The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-05-10
SURVIVORS


ken into a boat. which he Etlil had
the strength to assist In rowing.
The boat began picking up from
the water all those showing signs o.
nfe. and the first person rescued Was
the half-conEcious steerAge woman 20
whom Timmis had given his life-belt.
Noodle sank when the ship went IN
der. and although be was a good swim
mer. he Was not seen again Noodle
vas already 20 jump when Timmis.
who previously had given his belt 10
a woman. said There IL a Eteerage
woman here with a six-months-old
baby Noodle promptly stripped on
his life-belt. but q seems both he
and the woman persisted
DIR. J. T. Houghton. Of Troy. ~. y.
one of the survivors. said there was
no reason 10 fear any danger after the
first explosion. as u was believed the
vessel would be headed for Queens
town and beached n necessary, Just
then. said DIR. Houghton, the liner was
again struck. evidently In a more vital
spot. for II began TO settle rapidly.
Women Panic Stricken.
Orders then came from the bridge
TO lower all boats. A condition ap-
NlEEFrEA0u
the women. People were rushed into
the boats. some OF which were
launched successfully. others not so
successfully.
C. ID. Lane. a youthful but cool
headed second cabin passenger who
was returning to Wales from New
York. was in a lifeboat which cap
sized by the davits as the Lusitania
heeled over.
Il was on the b deck" he said.
when I saw the wake OF the torpedo
/ hardly realized what IL meant when
the ship seemed TO stagger and al
most Immediately listed to starboard
I rushed TO get a life belt. but stopped
to help get children on the boat deck
The second cabin was a veritable
nursery. Many youngsters must have
drowned. but | had the satisfaction OF
seeing one boat get away filed with
women and children. When the water
reached the deck I saw another life
boat with a vacant seat. which took.
as no one else was In sight. but we
were too late. The Lusitania reeled
80 suddenly our boat was swamped.
but We righted her again.
We Witnessed the most horrible
scenes OF human fuulity II is possible
to imagine. When the Lusltania had
turned almost over she suddenly
plunged bow foremost into the water.
leaving her stern high in the air PEG
pie on the aft deck were fighting with
wild desperation TO retain a footing
on the almost perpendicular deck.
while they fell over the slippery stern
like crippled flies.
Their cries and shrieks could be
heard above the hiss OF the escaping
steam and the crash of bursting boil
ers. Then the water mercifully closed
over them and the big liner disap-
peared. leaving scarcely a ripple be-
hind her.
Twelve lifeboats were all that were
left OF our floating home. In a time
which could be measured by seconds.
swimmers. bodies and wreckage APP
peared in the space where she went
down. We were almost exhausted by
the work OF rescue when taken on
board a trawler. II all seems like .
terrible dream now"
Captain Murphy's Story.
Captain David Murphy. OF the traw-
Ter Stormoock, was first on the scene
with a rescue boat. His story fol
lows:
First OF all gathered in a lifeboat
80 persons. most OF them women AMI
children, and before | completed my
load had twenty blessed youngsters
aboard the old Stormcock
Several of them were without their
mothers. but all were taken in charge
before we reached harbor by kindly
women who forgot their own sorrows
in ministering TO others.
zone old lady of IS years had been
in the water two hours. but was AS
spry as anyone. Many women tainted
on reaching our decks and when re.
vived begged pitifully to be allowed
to retain their lifebelts. as they were
overmastered by the fear that the sub.
marine would return to complete its
work OF destruction. Several died
aboard my boat and the scenes of
grief and suffering became almost un-
bearable. The little Stormcock
brought $50 persons to Queenstown"
Master-at-arms Williams. of the
Lusitania is the proudest member OF
the remnant of the crew for Il was his
keen eye which caught the flash OF
gold braid on Captain Turner'S arm
when the commander was about 20
toss up his hands after being in the
water two hours and a half
Hope dies hard in the human heart
and friends and relatives OF the miss.
ing are running down rumors that
several bOatlOads OF survivors have
been landed in remote coves on the
Irish coast. while two schooners which
took part I'm the work are said here 10
have sailed for Liverpool with a mum.
Der OF rescued aboard.
Didn't Have a Chance.
Although the passengers discussed
submarines all the way over. few 4
any. believed that the Lusitania would
be struck They referred to the pos.