Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1915-09-10
No One on Board Saw German
Submarine.
REMAINS AFLOAT So HOURS
Vessel Carrying Large Number OF
Passengers Finally Goes Down
Near Queenstown-Survi
Say No Warning Given.

Main and a volunteer rescue crew OF
25 had made brave fight to bring the
crippled ship into port. During the
night the Hesperian settled gradually
by the head. Daylight showed the
decks awash and the liner about to
take the final plunge. The captain and
crew were taken off by rescue boats,
and landed later in Queenstown by
the steamer Empress.
One first cabin passenger, six Sec
ond cabin passengers and six third
class passengers ON the liner Hes
perian are missing, according to a
statement made by the Allan line
agent at Queenstown. A woman's body
has been identified as that of Miss
A dispatch from United States Consul
Frost at Queenstown says that 20 pas
sengers persisted.
Captain Main of the Hesperian
made the statement that the vessel
had been torpedoed and that no warn
ing was given.
The sinking of the Hesperian in
deep water probably will prevent an
investigation to ascertain whether or
not the disaster resulted from a SUBJ
marines torpedo or from a mine Pas
sengers and crew assert positively
that the vessel was struck by tor
pedo but no statement has been OBJ
tainable from anyone who actually
saw submarine or torpedo.
Many Unaccounted For.
The list of identified survivors still
leaves a considerable number of per-
sons unaccounted for. Officials of the
Allan line are confident the final
checking up will show no loss of life
except for the death of one or two per-
sons after reaching Queenstown.
A Chronicle dispatch from Queens
town says that Miss Carberry, an
elderly passenger on the Hesperian,
died from shock after being rescued
and that another woman Succumbed a
short time after being taken aboard
the rescue ship.
One of Mr. Frost's messages also
troops were on board, most of them in
valided, and that the Hesperian had
4.7-inch gun mounted astern.
TWO Americans on Board.
The consul has been unable to learn
of more than two Americans who were
on the Hesperian, both members of
the crew and both reported to have
been saved.
From stories told by survivors the
detailed account of the disaster grad
ually is being unfolded. Most of the
passengers say there is no doubt the
attack was made by German sobma-
rine and some of them say they heard
the lookout shout Submarine on star
board quarter" No statement has
been made by any survivor who actual
ly saw a submarine or torpedo.
All agree the Hesperian was struck
on the starboard side between the
foremost and the bridge. Eifeboats
were launched in the darkness, but
without panic. The fourth and fifth
boats were lowered unevenly and
overturned, the occupants being
thrown into the water. Some of them
were injured.
At the London office of the Allan
line it is said that all passengers
reached Queenstown safely. Some of
the rescued, however, say that they
heard cries for help from persons in
the water.
A woman in one of the lifeboats
stopped a small leak by removing
stocking and stuffing it. into the hole.
Three Sisters of Mercy were among
the last to depart from the Hesperian.
One of the passengers asserts that so
persons were crowded into lifeboat
having a capacity of 40.
Afioat for Thirty-Six Hours.
The Hesperian remained afloat
about thirty-six hours after being tor
pedoed. Captain Main and 20 mem
bers of the crew remained aboard.
Several steamers were standing by.
The captain, hopeful of being able to
save his vessel, remained on the bridge
almost until the last.
Mai J. S. Barres, a Canadian officer,
and Lieutenant Lewis of one of the
British rescue ships. had assisted the
Hesperian's engineer in closing the
bulkhead doors so the water could be
held forward.
Had $50 Persons on Board.
The Hesperian, with $50 passengers
and a crew of 800 aboard, was bound
from Liverpool for Montreal 1t was
attacked without warning by Ger
man submarine just as darkness was
falling Saturday evening. According
to an early statement issued by the
company. every person aboard was
saved.
Discipline was perfect, but one of
the boats, the falls of which became
damned, capsized and those in her
were thrown into the water. All were
picked up, and, with other passengers
and the crew, were transferred to the
rescue steamers, which arrived in an
swer to wireless Gala for assistance.