Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1916-04-20

London embassy March 20 and Paris
embassy March 26 and 2S) were OF
several nationalities and many or
them were women and children and
nearly half Of them subjects OF neutral
states,t Report Of Commander Saylcs
and Lieutenant Smith, Rear Admiral
Grassetts report) The Sussex car
ried no armament (Nrench foreign Of
Lieutenant Smith; affidavits II the
American passengers.) has never been
employed as troop ship, ana was
following route not used for trans
porting troops from Great Britain
to France. british admiralty state
mcnt; French foreign office.)
The steamer proceeded on its
course almost due south after passing
Dungeness. Declaration of Captain
MonfetD The weather was clea. and
the sea smooth. tAffidavits OF Edna
Hale John +. Pcarley. Gertrude w.
Warren.) At $50 p. m. when the Sus.
sex was about thirteen miles from
llungeness Declaration of Captain
Mouffett) the captain OF the vessel,
who was on the bridge. saw about $50
meters from the ship, on the port side,
The wake Of torpedo. (Declaration ~
Captain Moutett) II was also seen
very clearly by the first officer and
the boatswain who were with tho cap.
tain on the bridge. (Report of Rear
Admiral Grnssett) Immediately the
raptain gave orders to port the helm
ana stop the starboard engine. 0Dr.
clnration of Captain Mouffett) the
purpose being To swing the vessel to
5tarboard so az to dodge the torpedo
Dy allowing 1t to pass along the porl
bow on line convorging with tho alt.
cred course OF the steamer. Before,
however. the vessel could be turned
Tar enough to avoid crossing tho
course OF the torpedo. the latter
struck the hull at m angle n short
distance forward OF the bridge, ex.,
olodcd. destroyed the entire forward
)art of the steamer as far bach MS
he first water-tight bulkhead, sar.
led away the foremast with the wire,
ess antennae and killed or injurtd
'bout so of the persons on board. (De-
'lnration Of Captain Moufrett report
If Rear Admiral Grassett; lcpUssi.
ion Of Henry S. Beer.) At the time no
'ther vessel was IN sight .(AffiIavits
VI Samuel II. Bemis, r. w. Culbert.
ION. John III. Pearley and others
The approach OF the torpedo was wit
lessed by several other persons on
he vessel (affdavits of Samuel T..
'emis. Henry s. Beer Gertrude w.
One OF these an American
'itizen named Henry S. Bee' was
Gaming on the port rail about ten
eet behind the bridge and gazing sea
'ard when he saw the approaching
orpedo about 100 yards away and ex.
laimed to his wife and companion.
A torepdo." Immediately following
is exclamation the missile struck tho
essel. Dispositions of Henry S. Beer
nd Mrs. Henry s. Beer.)
In further cOrObOration of the fact
hat the captain saw the torpedo com,
ng toward the vessel Is tho sworn
tatement Of engineers on duty that
ne order to port the helm and to stop
no starboard engine was received and
beyed tReport of Admiral Grassett).
% reasonable explanation can be Civ.
n for this unusual order than that
ne captain saw something which al
D caused him to change his course
harply TO starboard.
In addition to this evidence which
'ould in itself appear to be conclu-
i've that the agent of destruction was
torpedo. is that OF Lieutenant Smith.
ltached to the American embassy at
aris, who. accompanied by Major
ogan, u. S. A., of the embassy.
ent 10 BolOgne, inspected tho hull
the Sussex and personally found
meath the mass OF water.soaked
h;ch tha, ."..;. I.n 80 p'..es oi metal
on as thev di5 not ha,;ovn ' ~ rsaa ';onas
rmed mar, as tho vas.nI as rha tns pn'oa n,...s
an n, tha hi, s;sa1oas ny .sp1.
,a.oI ,,,as -. o.'oseu 10, I'M. 'ne
osion tho hoiiarn L.;n 49, 49,.