Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1917-04-03
American Steamer
Aztec TorpedOed
FIRST ARMED SHIP TO SAIL FROM
AN AMERICAN PORT
HAD CREW OF 80 MEN
There Was a Guard of One Lieutenant
and Twelve BIuejackets Aboard, But
All Were saved-EIeven of Crew
Missing.

New York. April 2.-The American
steamship Aztec. first armed mer-
side of the Atlantic. was sunk last
night by German submarine off an
island near Brest, France. The cable
message from the American consul at
Brest which brought the news of the
ships sinking to her owners. the ORR
entail Navigation company. gave no
inkIing as to the fate of her crew. An
Associated Press despatch from Paris
said, however. that while some of the
men aboard the Aztec were rescued
a number of them were missing and
probably had perished-
Sailed from New York March 10.
The Aztec sailed from New York
March Is for Havre. She was COM
manded by Captain Walter O'Brien.
Sixteen members of the crew were
Eiative-born Americans.
TIE following were the Americans
among the crew and addresses of their
nearest relatives as filed here with the
United States shipping commissioner:
Had Crew of SO.
The Aztec, under the copmand of
Captain Walter O'Brien. was manned
by a crew of SO. Seventeen of this
number, including the captain. were
American citizens.
Americans Aboard.
1. J. Anderson, mate, 53S Fiftieth
street, Brooklyn. n. Y: G. c. Larkin,
second mate, s5 Garfield avenue. West
Lynn, Mass: z. J. OrBrien, third mate,
60 Burgess place. Passaic, N. J.; B.
Borsfensen, engineer, 24S Forbell ave-
ME, Brooklyn; Harry Larkin. engineer.
s. Garfield avenue, West Lynn. Mass;
Herbert Collins. engineer, SO East
Fifth street, Wilmington, Del; Charles
Erickson. engineer. s39 Fifty eighth
street, Brooklyn, n. Y: Chester T.
Lee. steward, Ill Sacramento street,
= Fra CiS
man. New York city; Watson Sianey,
RI do operator, New York city; Charles
Kelley, S27 Twenty ninth street,
Brooklyn. \. Y; Julian r, Macomber,
lu; Elkil A. Koakia, Hawaii: Tato
Davis, Hawaii; H. K.-Price. Hawaii
Sunk in the Night.
Whether or not the Aztec fought a
losing battle with her undersea ad-
versary had not been disclosed. Her
owners believe. however. that she had
no chance to fight, since she was sunk
sea was running. The vessel was
armed with two 5-inch guns, one
forward and one aft. manned by ma
val gunners under command of war
rant officer.
In expressing the fear that the bum
ners on the Aztec had no chance to
show their skill, it was recalled that
the Cunard liner Laconia, sent to the
25 was sunk at night and that no
submarine was seen although a Wig
liant watch was kept
A Slow Moving Freishter.
The Aztec. a slow moving freighter
of g. 727 fross tonnage. steamed from
New York for Havre on March IS with
a full cargo of foodstuffs and general
supplies valued at more than $780,
000- She was due at Havre tomorrow
and probably was less than 100 miles
from that port when torpedoed This
fact has given hope to her owners
that all her crew may be saved if
they had an opportunity to take to
the boats.
The Oriental Navigation company
also owns the steamship Orleans, one
of the first vessels to sail unarmed
from an American port after Ger
many's declaration of unrestricted
submarine warfare on February 1. The
Orleans successfully ran the blockade
of undersea boats.
Carried Two Five Inch Guns.
The Aztec was armed with two five
inch guns. one forward and one aft
The crew of naval gunners on board
was in command of a warrant officer
The Aztec. formerly owned by the
Pacific Mail Steamship company, was
a ship of 3.127 tons gross and 2345
tons net. She was built in Newcast
England. in 1894. She was $50 feet
long, with a beam of AZ feet.