The Prescott daily news., 1915-12-20
ANCONA SINKING
 COST 205 LIVES
Americans PeriShed When ItdI-
 ian Vessel Was TOrpedOed.
CAUSED DIPLOMATIC CRISIS


 tails on Which Wilson's Drastic
 Note to Austria Was Based-Shots
 Fired as Persons Left Ship.
 The sinking of the Italian steam ship Ancoua which brought about a crisis in the diplomatic relations be- tween Austria Hungary and the Unit ed States. occurred on Tuesday, Nov. 3. off the north coast of Africa. near the naval station Rizerta, with the loss of 205 lives. Eleven American citizens were among the victims. They were Alexander Patativo. his wife and four children; Mrs Francesca Mascolo La mura, Pasquale Laurino. Mrs. Giuseppe Torrisi. Mrs Louis Cupo and her three year-old son. Mrs. Cupo was the wife of Il druggist at 94 St Mary's avenue, Rosebank. Staten Island. She went to Italy in July for her health
 Two other Americans were cabin passengers on the Ancona. They were saved. These were Dr. Cecile L. Greil of New York and Giuseppe TorrisL
 The Ancona, according to the officers and the survivors among the passen- gers, was attacked without warning about f:15 D. m. by big submarine flying the Austrian colors. The first shells were fired from distance of five miles. The commander of the An. coma stopped his ship immediately, be- cause most of the 42S passengers on board were women and children. The submarine then approached the steam CT at full speed, firing from gun in her bows. One of the shells carried away the chart room on the bridge. In the meantime the passengers were or dered to take to the boats. Panic en- sued.
 Dr. Greil said that one shell entered the porthole of her cabin, killing the maid as she was getting her papers to- gether to leave the ship.
 Many Shots Hit Vessel.
 While the boats were being lowered from the deck, filled with women and children, Dr. Greil said, the submarine continued to fire all around the ship, which threw the passengers into great CT terror, Many of the shots pierced the hull of the Ancona above the wa ter line. The vessel did not commence to sink until after torpedo had been fired at her from distance of 300 yards.
 The conduct of the commander of the submarine in firing when helpless Into the boats alongside the Ancona was incomprehensible. Dr. Greil said If he had ceased firing for fifteen min utes the officers could have calmed the people. and many more lives could have been saved As it was, the con. lifeboats were overturned before they could get clear of the davits, and the occupants were thrown out and most of them drowned Eight boats got clear away before the vessel sank.
 The Austro- Hungarian admiralty de tried to escape after the submarine had fired a shot across her bows and that she stopped only after several shells had been fired at the ship. The com. mander of the submarine further as serted that the passengers land crew had forty five minutes to abandon the vessel and that after that time expired she was torpedoed.
 The report that shells were fired while passengers were getting into the beats was denied by the Austrians.
 Following dispatches from Amhassa dor Page in Rome to the state depart ment confirming the report that eleven American citizens had been killed. Il note was sent to the Austrian govern ment asking for details. This was de livered to the foreign office in Vienna by Ambassador Penfield on Nov. 22 No reply having been received, the am bassador repeated his request on Dec. 2