New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-09

Of the possibilities o. the German
menace. but nobody believed it,
Speaking Of the launching Of the
boats after the liner was struck, Mr..
Gauntlet said he saw fifty or more
persons enter the first boat. which fell
suddenly from the davitS, causing most
Of its occupants 70 be drowned. The
other boats were launched with the
utmost difficulty, he said.
after swimming 10 collapsioie
boat floating near the ship he con
tinued, Il was able TO get about thirty
persons out Of the water. While
was thus engaged l noticed that the
Lusitania was gradually sinking. Wom-
en- and children under the protection OF
men had clustered in lines on the port
side. and as the ship made her plunge,
down a little by the head and heeling
at an angle Of nearly 30 degrees, this
little army slid down toward the star
board side, dashing against each other
as they went, until they were en-
quilted
Getting up on deck. | found the
decks swash and the boat going down
fast by the head slipped along 10
the rail and catching rope dropped
into the sea and soon alterWard was
picked up by one Of the boats. We
hung around for some time and event
uallv were taken up by steamboat.
THE passengers seemed TO nave
great confidence in their ship, ana
though there was rush for the boats
there was no panic. All OF the crew
that ! saw acted very well. some OF
the boats, owing to the position OF the
vessel, were sWamped, and one thaI l
saw turned over no less than three
times, but eventually was righted.'
Forced Crew to Help.
Isaac Lehman, Of New York, first
cabin passenger, said that after having
witnessed an accident TO one OF the
boats through the swapping OF the
zones while it was being lowered he
ran into his cabin and, Selling re
volver and life belt, returned TO the
deck and called TO some Of the crew to
assist in launching collapslOle BOAT.
one sailor, he said, replied that the
CAPTAINS orders were that no boats
were TO be put out. ,.,
II promptly drew my revolver, when
was loaded with ball cartridges, sand
Mr.. Lehman, land shouted: III shoot
The first man who refuses 10 assist IN
launching The boat was then low
cred. Quite sixty persons were IN u.
Unfortunately, the LusltanIa lurchGd
50 badly that the boat repeatedly
struck the side Of the sinking ship,
and / think at least twenty OF its oc-
cupants were killed or injured.
Dr MacRedy, young Dublin man
and q son Of the editor Of the Irish
Cyclist and Motor Union made the
following statement:
81 was on deck about 2 o'clock. The
weather was fine and the sea calm.
Suddenly | heard terrific explosion,
followed by another, and the cry went
around that tho ship had been struck
by torpedo. She began TO settle I'M
medately and listed over 50 heavily
to starboard that the port boats could
not be launched. A lot of people made
d rush for the boats. but ! went down
20 the cabin, took off my coat and
vest, and put on a lifebelt.
A sharp lookout for submarines was
kept aboard the LuSitania Us she ap-
preached the Irish coast, according 70
Ernest Cowper, a Toronto newspaper
man, who was among the SURVIVORS
landed here. He declared that after
the ship was torpedoed there Vas 10
panic among the crew, but that they
went about the work OF getting pas
sengers into the boats in d prompt and
efficient manner.
As we neared the coast OF Ireland
said Mr.. Cowper, eve all Joined IN the
lookout for possible attack by sub
marine. IL was the sole topic OF con
versaIion. was chatting with Il
friend at the rail about o'clock, when
suddenly | caught a glimpse Of the
coming tower Of submarine about
thousand yards distant. immed'-
ately called my friends attention TO
IL. We both saw the track Of tor
pedo, followed almost instantly by. an
explosion. Portions Of splintered hull
were sent flying into the air, and then
another torpedo struck. The ship be-
gan 10 list 10 Starboard.
Crew Orderly and Efficient.
"The crew at once proceeded TO get
the passengers into boats IN an oder
", prompt and efficient manner. Miss
Helen Smith appealed to me to save
her. ] placed her in a boat and saw
her safely away. / got into one OF
the last boats to leave.
"Some Of the boats could not be
launched, as the vessel was sinking.
There was Il large number OF women
and children in the second cabin. For
ty Of the children were less than a
year old
Clinton Bernard, Of New York City,
one Of the first cabin survivors Of the
Lusitania, had this to say Of his ex-
periences:
although il was n tremendous shock
TO everybody, there was not so much
excitement as one would eNpect in
such catastrophe. II occurred so
suddenly we had not much zine to re-
allze what was happening. When ] saw
tho ship was sinking | jumped over
board Just as | was. | had no life
belt, but | picked up bit OF Hotsam.
Finally ! got TO an upturned boat and
clung 20 that Later, with some others
who had swum TO this boat. we man
aged 20 right II. Then we climbed in
and started 20 rescue as many people
as we could reach.
The first torpedo struck rs between
the first and second tunnels The
Lusitsnia shook, and settled down "A
lowed, and soon finished The ship.
-Four or five Of our hfeboats vent down
with her, and the tremendous suction