The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-09-29

MIR HERBERT M'KINNEY HAD
REAL TH1RILL ON HIGH SEA.
Former Resident OF Greenwood Was
Fireman on British Steamer
Which Was Sunk by German SUBJ
marine Last February-His Account
Of Attack.
Greenwood Journal.

A Greenwood man who has had the
hair-raising experience Of being shot
at by a German u-boat, q real
one. just before the steamer on which
he was q fireman was sent to the
bottom. who has floated in icy water
In lifeboat IL hours during which
time two of his "a companions froze
to death and who, after he had been
picked up by British steamer, was
not allowed to land for five days on
account Of a mined coast, Is at home
again after an absence of more than
O year. He Is Mr.. Herbert McKin-
ney. formerly stone cutter at Owen
Bros. Marble Yard. now O gunner
and a fireman on merchant steamers
and a soldier of fortune-good for
tune.
Mr.. Mckinney came to The Jour-
nal ofSice this afternoon to tell about
q little experience he had with u
German submarine" but didn't seem
to care very much whether his ex-
periences got into print or not. II
told some Of nay friends about it," he
said, "and they told me to come over
here and tell you." was the way he
put 1t. He rather had the appear
ance Of unconcern in relating his ICY
cold and torpedo-hot journey.
II shipped on the Ainsdale, a Brit
ish steamer loaded with corn. Buenos
Aires to Queenstown" he said when
asked to give detailed account of his
experiences. I'VE left Buenos Aires on
Nov. %. 1915. but on account of bad
weather and engine trouble made
very poor. time. Otherwise. though,
there was nothing to worry about be-
cause we ran scross no enemy ves-
sells. But our luck changed on Feb
9Th this year. On the night Of Tues
day. the 9Th. at 1880 o'clock q sub
marine sneaked up behind US and
three shots were fired to stop u.s.
We stopped. Then the submarine
commander hollered to our captain
In good English:
Well give you FIVE minutes to
leave the boat"
I'VE can't do that" replied our
captain. because our life boats are
not swung out. Give US a chance
and we will leave our ship"
Cant do that" sharply retorted
the German. There's an Argentine
ship just ahead Of you and we must
not lose time We are going to sink
her also"
with that parting remark" con-
tinued Mr.. Mckinney. "the subma-
rine commander ordered the u-boat
submerged and she steered away
about 100 yards. In a minute or two
we felt terrific Jar and noticed that
our boat began to list. We knew
that the sub had us and prepared to
save our lives. AS quickly as we
could we lowered our lifeboats and
70 OF us all on board. got aboard
and began to drift In the darkness
with the snow falling thick an fast
Two OF our men soon froze to .Sath
and were thrown overheard. The
rest OF us had a hard time keeping
alive, and most of us were almost
frozen when the British steamer Ika-
lis picked US up about 235 miles from
queenstown. I had managed to keep
my feet from freezing by holding
them under the water.
The Ikalis was on it's way to Eng
land with a load of copper and cot
ton from Galveston. Texas. Soon after
we were picked up three British pa
troll boats hailed us and told us that
IA submarines were In that vicinity.
and later another patrol boat advis-