New-York tribune., 1918-06-05
Apologies to the HaskelPs
Captain and Sees Crew
Get Their Traps
Waved a Farewell
Submarines Men, However,
Were a Dirty, Sneering
Outfit, Says Survivor

BOSTON, June 4.-The submarine
which sank the Boston owned schooner
Jacob NJ, Haskell off the Jersey coast
Sunday night was $50 feet long, mount
ed two 6-inch guns and was in com.
mand of an officer who formerly was on
the big German liners which used to
run into New York
SO declared First Mate George H.
Giilliatt, of the Haskell, who, with
seven members of the crew, arrived here
tonight, after having been picked up by
the steamer Grecian, which made fast
run through the submarine zone with
lights out and fog whistles dumb.
Beyond all possible doubt the fell
low that sunk US was one of the officers
who used to run into New York on the
German liners" said Gilliatt. "He not
only spoke perfect English, but he was
far more familiar with the waters off
Jersey than any man could be who had
not travelled them.
T'i have liked him better if he was
not so damned polite. 1t was his polite
brought aboard the ship with him were
of another class. They seemed to take
q savage delight in the work of plac-
ing bombs to blow up the ship. stand
ing grinning and joking among
themselves until longed for crack
at some of them with IL capstan bar.
But with the sub lying but 800 yards
away, and the officer armed, there
wasn't a chance.
Interrupted at Dinner
~ was below Sunday noon eating
dinner when I heard the sound of
shot, and later, an explosion. l went
on deck, where Captain Davis and the
lookout were.
Give minutes after the shell the
pirate hove in sight. The boat was
about 250 feet long and she had two
six-inch guns. AS she approached she
signalled "a B" in the international
code.
an a few minutes the U-boat put
off a small boat in command of lieu
tenant. He was the politest man I
ever saw. He apologized to the cap
tain for bothering us and sinking the
ship and to me for making any trou-
BILE
But said he. it's all part of the
job AND it must-be done
"Then after saying something in
German to the men with him. he told
us we had ten minutes to get off in
and not second more. By this time
the sailors were planting bombs all
over the ship. Then he hauled down
the American flag.
Allowed Little Food
Better bury, you've only four min
utes left" was the next we heard from
him. was busy getting the vawl into
the water. When it was alongside the
men piled in with their things and we
started to put in some food. All they
would allow US was one bucket Of wa
ter and basket of ships bread. The
lieutenant said: You're only forty
miles or so from the Jersey coast and
you don't need much
"By this time we had cast off and the
Germans had returned to their boat.
Before we passed them, the bombs on
the Haskell had exploded. AS we
passed the sub, the skipper waived at
US and wished us good luck.
1.-THE skipper headed for the Jersey
shore. We had gone but little ways
when the motor went dead. We had run
out of gasolene. 1t was then a case of
drifting until late Sunday night we ran
into something. This we found to be
a fish weir, and we made fast to it.
oy WIS IlAHe our .STu was pretty much
gone and the water had spoiled
Monday the Grecian hove in sight
and picked US up and our yawl. We
were making for this por. when we
ran across a naval patrol. which
ordered the Grecian into the Vineyard.
We stayed at the Vineyard a while
and then went ashore in the yawl.
"Altogether we were in the open
boat about seventeen hours
U-Boat Well Stocked
The German, according to Gustav
Nelson, declared before sinking the
Haskell that they had more food than
they needed on board the submarine.
"The cook said as we were showing
Off You'd better take what grub we
have before you sink her. 'We don't
want your food replied the officer, and
we don't want your coal. All we want
of you is your ships