who came in mostly pen
niless, all of them in borrowed cloth
ing some Of whom still had theis
| life bolts.
There was a large crowd Of Ameri-
a NJ. friends and relatives OF some OF
tn. passengers also waiting. Among
them was Manuel Klein, composer
/ brother Of Charles Klein. the play
wright, who ioss his life. Mrs. r. c.
Stevens. OF Toronto, Canada, wife Of
wounded army OGIlcer just over from
F1auderu, WA At the station. ma ane
could not believe that those abe look
Cd for we're not amcng the thirty IN.
IN she had spoken with everyone 81
them. she waits word OF her motner.
ana her elghteen-months-Old baby the
mother wAs bringing TO London Cap
! tain stevens. who wAa ssvsrsly wound
/ ed. came from Dieppe to Eu9land. and
tine wife cAme over TO help nurse him.
1 Then she eant for her little boy ano
the mother SEATED with him. No word
/, has been recetved Of them. The hus-
| hand. who has q weak heart, has col