Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-16
AMERICAN TANKER
SUNK BY SUBMARINE
Engages in a Two-Hour Run
ming Fight Before Its
Destruction.
ALL BUT FOUR SURVIVE

After a two-hour running fight. tho
American tank steamer Moreni was
sunk by a German submarine. juno IL.
according to advices received at the
State Department. The message,
which was received yesterday after
noon. told of two-hour running
fight. during which the steamer was
riddled with shells from the undersea
craft. With the vessel a mass OF
flames, the crew took to the boats.
with the loss of four men. Half an
hour later the survivors were rescued
by a passing steamer.
At a range of four nautical miles. at
which she was barely visible to the
steamers American gun crew. the sub
marine opened fire with her deck rifles.
She fired 200 shots. many of which took
effect The tanker replied with $50 shots
without harming the speck from which
came the deadly hail The German
captain congratulated the American
skipper on his plucky fight and had
the surgeon of the submarine treat
the wounded.
the State Department:
''The Department of State is informed
of the sinking of the American tank
steamer Moreni about s o'clock on the
morning of June IL. after a two-hour run
ming fight with German submarine
Submarine Hardly Visible.
..The vessel was first fired upon from an
estimated distance of 5000 yards at 4
O'clock The steamer. which was armed
and carried gun crew. returned the shots
and. and attempted to escape. II Ihere ~ was h =
marine was hardly visible After $50 shots
in reply to some 200 shots fired by the
| submarine the crew abandoned the vessel.
which was all ablaZe, taking to the life
boats in fiery sea-
IAN oiler. Edward Cunningham Of
| Brooklyn. was drowned while escaping
to a boat. Wireless Operator g. Cur
ran. jr. of New York. died of heart
failure in the lifeboat, and one seaman.
E. Moustner, was injured by gunfire
and died in a lifeboat. Fireman b.
Geeisen also died OF wounds. These
| last two were treated by the surgeon
of the submarine.
The German submarine captain con-
graduated the American captain upon
the splendid fight he had made.
Half an hour after the vessel was
sunk the crew was picked up by a
passing steamer. Forty-three Of the
original crew Of forty-seven landed.
Six Of these were slightly hurt and
placed in hospital All the gunners
were saved"
Moreni's Armed Guard Crew.
TiiS afmsas ksa&f6- 1tsw Of the Moreni
sunk by German submarine. was; An
drew copassaki in charge. chief boat
swain's mate: Thomas Ralph Smith.
gunner. third class; Francis Lonzo
Afford. seaman; Robley Dewey Arf1n.
seaman. second class: Edward Jerome
Smith. seaman, second class; John Syl-
vester Long. seaman. second class: Jo-
seph Kennedy. seaman. second class:
Ross Arthur Liddle. seaman. second
class; Charles Joseph Whyman, seaman.
second class: Harry John Riley. seaman,
second class: Paul Joseph Schmidt. sea-
man, second class; George Scholl, cox
swain Gardiner Conover. boatswain's
mate, first class.
Owned by Standard OIL Company.
NEW YORK. June 1s.-The Moreni. a
tank steamship of *4.o45 tons gross.
owned by the Standard Oil Company of
New York. sailed from here May 1 for
Baton Rouge. La, whence she departed
May IL for Leghorn, Italy. She was
last reported passing Gibraltar June IL.
the day she was sunk. The Moreni was
commando hv Cant Thomas Thopon-