New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-10

/ American destroyers ne kept repeating
We had United States citizens among
cur passengers.
1.-TWO of the destroyers came racing
Up until they were near enough to see
all that happened The submarine fired
three more shots, at intervals of min
ute. None took effect. ] guess they
were not trying TO hit US. for they
| hardly could have missed at that dis
lance.
an fifteen minutes every one OF my
nincty-four passengers and my crew OF
eixty-seven were in the boats and pull
T ing out Of the danger zone. We carried
B eight boats aboard the Stephano, bp.
/ only six Of them were needed.
Sinks Another Vessel.
Might had fallen quickly. AS We
neared one Of the destroyers, which
made out 70 be the Ericsson, | saw the
/ lights OF the submarine twinklins
against the black hull OF the Stephano.
II was too dark to see what was
happening, but ears did as well as
eyes.
There were two more snots, the re.
ports minging with the rending OF
plates and timbers.
Although the Stephano renamed
ahoat. the U-boat drew away. She
sped a mile and a half 70 the west,
where another vessel was lying 10. IL
was not the same one behind which the
submarine had hidden, ! am certain,
but one which mad been halted ABOUT
The same time we were.
.The guns OF the submarine ratified
again. The steamship she had for her
falu hogan
BACK came the U-boat 10 the Step
hano She hadn't been away more than
6freen minutes. The Stephano was a
new boat and well built. guess the SUB
marine must have wasted about thirty
gun shots on her before she gave up
Wasted Thirty Gun Shots.
81 didn't see any of the submarine
crew boarding the Shephano, but sup
nose they did 10 make sure every one
was off. When the searchers had re-
turned the submarine once more drew
away. She let fly torpedo, which TOOK
the Stephano fair amidships.
The Stephano split apart before my
eyes and seven minutes later tIfheu
il she disappeared"
From the story told by oscar D.
Hanson, of Broadbrook, Conn, the WIRE,
, less operator, it appears that the ked
Cross liner might have been saved nad
her commander been more tlmld man.
1--WE had picked up message from
the Kansan early in the morning, q
relay Of the West Points ) o ;, sald
Hanson.
81 gave the message to Captain
Smith, but he didn't pay any attention
20 it. We were going away from the
noint where the West Point had been
attacked, he remarked, and were In no
danger"
John II. Gunthermohr, master Of the
Bloomersdyk, agreed with Captain
Smith that there were AZ least TWO
submarines concerned IN Yesterday ,
work. The captains got together over
the wireless reports on their way III
to Newport aboard the Ericsson
worked out the positions of the yes
sells attacked. ana decided single
submerslble could not have gone about
in so sprightly fashion
Gave Ample Warning.
Captain Fred S. Riley, Of the Moran
Towing and Transportation Company,
of New York, said he was sure the hrst
shot fred by the submarine had been
a blank. The Germans, he was wiling
to grant. had given the passengers
ample warning.
Sailors aboard the destroyers brought
back some stories themselves. Some
of those which found their way 20 the
ears OF reporters may have been IN
tended primarily for the ediiication OF
the marines, but they are offered for
what they are worth.
There is ring of reason, at that,
in the assertion Of those who insist
they saw a British cruiser in the ofing
as the survivors Of the Stephano were
being picked up. No less trustworthy
an authority than Captain Kenyon Of
the Prices Neck coast guard station
is almost persuaded he saw one him
self
Mother Ship" HAY.
There's reason. too in the words Of
those who tell Of having seen the mys-
ferrous vessel which Captain Smith
took TO be the mother ship of Ger
man submarine Aotilla. But Il general
haziness is apparent as TO the quarter
in which she lay and as to her size and
appearance.
Then, again, they keep repeating the
yarn that was brought in early this
morning by one Of the Stephano's
crew. He said stern warning had
been served upon the submarine com-
mander that he would be fired on II
any attempt was made TO sink the liner
before il was certain no enc was left
aboard.
That much may have been under
stood by the Germans, for the destroy
crs were, indeed. cleared for action.
y, But that any such threat was made the
commanding officers Of the division
and their superiors in port most siren
uously deny.
The most popular story OF the day,
though. is one supplied by a bluejacket,
who may have been set 10 dreaming by
what he read of Herr Captain Roses
/ splendid courtesy as IA caller in port.
/ 1t has been told 80 often that many be-
I lieve IL. And then, again. so circum-
stantially that many don't. Anyway,
! here il is:
/ The destroyers were clustered thick
~ about the Stephano just after her
passengers had taken TO the boats.
! Some OF them even were between the
U.boat and her prey, forming q sort Of
/ shield.
Captain Rose, so the story runs, wait
cd patiently for n few minutes. Then
/ he appeared on the superstructure and
called through megaphone:
! please, gentlemen, please retire so
that | may destroy this vesse. without
endangering xpu.' .---