South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-05-08
FEAR FEW OUT Of
1873 AMERICANS ON
LUSITANIA SAVED
Reports at Liverpool Offices of
Cunard Line Indicate 144
United States Citizens Per-
iShed On Ship.
SURVIVORS DECLARE NO
WARNING WAS GIVEN

LIVERPOOL, May S.-Of the 1SS
Americans listed as passengers on the
Lusitania, only "A are reported saved
in advices received by the Cunard
office here today. One hundred and
forty-four are believed to have been
drowned or been killed by the eXplo-
sion that shattered the great liner
Lusitania.
David A. Thomas, millionaire coal
operator of Cardiff, Wales, who, with
his daughter, Lady Mackworth, were
among the passengers on the Lusi-
tania. told a thrilling story Of the
escape of his daughter and of Capt.
w. 7. Turner of the lost liner.
Lady Mackworth went down with
the ship and was picked up uncon-
scious after being in the water for
three and a half hours, said Mr..
Thomas. Her life was saved by her
forethought in putting on a life belt
She was taken to Queenstown suffer-
ing from nervous shock and exposure
but very glad TO be alive.
TOrpedOed Without Notice
THE Lusitania was torpedoed with
out notice. at the time she was about
% miles off the Irish coast. The ex-
plosions tore great holes in the hull
beneath the water line and the liner
went down in about = minutes.
1T was a most daStardly outrage
and it deserves the condemnation of
the whole civilized world.
Had the disaster occurred at night
or during rough weather probably not
a soul on board would have been
saved l question whether any boats
on the port side were successfully
launched. This was the side that was
torpedoed and the ship imm edlately
listed.
Tried to- Beach Ship.
AS soon as the explosions oc-
CURED and the officers learned what
had happened, the ships course was
directed toward the shore, with the
idea. of Bleaching her. There is a dill
ference Of opinion as 10 the number
of torpedoes fired. Some say there
were two, but my belief is that only
one was launched.
Capt Turner is brave man. he
remained upon the bridge until the
ship went down and he was swallow
ed up in the maelstrom which follow
ed. He wore a life belt which kept
him afoat when he arose TO the sur
face and remained in the water Tor
three hours before he was picked up
by a life boat
During the last few minutes life or
the Lusitania, she was ship or panic
and tumult Excited men and terri
fed women ran shouting and scream
cried shrillv. officers and seamen
rushed among the passengers shout
ing orders and helping women and
children into life boats. Women clung
desperately to their husbands or knelt
upon the decks. Piles of life preserN-
ers were distributed among the pas
sengers. who hastily dOnned them and
flung themselves into the water.
Overload One Boat
"In their haste and excitement the
seamen overloaded one of the life
boats and the davit ropes broke while
il was being lowered. the occupants
being thrown into the water. The
screams of these terrified women and
men rose TO the decks intensifying
the fright of those still on the ship.
Some of the passengers we're picked
up from the water by other boats. L
don't know what happened 10 the
others. Altogether 1 counted 10 life
boats launched