The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-10-10
VICTIMS ADMIT RULES
OF GAME OBSERVED
BY CAPTAIN ROSE
Ships Were Sunk After All Were
Safely Away In Their
Lfeboats.
AMERICAN DESTROYERS
WITNESSES OF SINKINGS
British Commander of Stephano Could
Not Realize There Was Possibility
of Attack-At Least Two Subma-
rines Seen.

Newport, r. l., Oct 9.-Before noon
today seven nondesCript individuals
were landed at the long wharf from
the destroyer Jenkins. Although not
survivors of the torpedoed ship. the
tale they told was none the less thrill
ing
From Nantucket lightship Sunday
they were witnesses of all that took
place within range of their vision. The
men were the officers and the crew
OF the fishing smack Victor and Ethan.
Their ship reposes on the bed of the
ocean nifty miles from Nantucket. Cap
tain Herbert Nickerson and his crew
were in the small boat Saturday morn
ing at eleven o'clock when the Harry
Luckenbach, of New York. bound for
Saloniki with gasoline, came ploughing
through the fog and struck the Vic
tor and Ethan amidships. The lighter
boat sunk within a few minutes Cap
tain Nickerson and his men were con-
veyed to the lightship by the Lucken-
bach and left there pending their re-
moval to shore. This is the story they
told:
The first submarine was seen to
the east Sunday afternoon about 8
O'Clock. She was white and had a
double superstructure. About a mile
away the submersible hove to, and
approached to within hailing distance
of a Danish vessel making for the
ltghtshtp to get her bearings man
was seen to step to the deck of the
submarine. He talked with the cap
tain of the ship through a megaphone.
and then went aboard. The ships pa
pers evidently were satisfactory. as he
left and allowed the vessel to pro-
coed on her course.
Half hour q
marine Of battle gray color, but much
smaller than the first, poked her nose
above water about half a mile to the
south She few the German naval
ensign.
The submarine dove and reappear-
ed internationally until the Holland
American freighter Boomers Dirk ap-
peared. The small boat made for the
freighter. but when about a mile away
sighted some United States torpedo
boat destroyers rushing to the scene.
She submerged for about half an hour,
her periscope alone showing above
the water. but came up again as soon
as the Identity Of the war vessel could
be made out.
Sinks Ship With Cannon.
In full view Of the destroyers, the
submarine attacked the Boomers
Dijk. After giving the captain and
crew time to take TO the boats she
fired shot after shot into the desert
ed hull. AS darkness came on the
freighter sank from view.
Most or the survivors from the West
Point Stephano and Christen Knud-
sen were quartered in the barracks at
tached to the naval training station be-
fore being placed aboard the train
Tor New York at / o'clock this morn
ing. They were 256 in all. and none
in the throng succeeded in saving any
thing other than the clothes they
wore.
Stephano's Captains Statement.
Before leaving for New York to
make a report to his employers.
towering & Co. Captain Clifton
Smith. of the Stephano. gave a detail
ed account of the attack upon the
Red Cross Liner.
He said: THE Stephano was MAX
ing good time on her trip from Hail.
fax to New York and was about three
miles east of the Nantucket lightship
and forty-two miles from the main
land when the submarine appeared
about mile away. The weather was
clear. but a light haze was begin
ming to settle with the approaching
darkness. There was no sea.
Most Of the passengers were at din.
ner and l was on the bridge.
Until l saw that streak of gray
flashing towards my boat I could not
realize an attempt would be made Ia
intercept up. Five minutes later ]
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