The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-10-09

$3.50 this morning. There was no sign
of hysteria or fright as men, women
and children told their stories of being
suddenly aroused from dining tables
| from little social gatherings in salons
and babies hurriedly wakened from
sleep to be hustled over the side and
into Iifeboats.
First Thought 1t a Joke.
Many of the passengers refused to
believe they were being attacked by a
submarine. They laughed when an
officer rushed by shouting that all
must don. life belts and take to the
boats. But the hurrying abSat of the
crew and a glimpse from the deck of
the ship convinced them.
Thousands 'thronged the Newport
waterfront as the destroyers put into
port with their cargoeS of human
freight picked up from the sea. New
port society turned out in force. Mrs.
Elsie French Vanderbilt sent her linn
CUISINE down to the wharf and four
women passengers from the Stephano
We're taken to her home Others also
sent their cars to the dock and the
mothers and babies taken from the u
boat victims.
A little band of women with babies
in their arms sat silently trying not to
show their sorrow over the loss of pre-
cious possessions and soothing the
children, frightened by their strange
surroundings.
Babies Jared Well.
! They came, for the most part, of
hardy Canadian stock and when asked
if they were frightened when they
| learned a submarine had attacked
their ship, they simply shrugged their
shoulders and replied: No
| One blonde-haired baby wore a
sailors cap rakishly over one eye. In
her haste to leave the Stephano the
| mother had not had time to get the
babys bonnet and seaman had fur
nished the necessary head covering.
Another youngster was having the
time of his life as he lay in his
mothers lap gurgling joyously at the
sailors as tho no such thing as sub
marines existed. Arriving at the ma
val hospital here, the Stephanos pas
sengers and crew had their first meal
in many hours.
Youngest Refugee, Months Old.
The youngest passenger aboard was
little brown eyed Warren Driscon of
st. Johns. Warren is months old.
With thirteen other babies he is safe
ashore today after an experience the
thrill of which may never be repeated
tho he may live % be a gray haired
man. Miss Elizabeth Butler of st
Johns, telling of her experience, said
lost everything l owned except
what I've got On. My God, it was
per when suddenly we heard a shot.
Some one called that the ship had
been fired upon. Then 1 heard the
| captain yell to everyone to get their
life preservers on. 1 went below decks
and put on a coat and a life preserv-
er. There was no time to pick UP
belongings The officers urged the
utmost haste. As we went over the
side We knew for certain that a sub
marine had stopped our ship, tho
some of the passengers could even
then hardly believe it. 1 lost $50.
ill the money 1 have been able to
save
Kitty Trumblett of St John. said
ishe had started to New York for a
holiday. She also lost all of her
money and her visions of an outing
iwere shattered. out she plucki1y de-
clared she didn't care much"
His Third U-Boat Sinking.
/ A. C. Tickle, chief of. the Stephano,
celebrated his third submarine sinking
when he was taken off the ship. He
was on the Marquette when she was
sunk without warning in the Darda-
nelles. The Marquette was a troop
ship. and Tickle was a soldier at that
time. Shortly after this he was on
the troop ship Manitou. which was
isunk off Malta by a German subma-