New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-16
American Captain Brings
Home Thrilling Tale of
Mistaken Identity at Sea
U-Boats Near Shore
Go Within Five Miles Now;
Rescuers Explained "They
Take No Chances"

An Atlantic Port. June 15.-Captain
Charles Olsen, master Of four-masted
American schooner, on his arrival here
to-day. told how his ship had been tor
pedoed five miles off ST. Nazaire, France.
The French destroyer that came to his
rescue shelled the lifeboat, mistaking it
for a disguised submarine. The attack
was only five miles from shore. This
is the closest to shore a submarine Is
known TO have approached to sink ves-
sells.
ave were waiting for q pilot to take
us up the channel when up bobbed a
big German 'growler,' about mile dis
tant, and began to shell u.s." the cap
tain said. "The weather was thick, and
for some minutes we could not locate
the direction from which the shells
were coming. Suddenly the submarine
appeared out of the haze. and l ordered
my officers and men TO take to the big
dory. i.
"As we were pulling away several OF
the shots struck our vessel, which listed
heavily TO starboard. The sea was calm,
with only a long ground swell running,
so we had little difficulty in putting
quarter of q mile between us and our
sinking vessel.
THE submarine ceased firing as sud
denly as il had commenced, and looking
for the cause we saw a French de-
stroyer steaming at full speed out of
ST. Nazaire. We were greatly relieved,
and several of my men raised their oars
as q signal for help. To our intense
surprise the destroyer opened ire on
US.
"The shells fell in the water all
around, fortunately none of them strik-
ing our light craft. The men then
stripped, and placed their shirts and
trousers on the ends of the oars, and
shouted that we were friends-not enc
mics.
"a few moments later the destroyer
approached and took US in tow, the
captain explaining that he thought we
were the submarine disguised, TO bring
the destroyer within torpedo range. tie
took US back to our vessel. which re-
NAMED afoat. and towed it int st.
Nazaire. Just as we reached the har-
Dor mouth the schooner broke in two,
the hull, and once again we were taken
on board the destroyer, this time safe
ly TO land.
"The officers on the destroyer were
extremely kind, and made long apollo
gies for mistaking our identity in the
open boat. but saying that they were
under orders to take no chances.
Another passenger to return on the
same liner with the captain was Cap
tain H. Williams, commander of the
American steamer Hilonian, who con-
firmed the sinking of the vessel in
three minutes off Genoa, with the loss
of four of his crew of forty.
Other arrivals included Professors
Victor Grignard and Rene Engel, of
the College des Sciences at Nancy.
They have come to join the French
scientific mission in this country. Ac-
companying them was Captain Gustave
Capart, Of tho staff of General Pe'ain.
Mrs. William Aston Chandler re-
turned, after spending two months in
France in behalf of the Lafayette Kit
Fund and the French War Heroes
Fund.
Three ambulance drivers, Frank b.
Bisbce. Clarence Grover and j.. F.
Malone, returned to enlist in the Amer
lean expedtionary force.