The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-02-28
LACONIA FOLK
HOURSIN BOATS
High Seas CapSiZed One,
Exposure killing the
Hoy Women.
SECOND TORPEDO FIRED
U.BOat Hailed Second Officer,
but Made No Effort to
Aid Victims.
SECOND TORPEDO FIRED

~" NlSuuIss
Special cable Despatch TO TINS SrS.
LONDON. Feb. 27.-Twelve persons, in
efuding three Americans. perished in the
LAconia disaster. according to the latest
figures given out by the Cunard COM
pany tonight The known dead are:
Mas. MARY HOY, Chicago.
Miss ELIZABETH Hoy. Chicago.
CEDRIC p. WATT. London. naturalixed
American.
WILLIAM ]. ROBINSON.
DR.. FoRruNAr ZYNpAL.
WILLIAM EVA.
eix men Of the crew.
Early to-day It was reported that
eight OF sixteen American negroes in the
crew had perished. but in a bulletin is
sued tonight Consul Frost at Queens
town said that all had been accounted
for. Six persons, some of them passen-
gers. are now in hospitals. The condi-
ton of none is regarded as dangerous.
OF the twelve persons lost Ave were
drowned and seven died from exposure
and were buried at sea. Mrs. Hoy and
her daughter. it developed to-day. were
not drowned. but died from exposure
after the boat in which they were taken
from the Laconia had been swsmped.
They were picked up. but succumbed
after being taken into another boat.
All who died from exposure had been
in the swamped lifeboat No. S. which
became separated from the others.
Thirteen of It's refugees were saved
Cedric p. Ivatt. a naturalixed American,
who represented an American firm in
London, was one of the exposure VIC
tins.
The Rev. F. Dunstan Sargent was in
the boat with Mrs. Hoy and her daugh-
ter He says the submarine flashed a
light on the stern of the Laconia. ap-
parently with the purpose of Identifying
The steamer.
The boat leaked freely. having hit the
LAconia's stern in the launching, break
ing several of the side planks. Partly
filed with water. the boat drifted with
out oars or rudder for nine hours
Everybody crowded into the bow and
stern. The waves washed some of the
weakened occupants overheard. One Of
the boats crew also fell overheard and
could not be rescued. The bodies of
those who died in the boat were cast
into the sea. as with the boat already
full OF water their weight would have
made things more critical for those sur
viving" Mrs. Hoy and her daughter
were among those who died and were
buried in the sea
The Rev. Mr.. Sargent related the pa
thetic ordeal of a young actress who was
among the occupants OF the boat. She
was helped into the boat by a young
London man who was in business in
Tha ayNOo ouaH "A
and were returning to England to be
married. The girl had to bear the sight
Of her intended husband dying and Of
his body being thrown overheard from
the boat
Mrs. George Henry Boston. daughter
Of Granger Farwel OF Lake Forest. ILL.,.
was rescued an1 Asken to Queenstown.
Among the saved E-so IL John Tucker of
Springfield. ILL.,. native Englishman
who had taken out citizenship papers in
the United States. Among the slightly
injured passengers Is DR.. BENJAMIN L.
Hawkes., who. according to one report is
. resident of San Francisco, though he
is listed on the passenger list from. Calf,
Ontario.
Second Torpedo Hit Ship.
According to the stories of passengers
the Laconia was torpedoed at about
and crew had taken to the boats when
second torpedo was fred into the sink
ing vessel. The boats were picked up at
o'clock Monday morning. Many OF the
survivors when taken into Queenstown
we're wearing only the scantiest clothing
and were suffering severely from cold.
All accounts agree that magnificent
discipline was. maintained by the crew.
tnstinted praise IL given the women
Passengers, whose GOODNESS In the face
OF death amounted In some cases to
hcrosm
The bravery of Mrs. Frank f. Harris,
wife OF n Lieutenant-Colonel of the
United States Coast Artillery Corps at
Fort du Pont. Delaware, was partic1-
lsrly Impressive. She was the last pas
s"rgcr to leave the ship. getting into the
captains boat. When the lifeboatc
cached Queenstown she was cheered
loudly hy her fellow survivors and by
universal consent was accorded the
honor of being first to land.
Tho embassy here received the follow
ing report from Consul Frost lato this
morning:
The Laconia was torpedoed without
warning at 1890 r. NJ. in a heavy sea
while the ship was making seventeen
knots The first torpedo struck on the
starboard side abaft the engine room.
The engines stopped and the ship
'"leu' listlnK 10 stsrbparu. MOst OF
me boats We're launched from the star
board side
twenty minutes later. after most OF
N" boats were clear, "A second torpedo
was fired, striking the engines on the
poFt side. The ship sank forty-fve
minutes after the hring Of the first
torpedo
armed with Two 81 Inch Guns.
The ship was armed with two ~
,hch guns. Tho ships wis >lssc 80
kept IN continual action unit. ~ .6si
'ninut' Six rockets also wers 81. up
and all the lifsboats were equipped