Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-05-10

time comforting and assisting her SIS
tiers in misfortune. The dragging 81
lifeboats was explained by numbe"
of passengers and members Of the
crew by the statement that the sec
ond torpedo severed several steam
pipes from the engines. The Luslta-
MIA had been sent full speed ahead
when the first torpedo was seen and
il was impossible to stop her Roadway
by reversing the engines when tha
necessity for lowering the boats was
realized
No Fear at First
DR.. j. T. Houshton Of Troy, \. Y,
one of the survivors, said there was
no reason 10 fear any danger after
the first explosion. as il was believed
the vessel would be headed for
Queenstown and beached if necessary.
Just then said DR.. Houghton, the
liner was again struck, evidently in
more vital spot, for it began to settle
rapidly. orders then came from the
bridge to lower boats. A near panic
took possession of the women. Peo-
pie were rushed into the boats, some
of which were launched successfully,
others not so successfully.
Story Of Passenger
G. D. Lane, a youthful but COOL
headed second cabin passenger. who
was returning to Wales from New
York said:
Il was on the b deck when ! saw the
wake of the torpedo. l hardly realized
what il meant when the big ship seemed
to stagger and almost Immediately listet
to starboard. l rushed to get lifeboat
but stopped to help children on the boat
deck The second cabin was a veritable
nursery. Many youngsters must have
been drowned. When the water reached
the deck / saw lifeboat with vacant
seat which ! took with no one else in
sight. But we were too late. The Lusi-
tania reeled so suddenly our boat was
swamped, but we righted it again. We
witnessed the most horrible scene of hu.
man futility il is possible to imagine
When the Lusitania turned almost ovel
she suddenly plunged bow foremost into
the water. leaving her stern high in the
air. People on the aft deck were fight
! ing with wild desperation to retain d
footing on the almost perpendicular,
deck while they fell over the slippery
stern like crippled flies. Their cries and
shrieks could be heard above the hiss Of
escaping steam and the crash of bursting
, boilers Then the water mercifully closed
over them and the big liner disappeared
leaving scarcely ripple behind her.
Story by Rescuer
Capt. David Murphy OF the trawlel
Storm Cock was first on the scene witt
a rescue boat. His story follows:
First of all l gathered in a lfeboa
with 80 persons, most of them womer
and children, and before / completed my
load l had 20 blessed youngsters aboard
had been in the water two hours, bu
was as spry as anyone"
r. X. Timiss, who talked with Capt
Turner after landing, stated that the cap
tain said bitterly. I'VE didn't have ;
chance. l knew that when felt the tor
! pedo's impact
! Mr.. Tinliss added that the captain toll
the helmsman and staff captain on tn
| bridge TO save themselves, but Capt. Tur
! ner remained at his post. The staff cap
tain was lost, but the helmsman wa
saved.
The bodies OF Charles Frohman, Mrs
! May Brown and Mrs. MasDono wer
taken in charge by the American contul
ate last night.
The Cunard Line has a boat patrollin
the spot where the liner sank in tn
hope that it may pick up few strag
| glers.