The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-07-12
HUN OFFICERS
MADE FUN OF
SHIPS CREW
MACHINISTS MATE OF THE TRANSPORT
PRESIDENT LINCOLN INTERVIEWED
Ship Struck 3 Times by
Torpedoes

How the U. s. S. President Lincoln
was sunk by submersible on re-
turn trip from France and how the
German officers "kidded'' the vic
tins after the vessel went down was
told yesterday by Raymond E. Ro-
berts, of the vessels crew, who lives
in Twin Falls,
1.-THE President Lincoln was tor
pedoed 4SO miles this side of France
in the Atlantic" said Raymond E.
Roberts machinist's mate, on the ILL
fated transport ship yesterday, de-
scribing the event, and if any of the
three torpedoes which hit the ship
had struck the boiler room we would
all have been killed by the explosion.
was in the engine room when the
three hit the ship in quick success
sion. l tell you they gave trenmen-
dous shock to the vessel. Thee was
no confusion as we were all drilled
thOroly and went off the ship as
quietly as could be.
1.-The U-bOat arose near the Presi-
dent Lincoln and fired three tOrpe-
does and disappeared so quickly that
it was impossible to shoot at her. In
fact she was not discovered until
the first torpedo struck. She dived
at once and tho the gunners' crew
on our vessel remained at their post
until the vessel was going down they
saw nothing of the submarine. OF
703 ON board four officers and
twenty-three enlisted men were
killed by the explosion and one Of
ficer lost his head and committed
suicide.
"All the other officers but one
donned the coats of privates before
leaving the ship, which went down
in seventeen minutes after being tor
pedoed. We all got in boats or on a
raft and when the President Lincoln
had gone down, the submarine arose
and steamed in among us. The Of
ficers spoke English and stood on
deck and poked fun at us for while.
They asked for the captain and some
of the men said he had gone down
with the ship. Finally they dis
covered the lieutenant who had not
changed his coat and took him pris-
oner. The U-boat commander patted
the lieutenant on the back in a good
natured way when he went aboard
When the President Lincoln was
struck she sent out an S. o. S. wire
less call, so we expected that help
would arrive after time.
"The torpedoing took place at nine
O'Clock in the morning. The U-boat
followed us until $50 in the after.
| noon when she steamed off a short
distance and stopped, trained a big
gun on us as if she intended to sinh
us with gun fire.
This was intended only as bluff
however, for she did not fire, but in
stead submerged afterwards and we
saw no more of her. About O'Clock
the next morning two French de.
stroyers which had been sent out ir
response to the S.. O. S. call arrived
and we were all taken to France
again, more or less shaken up.
shall never forget the kind Of treat
ment we received from the Red Cross
when we got back. This organiza
ton is doing wonderful work.
! "The French people are exceed
ingly polite and treat Americans with
the greatest courtesy. l made five
trips across the sea, the first being
made last July. There were only
a few Americans in France then and
every Frenchman would salute
every American, as if he we're an
officer. This continued long time
but there are SO many Americans
there now that they cannot salute
them all, SO they have dropped Their
custom. The boys are getting over
very rapidly and We have powerful
! army over there Supplies are
keeping pace with the men going
across"
Mr.. Roberts is son of Mrs. R. O.
Short, who lives near Twin Falls
His brother Elwood, was also on the
President Lincoln when she went
down and escaped death. After the
crew had recuperated in France they
were given furloughs. Mr.. Roberts
left Twin Falls July to return tC
his work on the transport.