South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-03-19
Memphis Captain and Eight
Members OF Crew May be
Prisoners on Board the
German Submarine.
ABANDONED LIFE BOAT
FOUND BY SEARCHERS
Vessel Cleared Cardiff March
18th in Ballast With So
Persons Including 20
Americans.

international News Service.
WASHINGTON. March 19.-Pos-
sibility that Capt. l.. p. Borum and
the eight members of his boat crew
from the City of Memphis are pris
oners on the German submarine
which sank their vessel was sug-
gested by Consul Wesley Frost, at
Queenstown in a dispatch 10 the
state department received just be-
fore noon.
Consul Frost expressed as his
opinion. however, that they prob
ably had been picked up by a
friendly craft" not equipped with
wireless. lie made it plain. how
ever. that the condition Of the
captains boat showed the occupants
had been rescued by someone which
shows that the sinking of the Mem
phis was without loss of life.
Consul Frost at Queenstown. in
reporting additional details that Capt.
Borum and eight others still are
missing from the CITY of Memphis.
His dispatch, evidently filed yester-
day. follows:
Captain is Missing
"Thirty-three survivors Of the City
Of Memphis do not include Capt l..
p. Borum and four other Amer
leans and four not Americans but
indications are that these are saved
on board some merchant or an ad-
miralty vessel which has no wire
less. Captains boat did not separ-
ate from other until p. M. and
was picked up empty at 10 a. m.
Weather meanwhile remaining
moderate
Vessel cleared Cardiff 18th in
ballast with IS persons including %
Americans At 1855 p. m, 18th,
submarine fired warning shot from
three miles on starboard quarter
Vessel was stopped. Submarine
approached TO one mile fired once
more fragments striking vessel.
ship then only being able 10 read
submarines signals TO abandon
ship. instantly captain replied by
long blast whistle signifying cOmpre-
hension then gave four short blasts,
signal 10 crew 10 take TO boats i'm
mediately and which was done I'm
five minutes. about 4:15. no injuries.
Submarine then came up hailed
captain's boat fred eight shots.
sinking Vessal at about 4.40 p. m.
Apparently time Of conversation
with captains boat at present un-
known. Weather heavy, southwest
swell. moderate southwest breeze.
sskv sduallv. weather improved dur
ing night
Boats Are Pick Up.
First officers boat picked up by
admiralty ship 3:45 a. m today.
Chief engineers boat $50 q. m.
today by same vessel landed at
Queenstown at 4:30 p. m. today with
out accident.
City OF Memphis carried wireless
but did not use same. carried no
guns. no attempt to resist or escape.
When captain is located he may
have further evidence.
survivors here include First Of
Ger Charles X. Laird. Chief Engineer
W. ]. Percy, Assistant Engineer Fred
Bevil NJ. J. Dierlam. Third officer
W. NJ. Thompson, Third Engineer +.
p. DOnohue and T. J. WEIGH. wire
less operators and eight other Amer
leans. 10 Spaniards. two Danes. one
each Swedes, Russians, Chileans.
City Of Memphis was stopped by
su bmarine Feb off Scillys. Fail
ure 10 use wireless this time was
due to experience OF former Occa-
sion. inducing belief that ship prob
badly be passed if wireless not start
town pending instructions from own
ers. Ocean Steamship Co. Pier IS,
North river. New York"