The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-05-11
YANKTON PHYSICIAN
DESCRIBES SCENE ON BOARD
THE LUSITANIA AFTER THE
EXPLOSION.

Cork, Ireland, May 8 Sunday
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
a zig gag course towadrs the shore"
said DR.. Daniel Moore of Yankton, s.
D., in telling of his experiences on the
L|usitania.
Looking through glasses | could
see on the port side between us and
land what appeared to be a black OBJ
long object with four dome like pro-
jections. 1t seemed about two miles
away. This object came along swift
ly. at times slowing down, disappear
ing and ~reappearing.
The Lusitania was zig tagging
along at a speed of about 10 knots.
She had done % knots during some
periods of her voyage. Later she
kept a more even course and we gen
orally agreed that it was a friendly
submarine we had seen. No other
vessel, except one or two fishing
boats. were visible.
AT 1:40 o'clock we sat down to
luncheon in the second saloon. OF
course we talked about the curious
object W. had seen, but nobody
seemed alarmed. About twenty min
ates later there was a muffled drum
like noise i'm the forward part of the
boat. The ship shivered, trembled and
almost Immediately 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 Lusitania, the torpedo
must have come from a 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 quoted by as
surances there was no danger and
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 | 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 as
he let of the boat was so marked |
lbandoned the idea.
Looking over the starboard rail |
saw that water was now only about
Twelve feet from the rail at one
point.
While searching for a life belt,
came upon a stewardess struggling
with a pile of them in a rack and
helped her put one on after obtaining
one myself.
The Lusitania was now on her
side and sinking by the bow. | saw
a clinging to the rail near
where a boat was being lowered. !
passed her over the rail into the boat,
a"fterward jumping down myself. II
was a twelve foot drop. The boat fell
bodily into the sea, but kept afloat,
although so heavily loaded water was
Tapping in. We bailed with our hats,
but could o keep pace with the
water, and | realized we must soon
sink.
Seeing a keg, | threw ii overheard
and sprang after it. A young steward
named Freeman also used the keg as
a support. Looking back ! saw the
boat / had left swamped. We clung
TO the key 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.
i%mprovised plints and set his leg.
He was a plucky little fellow for he
soon was asking, is there a funny
paper on board?'"