Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-05-10
SURVIVOR TELLS
Of LAST MOMENTS
ON DOOMED SHIP
South Dakota Man Was at
Luncheon When Torpedo
Struck LuSitania, Floats on
Keg More Than an Hour,

tsY MOANING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEssto wIRgl
Cork. MAY 9.--"Land had been in
sight three hours and was distinctly
visible twelve miles away when we
noticed, about p. M, that the
steamer was steering zig-zag course
towards the Shore" said DR.. Daniel
Moore, of Yankton, S. d.. IN telling
of his experiences on the Lusitania.
Looking through glasses ] could
see on the port side between us and
land what appeared to be black OBJ
long object with four dome-like pro-
iections. 1t seemed about two miles
away. This object came along swiftly
at times. slowing down. disappearing
and reappearlng.
"The Lusitana was zig-zagging
along at speed of about nineteen
knots. She had done twenty-three
knots during some periods of the voy-
age. Later she kept a more even
course and we generally agreed that
it was Il friendly submarine We had
seen. No other vessel except one or
two fishing boats were visible.
Nobody Alarmed.
"At 1.40 o'clock we sat down TO
luncheon In the second saloon or
course, we talked about the curious
object we had seen, but nobody seem
ed alarmed About twenty minutes
later there was muffled drum-like
noise in the forward part of the boat.
The ship shivered, trembled and
began to list TO starboard,
She had been struck on the starboard
side.
Unless the first submarine seen
was speedy enough to run rings
around the I.usitanla, the torpedo
must have come from second sub
marine which had been lying hidden
to starboard. We heard no second
explosion
There was great excitement among
the passengers, of course, but the
women soon were quieted down by as
surauces there was no danger ana
that the steamer merely had struck a
small mine. The passengers left the
saloon i'm an orderly manner As /
reached deck | had difficulty in walk
ing, owing to the list Of the vessel.
with most of the passengers l ran
to the promenade deck, which was
crowded | looked over the side but
could see no evidence of damage. |
started to return to my cabin, but
the list of the boat was so marked |
abandoned the idea and remained on
deck. Looking over the starboard
rail | saw that the water now was
only about twelve feet from the rail at
one point.
Search for Life Belts.
while searching for life belt |
came upon stewardess struggling
with a pile Of them in 4 rack and
helped her put one on, after which /
obtained one myself.
THE Lusitania now was on her
side and sinking by the bow. ! saw
a woman clinging to the rail where q
boat was being lowered. | pushed
her over the rail into the boat, after
wards jumping down myself. 1t was
a twelve-foot drop. The boat fell
bodily into the sea but kept afloat, ali
though she was heavily loaded and
water was tapping in. We baled out
with our hats, but could not Keep
pace with the water and | realized
We must sink.
Seeing a keg / threw il overheard
and sprang after 1t. A young steward,
named Freeman, also used the keg as
a support. Looking back i saw the
boat | had left swamped. We eluns
to the keg for about an hour and a
half and then were picked up by a
raft. A number of those picked up
By the raft were injured including a
little boy. whose thigh was broken.
| improvised spllnts and set his leg.
He was a plucky little fellow, for he
was soon asking is there funny pa
per on board?