New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-23
Six Americans on
U-Boat Sunk by
French, Says Mate
Captain Oliver, of Tanker
Campana, Believed To Be
One of the Victims

AN ATLANTIC PORT, Aug. 22.-The
belief that six Americans lost their
lives when a French cruiser sank a
U-boat a few days ago was confirmed
to-day by one of their companions.
The men are believed to have been
the captain of the ship and five Of the
gun crew assigned to the steamer Cam
pana. which was sunk in a fight with a
U-boat on a western trip, the report OF
which was made public last week.
After the Campana sank, Captain Al
fred Oliver, of 225 East 123d Street,
Manhattan; Chief Gunner's Mate James
L. Delaney, third class Gunner's Mate
Charles L. Kline, Second Glass Boat
swain's Mate Ray Roop, Ordinary Sea
man Wilhelm Miller and Ordinary
Seaman Frederick S. Jacobs were or
dered aboard the U-boat. All the other
members Of the crew were permitted
to row away in their lifeboats.
A few hours after the U-boat had
submerged and left the men to their
fate in the open boats they were
picked up by a French cruiser. On
board the officers and crew OF the
cruiser were celebrating news they
had lust received of the sinking OF a
T-boat by another French cruiser so
close at hand that the rescued sailors
were certain the submarine was the
one on which their companions had
been taken prisoners.
Story Told by Third Mate
The story of the fight of the Cam
pana against the U-boat and the SUP
seouent disaster which is believed TO
have overtsken the six Americans was
told by J. H. Bruce, third mate OF the
Campana, who arrived to-day. -,
The Campana was a Standard vi
tanker, shipping crew OF forty-nNe
men and carrying a gun crew OF nlne
members of the United States Navy
She left an American port IN Spain on
July 6, arrived safely IN France ana
then started in ballast for a port IN
Snajn. The tanker, which could do no
moro than twelve knots an hour IN q
pinch, carried two three-inch guns ana
according to Mr.. Bruce, the men on
board were confident that II tney dlo
encounter a U-boat they could more
than hold their own. .Lx,,.
watch was startled by hearing shell
Az over the boat. Chief Gunner De
leney Immediately ordered the guns
manned. Ear astern," said the third
mate in recounting the battle, was a
big German submarine. She was hrlng
ranidly from a four-inch gun, ana
While her speed was superior to ours,
Cantain Oliver managed 10 outsali
them for some time.
Tanker Made Three Hits
owe kept up running hgnt ioI
tbroo hours. but the craftsmanship or
botb sides was poor and they only
~ us once. and the best we coulc
Do was 70 land three glancing blows
on them. At o'clock the same
( ;dea seemed 10 come 70 both OF us
and we stopped firing for fifteen MN
utcs while we had breakfast
"After we had fired the last smell we
l had and the submarine was stun com
/ ing al US, Captain Oliver ran up
signal that he. was about TO ABANDON
/ the ship. The submarine came along
/ fast then, and after taking off guam.
. INV OF DIOFlo4OlHt wa PNNNNN'
al close range
Bruce said that the Germans treated
them well while they we're waiting
around in their open boats, and that
several Of them spoke English exceed.
ingly we'll More Of their number would
have been taken into the submarine but
for the fact that there was no room fol
them
! The third mate brought back a mes
I sage from Captain Oliver TO Mrs. Oil
/ yer and a brass button which Captain
. oliver had torn from his uniform the
I last thing before saying goodby,
Mrs. Oliver does not share the be-
[ lief Of Mate Bruce that her husband
| is dead. "I'm sure that Mr.. Oliver is
safe In Berlin by this time" she said
/ last night. "Iie sent me brass but
ton from his uniform as souvenir
and he even remembered 70 send the
baby message by Mr.. Bruce, just a
moment before they ordered the matches
closed on the submarine before she
sank out Of sight I'm not going 10
vorry a hit AZ 4 can help H."