Bisbee daily review., 1916-04-13
gle noint was tornedoed


 The United States. in its investiga- tion of the cases of the Sussex and the four merchant ships which Ger many was asked-the Englishman, Manchester Engineer. Berwindvale and Eagle Point-had been proceeding on the assumption that two elements remained to be proved before action could be taken. The first had to do withthe establishing that the vessels actually were torpedoed; the second with the legality or illegality of the attacks. Germany has admitted sink ing three of the ships an devidence in the possession of the state department strongly indicates that in at least two of the cases the acts were in contra ventiOn of American rights.
 lt appeared to officials, from the un- official version of the note. that the German government had denied torpe doing the Sussex solely on the ground that the commanders sketch differs from the photograph of the Sussex in newspaper. The note says the eX- plosion of the torpedo sent against the unidentified vessel caused the entire forward part of the Sussex was torn away.
 In spite of the fact that the Sussex is the chief case now being considered officials made it plain that the next step fthe United States would rest on the accumulation of evidence that American lives were placed in jeop ardy in violation of their rights.
 The contentious of the German gov ernment in regard to the attack on the -rw-S. 1 n1. IL evidence received by the State de partment. It is known that at least one of the survivors made the state ment that the vessel was torpedoed without warning.
 It is understood there also is con- flict between the evidence here and the German version in the case of the Englishman. Germany contends that ship was sunk after the German commandant had convinced himself that the crew had taken to the boats and had rowed for the ship" The state department had allowed it to become known that evidence in it's possession indicates that the ship had not come to stop when the death blow was inflicted
 Germany's statements in regard to the Manchester Engineer are not con elusive. Reports to the State Depart men say the vessel was torpedoed without warning. Reports to the de partment regarding the Eagle Point are to the effect that the vessel Ire ceived ample warning" before being sunk. However, Joseph Gleason. of Boston. survivor, made deposition to the American consul at Queens town to the effect that he and 21 other members of Ule crew were set adrift in waterlogged life boat and drifted for several hours in heavy seas that threatened to send their boat to the bottom at any moment : Furthermore the evidence indicates that at the time the person aboard the ship were forced to abandon the ship she was more than a hundred miles from shore.
 Germany agreed with the United States, in correspondence relating to the sinking fthe American ship Will liam P. Frye, that opportunity to reach | place of safety should be given the members of crew and passengers on board ships about to be sunk, and the distance from land and the conditions of the weather were to be taken into consideration.
 When the possibility of arbitrating the Lusitania case was being discuss
 ed last year officials said that a | question involving American lives" could not be arbitrated