The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-03-26

up a temporary continuance, but it fail
gave the wrong location to would-be
rescuers
Miss Gertrude Warren. of New York
and st. Louis. was one of those who
saw the torpedo before it hit the Sus-
sex She said tonight:
II was sitting aft on the upper deck,
reading, when a commotiOn caused me
to look seaward There I saw a ripple
on the water, showing the track of the
oncomfng torpedo. I shrieked a warn
ing but simultaneously there was a ter
rife explosion
"A column of water rose high above
missile tore at least twenty-five feet Of
the deck away.
The captain Immediately shouted an
order to close the watertight compart-
ments. Fortunately, the fore bulkheads
kept the steamer sfioat.
Miss Baldwin. who was seated on the
fore part Of the upper deck, was nit
by the full force Of the explosion
saw her mangIed body rise high in the
air. It fell back on the deck with a
sickening thud- She had been killed out
right.
There was an instant rush for the
boats by some Of the passengers, who
tunately, number Of people jumped
into the water, mostly women, which
accounts for the loss of life.
Many hours passed before aid came,
this being due to the fact that the ex-
plosIon put the wireless out Of action.
Eventually, q trawler took US on. Then
a destroyer came along and conveyed
other passengers, mostly wounded, to
England"
Samuel F. Benlis in his statement fled
at the American Embassy, says:
Il was on deck at the time The
weather was clear and beautiful. I
saw q torpedo coming toward the
steamer. The wake was plainly and
Enthusiastically visible.
Some Immediately Killed.
The moment it reached US there
was a terrific explosion. Many per-
sons were blown into the water. /
saw some killed before my eyes.
Rats and boats were lowered I
drowned about me. was picked up
by a Hfeboat. Many persons were in
jured."
Daniel Sargent, of Boston, who was
on his way to Paris to take up his duties
with the American ambulance, said:
The explosion caused several casual
ties that 1 saw George Croker, jr, Of
lay on the deck eight hours unconscious,
til he was taken OF by a British de-
stroyer With him went his brother,
Charles Croker, who was unhurt.
An American girl. whose name am
not sure Of was killed outright by the
explosion. Samuel F. BemIs had a mar
row escape He was tossed overheard
and was in the water for a long time be-
fore he was picked up by boat.
Woman Helps Row Boat.
Mrs. Henry s. Beer, of New York,
found herself in a boat with others She
serself took an oar and helped row the
boat for several hours till they were
picked up. T. W. Cuthbertson, Of PhiIa-
delphia: a young Rhodes scholar named
Penheld from Princeton, and Miss Hale,
from New York, were also rescued
In view OF the dispositions BY Bemis,
TuIbertson and Hearley filed with the
American Embassy stating that the ship
was torpedoed without warning. the
Ambassador has autographed instructions
to the American Consul at Boulogne TO
institute & thorough investigation. II
was stated al the Embassy that II Is
not known whether the Sussex was
armed.
Ambassador Sharpe was for a time
alarmed for the safety OF Secretary Rob
ert Woods Bliss and his wife, who were
believed to be aboard Subsequently II
yyas learned that they had changed their
minds at the last moment and had re-
turned to Paris by the Southampton
Havre route.