South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-10-09
BRITISH SHIPS
SEARCHING FOR
GERMAN DIVERS
Stephano Not SheIIed Nor Tor
pedoed, According to StOr-
les Told by Survivors.
Warned by Germans.
TnternationaI News Service.

international News Service:
NEWPORT. r. L., oct. 9.-Three
British cruisers which arrived off
Nantucket shoals early today, are
securing the Atlantic for the Ger
man submarine or submarines that
sank at least six merchant ships
during the last Sc hours.
a wireless report picked up by
the United States destroyer Ericsson
that the total number of victims was
nine ships. has not been confirmed
up 10 an early hour.
Reports OF further attacks on
merchant ships were hourly await
ed. as there are more than "a score
OF freight and passenger ships in or
near the danger zone off the New
England coast.
OF the imperilled fleet Is are
British ships and two are Amen-
cans A Meet Of United States men
Of-war is patrolling the coast to pro
tect neutrality.
More British warships are ex-
pected on the scene.
The known victims Of Germany 8
submarine warfare AT the very
threshold OF the United States are:
The known Victims.
Strathdene. British freighter. 1921
tons: New York 10 Bordeaux.
West Point, British freighter,
a.4ts tons: London for Newport
News.
StephanO. British passenger ship,
2.1I3 tons; Newfoundland for New
York.
Kingston. British freighter. dcs-
tination and tonnage uncertain.
BlOomersdijk. Dutch steamship.
3,s1O tons; New York for Rotter-
dam.
Christian Knudsen. Norwegian
tanker. 2,5S3 tons; New York for
London.
20 far a. known this morning no
lives were lest, but the crew Of the
Kingston ~uII was missing.
The German war submarine
which brought the war to the door
way of the United States is believed
To be the Ir-5s. which visited New
Port Saturday.
There is apparently ground for
belief. however. that there were two,
and perhaps three submarines en-
gagged.
StCphanO Was Warned.
Survivors Of the Stephano. who
arrived here on board the Ericsson,
said that the ship was warned and
the passengers and crew given a
chance TO take TO the boats Ger
man seamen then went on board
and opened her sea cocks She was
neither torpedoed nor shelled.
This. il is believed here. indi-
Gated that the submarine command
er was taking precautions TO prevent
a break with the United States over
the latest outbreak of submarine
warning
The Ericsson was followed by the
United States ship Dr1ytou. She had
on board the master of the West
Point He was taken 10 the British
cruiser Birmingham I'm launch.
He refused TO make a statement
until ne could confer with the own
cfs OF his ship.
Reports that nine ships were at
tackled and that three submarines
were engaged instead of one were
contained i'm wireless dispatch
from the Nantucket station picked
up by the Ericsson
Fired Three Shots.
An important part was PLAYED
throughout by this destroyer. She
was in plain view of the attack upon
the Stephano. Omcers said that the
British passenger ship was halted
by three shots fired across her bow
by the submarine The Stephano
carried 73 passengers, many Of them
citizens OF the United States
one Of the passengers was Charles
r. Evans Of Germantown. Pa Hs
was responsible Ter the statemeu;
that the Stephano had been sunk by
fIling her hold with water.
Most Of the passengers were at
dinner when the vessel was fired
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