Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-08
SURVIVOR TELLS STORY
OF SLAUGHTER OF SEA
NARRATIVE OF William Smell, Colored,
Is Made Public by Navy
Department.
HORROR OF U-BoAT WARFARE
blenders of Crew Of British Steamer
heigian Prince Left to Drown
when German Submarine Sub
merges Casting Them Into Sea.
(By Associated Press.l

WASHINGTON, October THE COM
piete story Of the murder of tho crew
o, the British steamer Belgian Prince
ny deapan submarine commander
VINO look them on the deck Of his ves-
eel and then submerged. leaving them
20 drown. was told officially to-day for
the first time
me narrative OF William Smell, COL
ored' COOK on the steamer, as taken
oo"n verbatim by an officer OF the
american navy. was made public by
the Navy Department. Smell was ono
Oh the three survivors OF the Inflated
crew.
oHeii tells the story In his own words,
ana the Navy Department let's It go at
that. No comment. no editing can
mako more horrible the story of this
slaughter Of the sea, in which more
than score of innocent men, follow
ing their trade to make an honest liv-
ing, were left to sink to death
SUBMARINE APPEARS
FOLLOWING EXPLOSION
This Is SHELLS story:
About s o'clock p. NJ. July 81.
heard an explosion; did not know
whether 1t was a torpedo or a bomb.
having been lowered partly from their
davits After the crew boarded ufe.
boats they were lowered into the water
and we rowed from the ship about nifty
yards. when the submarine came to the
surface about 100 yards from us and
hred at the wireless on board the Bel
si"h Prince and tore IT down. Then
ehe came slowly between our three
ooats' tho fourth lifeboat having been
oio"n 10 pieces when the explosion
occurred. leaving the captains boat
on the portside of the submarine and
the other two boats on the starboard
side. and asked for the captain. The
captain said. Here I ann The captain
was taken into the coming tower of
the submarine and asked for his ma
pers. and they were delivered up to
the commander Of the submarine.
Inc commander of tho submarine
SAID: Is there any Eunners over therer
and our officer replied: No sir: thew
got killed
me commander Of the submarine
sAid' III there is no gunners there.
orihs your boats alongside and as we
got alongside. he said: All hands on
ueck. when we got on deck he said:
ianos up Then he lined us up in
RANK from the bow Of the vessel
as far aft as the gun, which was on
ooaru ner, forward the coming tower
ana which appeared to be a six-incb
gun.
GUARDS KEEP GUNS
TRAINED ON PRISONERS
there were two men of the subma.
rines crew on top OF the connin,
tower with guns of large bore in
'heir hands which they kent trained
on US. Seven others of the German
crew stood abreast our line ON Tho
statpoard OF the ship. armed with auto.
LIaeic reviewers. guarding US. The
~ then commander US TO take
OH our belts and thrSw them on
deck. which we did AS The life.hor,a
were dropped. the commander picked
them up and threw them overheard.
"hen threw my belt down.
showed II ahead on deck with my FOOT
ana hnaily stood on II. AS he walked
along the line and went and nulIod
,m' paus out OF our lifeboats, L picked
up my belt quickly and thrust 1t under
Dig loose oilskin which l was wear.
ing at the time, hugging il close TO
my breast with my arms.
Inc commander went 10 the coming
tower and four Germans came on deck
and got In our captains boat, which
was lying on the port side of the suh-
little. then steamed ahead and ran,m.a
and smashed one OF our boats. which
had been lying on the starboard how
anu mad been cast off from the subma
rine Few moments before she backed
me TOUR men, who had gotten into
our captains boat rowed alongside The
Belgian Prince. Tho submarine thon
steamed ahead, as near as / can puess
about nine knots per hour Ieavinr No.
-FOUR men In our captains boat along
side the Belgian Prince, all of us. ey
cept our captain. being huddIed I'M To-
gether on her forward deck.
She steamed thus about one hour
ana half' at which time I noticed
that the water was rising SLOWLY nm
the forward deck. and 1t came up on
my feet. I also noticed some little
time before this the coming tower
had been closed.
PUTS ON HIS LIFE-BELT
AND LEAPS OVERHEARD
The water continued to rise around
my ankles, and when the water rot
six inches up on my legs. 1 pulled my
life-belt out quickly, threw it over my
shoulders and jumped overheard. The
other men ala not seem to know what
was going to happen. Some of them
were saying, L wonder If they arc
going to drown u.s. etc. About ten
seconds after l jumped l heard n Sic
tion as Of a vessel sinking, and the
submarine had submerged entirely.
leaving the crew OF the Belgian Prince
struggling in the water.
II commenced to swim towards the
Belgian Prince. which I could see
family in the distance. it not being
very dark in this latitude at this time
Of night. I am good swimmer, and
swan practically all night on my back
and in other positions One of our
crew who was without a life-belt-I
do not know his name-kept about
five yards from me for about half an
hour after the submarine submerged.
This man finally became exhausted and
sank. heard numerous other cries
for help from our men, but could not
see them. Later 1 heard q whirline
noise. something like an airpIane, and
smeilcd the odor Of gasoline, which 1
thought was the submarine returning
towards the Belgian Prince to pick up
her four men. When day broke there
were lots Of dead bodies of my old
shipmates floating around me. Then,
about o'clock, as near as can Judge,
I made out the Belgian Prince and
four men coming over her side Tbev