The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-27
SEA DISASTER


|
Instructed in boat drill and got into
the boats without panic. DR.. Hawke
said that all behaved well and that
discipline was truly good. He con-
| tinued:
were IN the boats and fired another
tornedo. This put out the lights and
was followed by terrific explosion.
The ship must have sunk soon arter-
| The second torpedo MIND you was
fired altho the lifeboats were close
! To the vessel and the crew of the sub
! marine could not have failed to see US,
as it was moonlight. 1t was ABOUT
$3.50 D. m on Sunday when we TOOK
to the boats and about ) O'CLOCK on
| the following morning Wheh we "ere
picked up.
DR. Hawke gave the highest praise
to the behavior of the women ana
| children and said that the captain ana
crew were marvellous
1t appears that two boats reached
Bantry with % people, eight of the
occupants having died from exposure.
Among those saved, was the singer.
| Miss Mitsie Siklosi of Paris.
The bodies of the eight persons who
died were consigned to the deep.
Among the Laconia's firemen were six
teen Am rican negroes.
Refused 10 Help Victims.
London, Feb. 27.-After the La
conia'S survivors had taken to the
boats the German submarine which
apparently sank the Cunarder APP
preached one lifeboat, inquired cap
tain and asked the nature of the
cargo. Receiving information in .re-
ply to these queries from the second
officer of the Laconia, the German off,
Ger remarked that a British admiralty
boat would reach the survivors short
ly and then departed without offering
assistance
of a.
town reported the incidents to Am
bassador Page today.
Confirms without Warming"
London. Feb 27.-American Con-
sui Frost at Queenstown officially re-
ported to the American EN- baSsy to-
day that the Laconia was sunk with
out warning and by explosion of two
torpedoes.
The second torpedo was fired TWEEN
ty minutes after the first had struck.
In this interval of twenty minutes the
first thirteen lifeboats were launched
from the Laconia.
The weather was cloudy and there
was a heavy swell on the ocean.
Women Died of Exposure.
London, Feb. 27.-Mrs. Hoy and
Miss Elizabeth Hoy, two American
| women on the Laconia, persisted in
an open lifeboat after leaving that
sinking vessel Their deaths were due
to exposure. They were both buried
in the open sea.
American Consul Frost forwarded
this word to the American embassy
, here today.
Consul Frost reported that the La
coma sank in one hour after the tor
: pedoing.
Another report says Mrs. Hoy and
daughter We're believed to have been
. thrown into the sea when lifeboat
+ capsized. Consul Frost's report in
! dicates they We're picked up from the
. clad only in wet clothing.
2 Theatrical Manager n Victim.
: Queenstown. Feb. 27.-Cedric P
Ivat, theatrical manager. who was
S a passenger on the Laconia. died Of
exposure. Mr.. Ivat was resident OF
!, London.
l u. S. Army Officers Wife Heroine.
Queenstown, Feb. 27-After being
landed here Father Wareing and Mr.
Gibbons said the voyage was very
pleasant one up to the time of its fata
termination. 1t was at about $3.50
u o'clock Sunday night, they said, wher
they were startled by the explosion OF
the first torpedo which struck the shiI
- / on the starboard eide of the stern. The
. vessel kept steady and the crew with
! magnificent discipline, got out the
a | boats and provided the passenger:
q with life belts. All hands took to the
6 | boast, the passengers first.
; 1t was very shortly afterwards thai
= the second torpedo was fired strikinf
a the IacOnia amidShipS The vesse
G then quickly settled down. sinking in
a about minutes The wireless on the
Laconfa sent out a call for help an6
reScu1ng steamers were soon on tht
= way to the scene. After about si1
hours, the boats were picked up. II
3 addition to the survivors brought tc
B Queenstown, fifteen were landed a.
Bantry.
Last Woman to Leave Ship.
Everything possible was done to re-
lieve the suffering of the American
women, but the shock and the hard
, ships of exposure to the cold proved
fatal to Mrs. Hoy and her daughter
} Mrs. F. e. Harris, wife of an Ameri-
i can army officer, was cheered loudly
by the other survivors on landing. She
was the last woman to leave the ship
getting into the captains boat and dis
played so much bravery that she was
accorded the honor of being the first
to land. Those who were injured are
| receiving every attention, also the
other survivors The agents of the
steamship company are being assisted
by naval and military nurses.
Doctor Hoy Stricken.
London, Feb. 27.-Dr. Albert Harri.
Hoy, who lost his wife and daughter
in the Laconia sinking. was stricken
down with grief over his loss as ht
talked over the telephone to the
United Press office today.
He was removed to his room anC
put under physicians care.
Check Up the Missing.
New York, Feb. 27.-Six American!
of the twenty Americans listed in thu
crew of the Laconia lost their live
when the big Cunarder was SUM
Sunday. according to the best figure
available today.
The Cunard line list named twent,