Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-03-30
AMERICANS RELATE
GRAPHIC STORY Or
SUSSEX HORROR
Men and Women Terrified by
Explosion Jump Overheard
Loaded LifebOat
Overturns.

Washington, March GA graphic story
of the explosion which damaged tho
English channel steamer Sussex and tho
events which followed is told In a joint
affidavit signed by Edward s. Huxley and
Francis e. Drake, both of New York, for
warded to the state department to-day by
Ambassador Page at London The affl-
davit follows:
At five minutes past three when we were
about an hour and a half from Folkstone
we were seated on tho deck talking lit
tie less than half way back on the star
board side. without the slightest warn
Ing there occurred q loud roaring explo-
sion Wreckage and tons of water were
thrown on the boat as far back as the
stern We went forward and saw the
entire forward part of the ship including
part Of the bridge and the forward mast
gone. Some men and women jumped
overheard at once and we threw over
RATS and seats to them. We then went to
help the women into the lifcboats and aft
erwards to help the wounded out of the
debris We saw at least 10 severely
wounded and helped with five ourselves.
Among these were DR.. pendeld and Miss
Baldwin.
Altogether six boats We're launched.
One Of these capszed with its passengers.
We supposed twenty-five or thirty peo
pie were lost in this boat. We lowered
one boat ourselves. or the remaining five
boats three were filled with passengers
and standing off one hundred yards. OF
the other two one was nearly full of
water and contained only five men. We
did not see the sixth boat. We know Of
only three Americans who got into the
, lfeboats, Mr. and Mrs Baldwin and Miss
| Baldwin. After ten minutes Of watching
We decided that as the ship ap
! parently not sinking would stay with
her. After the small boats had been
standing by for an hour they We're hailed
and the people brought back on board.
About dusk sailing vessel three miles
away, which had been standing by for
some time was slenalled by rockets and
! waving OF blankets. At least thirty ex
ploding rockets with colored flares We're
sent up but the ship continued her
course and disappeared in the distance
The wirle.s remained intact though the
operator said it was very difficult to re-
ceve because the forward mast was gone
and the antennae were loose. The boilers
remainded intact as We could see the
steam from them and the electric lights
| burned until we left the ship.
| AT II go a French steamer came up
and took off the women and children
and half the men and Miss Baldwin, who
/ was unconscious Then four or five
boats came up and we with the remain
ing passengers were taken on a British
| ship. With us there were seven wounded
five men and two women. One man
died on the way to England. Five dead
We're left on the hulk. But apparently
no Americans We're among them. We
arrived In England at 4;3O a. m. and
the wounded We're transferred to near
by hospital ship. The first officer lat
least commissioned officer of the
rescuing British ship told us that the
! captain of the Sussex reported to the
captain of the British ship that he saw
clearly the wake of a torpedo He
ported his helm hard and in a few sec
onds longer would have escaped 1t. No
life belts were given to the passengers
and we found them without difficulty
after the explosion had taken place. In
our opinion the explosion took place
about 30 feet from the bow and appar-
emily on the starboard side. We SOL
EMMY swear that the above statement
is true to the best of our knowledge and
belief"