The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-06-22
GERMANS JEERED
AT SURVIVORS OF
TORPEDOEO SHIPS
Rescued Man Tells How
Submarine Grew Laugh
ed at Victims

Base of the American F'lotilla in
British Waters, June give owe
our escape from death to the bravery
of your men, was the parting word
of the second officer of a rescued
British merchant crew to the COM
manding officer of an American des-
troyer which arrived here this morn
ing with the survivors.
The destroyer was able to find one
boatload of nineteen men. A second
boat containing eighteen men is miss
ing and, it is feared, has been lost
Six members of the engine room crew
were killed when a torpedo struck
the ship without warning several hun
dred miles from the nearest land.
I'VE were torpedoed at o'clock
Monday morning." the second officer
told the correspondent, 'the explo-
sion tearing hole through the ship
and causing her to sink in fifteen min
utes Two boats got away, but soon
became separated, and we fear one
has gone down.
after we were out nearly twenty
hours and were enduring awful hard
ships, we were hailed by an American
destroyer. I tell you, Old Glory new
er looked so good to me before. We
were treated with the utmost kind
ness by the American tars and were
their guests the whole day before
they brought US in. We feel that we
owe our lives to the bravery of these
boys from the States, who are daily
proving their regulations as sailors
and good sportsmen."
The survivors were sent to a sailors
home here, while the Captain made
a report to Vice-Admiral Sims as Acr-
N nd of RritiSI fnrcaS
| in these waters.
James F. Powers, of Naugatuck,
Conn.,, the only American among a
crew Of fifty-four rescued by an
American destroyer after thirty hours
afloat, told the correspondent that
the Germans jeered at their victims.
'tI was painting a winch in the
forepart of the Ship he said, when
an explosion threw me off my feet. It
| was my first intimation that we We're
ltorpedoed. I ran aft. There was
lwreckage all about and the crew
were getting into the boats. The tor
pedoe hit the engine room and forced
| the cargo up through the matches.
Several Of the engine room crew were
killed, and I heard that several others
were unable to get out of their
hunks.
! ;sAll those alive after the explosion
got away in four boats. The remain
| ing boats were cut loose SO as not to
| go down with the ship. All this time
| we saw no submarine, but when for
| ty yards from the sinking ship a sub
marine appeared alongside of US, her
crew crawling out of the coming
Flower and laughing at our predica-
ment.
.eThe commander asked our Captain
the name of, the ship, which was Bril-
fish, and her destination. When this
was given the submarine crew laugh
ed and cheered again and made off.
We sailed and rowed for thirty hours.
Our rations were getting low, espe-
cial1y the fresh water supply, when
good fortune smiled on us in the form
of an American destroyer.
] "The American craft came up at
what seemed like express train speed
All our boats were able to keep pref
/ ty well together, SO that the task OF
getting US on board was quickly &C
j complished. Naturally we were tired
You ought to have seen the willing
ness with which the American sailors
gave up their berths and did every
j thing to make. us comfortable.
1--WE feel very grateful to our res
cuers, and no words of mine can ade-
quately describe the seamanship and
hospitality of the Americans"
i Powers and his shipmates were
taken charge Of by the Sailors So.
ciety upon their arrival here.