Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-03-30
American Survivors Now in
France Declare the Channel
Steamship Was TOrpedoed
without Warning.
WASHINGTON INVESTIGATING
Of the so Dead Some Are Said
to Be United States Citizens
Spanish Composer Grana-
dos and Wife Were among the
Victims.

victims.
Paris, March 6-Midnght-"There is
channel steamship Sussex was torpedoed
without warning says an official state
ment issued here tonight based on affi-
davits made by American survivors.
John Hearlcy, Albany, y. V, IA press
association correspondent. deposes. tho
statement says: THAT on Friday about
three O'Clock in the afternoon while a
dozen Americans We're watching from the
bridge a great explosion occurred in the
forepart of the vessel without warning
and that three Americans at least saw
the passage of the torpedo.
Samuel S. Bems of Harvard Univer-
sity deposed that the explosion occurred
without the slightest warning to show
there was the least danger and that many
persons were thrown into the sea. that
some were killed and some wounded. that
he saw bodies on the bridge Of the Sussex
and that while being rescued he saw two
persons drown.
These dispositions are confirmed by the
American men and American women who
took passage aboard the Sussex"
Washington March 26.--The explo-
sion which damaged the English chan
mel steamer Sussex. on which 20 Amer
lean citizens had taken passage, &C.
Cured without the slightest warning"
according to stories told by American
survivors to consular representatives in
England and cabled to-day to the state
department..
Survivors also declared one of six
life boats launched after the explosion
had capsized. throwing its occupants
into the sea. None Of the five bodies
left on the Sussex was that OF an
American. Two survivors, Drake and
Huxley, said so far as they knew only
three Americans reached lifeboats.
Fifteen passengers, Drake and Huxley
also said, were severely injured. They
believed several Americans to be lost.
Washington. March "a private
cabegram received here to-day by rela-
tives from Prof j. Mark Baldwin. one
of the American passengers on the Sus-
sex, read: "All safe" With Profess
sor Baldwin on tho sussex We're his wife
and daughter Miss Elizabeth Baldwin,
been killed. The message was dated at
Boulogne to-day.
Paris. March 26-Enrtque Granados,
the Spanish composer. and his wife
we're passengers on the Sussex and are
believed to have persisted.
Senior Granados composed the opera
"Goyescas" which was produced recently
at the Metropolitan opera house, New
York. He and his wife We're last seen
clinging to a small raft, according to
survivors. Granados was trying to
keep the raft straight with a small board
which he used as a paddle.
1t is estimated officially that the loss
Of life on board the cross-channe
steamer Sussex will reach 80 These
were either killed by the explosion OF
drowned when ono OF the lifeboats cap
sized. Two passengers. a man and 9
woman. both Belglans. died in a hos
pital at Dover
Washington. March c6.-Official infor
nation in which President Wilson vii
decide whether the sinking OF the steam
ship Engl' shmnn and the damaging by
an explosion of the channel steamer
Sussex were the result of acts in Viola
ton of international law is being gath
cred from every available source BY
consular representatives OF the United
States in England and France Tangible
evidence of some kind tonight momen
| tarily was expected by the state depart
| mcnt
! Dispatches already received indicate
| that several Americans were injured OF
/ 49,, III.
| American citizens who were aboard the
| Englishman and who were said IN De
spatches yesterday not to be among the
rescued still are unaccounted for
Information regarding the sussex "hicr
mad been received tonight did not. mgr
administration officials said convince
them that the vessel was the Victn OF
| submarine attack. One member OF the
cabinet who discussed the situation witt
I the President said the reports at hand
were by no means conclusive,
| The administration, while fully realizing
! the possibilities of the situation should
| the indications in press dispatches be
| borne out in the official reports, vii
! take no decisive action unless proof posi-
lively was forthcoming, The position OF
| the United states will be decided or
| official reports from its own officers
Should either the Sussex or the English
man have been torpedoed the United
| States would regard the act as mos
| nagrant violation of the rights OF
humanity, the principles OF internationa
law, and the broad assurances regardins
the conduct of submarine warfare which
have been given by the German govern
ment There Is no evidence. or even :
suggestion that either Of the ships wa.
| armed, so no defense could be offere,
on that score.
In this connection, II is probable thai
| the United States will not issue for the
benefit OF the European belligerents tn.
statement of its position regarding sub
marines and armed ships until after tn,
facts regarding the Englishman and tn,
Sussex are known. 1t had been planned
to issue the statement sometime In tn.
near future
The state department also Is awaitinl
with some anxiety information concern
| ing the sinking OF the Dutch liner Tu
| bantia. AS far as is known here diver.
still are investigating the wreck in al
effort to determine the cause of the disas
| ter Affidavites regarding the cause O.
| the disaster. Affidavits regarding an al
legged torpedo attack on the French linel
| Patria still were being considered by
4 G 7 a. A..