The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1917-06-15
u. s. CONSUL
DESCRIBES MURDER
OF INNOCENTS
Continued From Page one,

work and fighting fair 1t is not
strange that he has no us for the
sophistries of "frightfulness" and
calls murder by its real name.
Now that the submarines have been
driven TO attack ships. submerged-us
Ing the torpedo almost exclusively-the
murder roll IS bound to grSw, Frost eS
planned. Mast ships when struck by
torpedo go down in two or three min
utes. which gives no opportunity of
escape to those below decks.
SINKINGS ABSOLUTELY RUTHLESS.
Recent sinkings which came under
his observance since the beginning or
the ruthless warfare show this conclu-
sively.
\ freighter loaded with iron ore and
conveyed by destroyer went down in
two minutes Eighteen of her crew of
twenty-six were drowned.
Another sunk in two minutes after
being struck. She was hit in daylight
but the submarine was not seen. Twen
ty-eight of her crew of. 80 persisted.
The Abesse sunk in three minutes
and thirty women and children died.
"Sinkings of this sort from now on
will be the rule-not the exception
said Frost.
"HIDEoUs ASSASSINATION"
only the larger passenger ships will
remain afloat long enough TO launch the
boats and get Off the crew. and pas
sengers: and those Will not float so
long if struck in vital spots or by more
than one torpedo"
The submarines are now so fearful OF
exposing themselves to the deck guns
Of slowly sinking ships that they sell
dom come up TO question the escaping
crews of passenger ships. Out of six
passenger ship sinlkings investigated by
him. this happened in only one case
that of the Laconia, which was sunk
near midnight.
Hideous this assassination from
ambush is. 1t does not equal the wanton
crimes committed in the days before
ruthless" warfare-when the sub.
marines come to the surface and at
tackled with gunfire.
KILLED BY WARMING SHOTS.
The warnig given in theses cases
was simply the beginning of the attack
and sailors were often killed by the
warning Shots" Frost said This sort
of warning was given only to save the
expensive torpedoes worth $1,000
apiece-of which a submarine can carry
only a few. When the ship gave signs
of surrender. the firing generally stop
ped and a boarding party from the sub
marine destroyed her with bombs. The
crew took TO their boats. Unless pick
ed UP they were left to certain death by
starvation or drowning as these attacks
took place $50 and 200 miles off shore
In only one case did Frost find that the
submarine offered to assist the victims
by towing their boats toward the land
The sufferings Of these crews who
were picked up by patrol boats were
terrible. Many OF them were never
picked up. The men probably went mad
and Ieaped into the sea.
ATROCITY UNPARALLELED.
In the case Of the Cairnhall, Brit
fsh freighter with a crew Of. sixteen
men. five of whom were Americans. the
Germans deliberately Quilted the life
men had placed in the boat and threw
them into the sea. emptied the water
-keg of fresh water and, to make their
Job complete. filled it with saltwater
The boats sails were taken off and that
was practically the only hope of get
ting to land if the wind were favorapfe.
She was attacked $50 miles out at sea.
While the Germans were indulging in
these Franks with the life-boat, a bomb
ing party was wrecking the ship and
the men were kept standing on the
deck of the submarine. The German
officers searched them Most of them