Omaha daily bee., 1916-10-10

Report Nine Vessels Sunk by
German Slbseas Based on
Statement of Light
ship Captain,
NO KNOWN LOSS OF LIFE
Passengers of Stephano Trans
ferred Quickly to Destroyer
Ericsson in Ships
Boats. \.
ONE CREW is MISSING
Men from British Steamship
Kingston Presumed to Be
Afloat in Its Own Boats.
SEES THREE SUBMARINES
ONE CREW is MISSING
SEES THREE SUBMARINES

Newport, Oct. 9,-Rrear Admiral
Albert Cleaves, commander OF the de-
stroyer fleet announced today that
he had obtained the names of approx
imately 220 persons, including thirty
three women and ten children rescued
from five Of the six steamers known
to have been torpedoed yesterday by
a German submarine. This list did not
take into account the crew of the
British steamer, Kingston, which was
still missing at 10 o'clock today.
All hands had been saved, the, ad-
miral said from the steamers, West
point, Strathdene, Bloomersdijk,
Christian Knudscn and Stephano, the
latter passenger ship plying be-
tween New York and St. Johns, N. F.
Several of the torpedo boat destroy
ers reported that they were still
searching for the Kingston's crew,
supposed to be adrift in life boats.
Nine Ships Reported Sunk.
According to a report brought by
officers of flotilla of United States
destroyers which picked up passen-
gers and crews of several of the yes
sells destroyed nine merchant ships
were sunk. f
One of the submarines is supposed
to have been the U-53, which visited
this harbor Saturday, and another
was declared to be the U-6l. Mrs.
Henry B. Wilson OF Williamstown,
Mass, passenger on the Stephano,
one of the vessels sunk, said that an
officer and several of the crew told
her that they had distinctly seen the
name U-6l on the submarine that at
tackled their ship.
Six vessels are known to have been
sunk and the report that the total OF
nine was based on statement OF the
captain OF the Nantucket shoals light
ship. The captain said three subma-
rines were engaged. :
List of Victims.
The list Of submarine victims in
cluded four British, one Norwegian
and one Dutch vessel. The identity
of the three reported lost had not
been learned early today, The Brit
ish vessels were the freighter West
Point, bound from London for New
port News; the Strathdene, from
New York for Bordeaux; the Kings
ton, destination not stated, and the
passenger steamer Stephano of the
Red Cross line, from St John, N F,
for New York. The Bloomersdijak.
Dutch, bound from New York to
Rotterdam, via Kirkwall, and the
Christian Knudsen, Norwegian
tanker, are the others whose iden-
tity is known.
The crews of all these vessels, ex-
cepting the Kingston, were brought
here today, together with eighty
three passengers of the Stephano.
1t was believed that no lives had
been lost and although the men of
the frcighter Kingston were report
ed adrift id open boats, the fact that
the weather was mild and the sea
calm made il seem probable that they
would be rescued within few hours
Thirty Stephano passengers were
American tourists, returning from
New Foundland and the Canadian
maritime provinces, All came
through without injury, but lost all
their effects.
Destroyer Takes Passengers.
When the Ericsson, which picked
up some Of the<Stephano boats, ar
rived at the lghtship Commndcr
Miller said he observed a submarine
about mile distant and almost I'M
mediately heard three shots from its
bow gun, Through the haze he could
dimly make out the Stephano, the OBJ
ject of the attack. None OF the shots
struck the ship. The Stephano hove
to Immediately and sent a message
t. the Ericsson saying, Please take
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