Evening star., 1917-09-17
Pulled Out Lifeboats' Plugs.

when the three lifeboats from the
Belgian Prince were empty the submarine
man took out their provisions-whisky;
sent them below in his own ship. He
pulled the plugs Of the two big boats
and threw the oars away. While he was
tending to this I sneaked up my lieebelt
and hid it around my waist. under the
raincoat.
"Then four of the eight sailors got an
order in German and they got into our
| captains little boat and pulled over for
the Belgian Prince. knew what they
were going to do-bomb her.
This all took about half an hour from
| the time we got into our boats But up
pretty light. We were about 400 yards
off our ship.
"Then all the rest of the German sailors
and this plain clothes commander they
leave US standing on their deck By
this time we were not single file, but wee
all been pushed up forward in a bunch.
The hatch Of the coming tower slammed
Il down bang, and then We began to move.
! THE U-boat got away kind of slow
I at first but pretty soon she was max
] ing good time. We didn't know how
figure it out so.Wb.1s WI 1soagdt a5a maSs 5hss
US prisoners. But it seemed queer
they'd keep US on deck. I forgot to
say that when we started on the
steersman aimed the U-boat right at at
|
it. I saw 1t go down.
| ut was pretty dark by then, 30 I
got ready for whatever might come. 1
put the lifebelt around my shoulder
and stood ready to toss of the rain
coat. And pretty soon I had to.
| 1.-The fellows forward began to yell.
Then water began to wash around my
feet I knew there wasn't going to
but salt water. So when, the water
| eot around my knees I said: so long,
mates and I dived right off,
Just a little after that the C-boat
as she went out Of sight And1 could
hear the fellows hollering Help" Help"
But the only thing I could do was dig
right away from there; o,,
back to the glass bulIs-eye of the con-
! ming tower. It had electric lights in
| side it. 1 could see the face of the
commander. He was moeklne .,. ana
| faced fellow. He laughed and sneered
when the U-boat started to go under.
| away off-miles and miles-I could
still see the Belgian Prince. But I
I started for her, though"
i Willie SHELLS recollection OF his hours
in the water is none too clear. 1t was
mighty e9ld-iks ssepptnF pt g INTO na ths ths
distant cries for help were distressing
II knew q lot of the boys. but
| couldn't help them,' he lamented. And
} every little misdeed that Willie Smell
had ever done came back to haunt him.
| Only one thing remains especially dis
| tinct in his memory.
Sailor Said: "Well, Goodbye"
"A fellow called to me late that night.
He hollered: Who's there, swimm1ng?'
And I hollered: The cook I saw him
ten or twenty yards OF. white sailor,
I forgot his name. He hollered: Lem
mo put my hands on your shoulders.
I'm about ali gone And holiered
through. too So the sailor says: Well,
| Eood-bys, then, cook. can't go no fur
: thor and saw him sink It was
| tough. He was nice fellow, this
| sailor"
| when daylight came. about o'clock.
Willie Smell was still struggling alone
He had made part of the way toward
4 the Belgian Prince: was within a mile
| or so Of her. Tho submarine was about
| 100 yards from the vessel. The four
| sailors in the small boat were trans
| ferrinK stores from the Prince to the
/ U-boat. apparently taking q lot Of
A 4 hollered for help once or twice.
they got me again they might sink
me sure. And ! couldn't hoiisr loud.
Thsn the four men in the small boat
munaod Euaf1 and ths Bslg1a9 Prince
broke b tive anl sank The Sub
RAxine 1o0A11eA - he surface OQk1l