Evening journal., 1918-07-22
NAVAL CRAFT sweep
SEA FOR HUN j
Raider Sinks Tug and
Barges, Women and
Children in Peril
ONE SAILOR HAS
ARM SHOT OFF
BY the United Press.

, BOSTON. July 22,-United States
naval craft are sweeping the seas to-
day for the German submarine which
= sank the tug Perth Amboy and her tow
OF four barges three miles off the Cape
Cod shore.
The weather has been heavy, making
observation dlfilcult.
John BotOvch and John Wiz, victims
OF the shelling are in the Massachu-
setts General Hospital here In a oriti-
cal condition. one Of Botoylch's arms
was almost completely severed.
Botoylch In his account Of the attack
declared one OF the U-boat's shells
passed through the pilothouse Of the
Perth Amboy. This hurled him to
the floor practically severing his arm.
ORLEANS Mass, July 22.-An enemy
Submarine attacked a tow off the east
ernmost point Of Cape Cod yesterday,
sank three barges, set fourts and their
tug on FIRE and dropped -FOUR shells on
the mainland. The action lasted an
hour and was unchallenged except for
two hydropanes from the Chatham avi-
alton station, which clrcled over the u
boat causing her to submerge only to
reappear and resume firing.
The crews Of the tow, numbering al,
and including three women and five
children, escaped amid the shell fire in
lifeboats. Several were wounded, but
only one seriously. This happened TO
be John Botovicu, an Austrian member
Of the crew Of the tug. His right arm
near the shoulder was torn away by
fragment OF shell. The minor injuries
OF the others were from shell spllnt- |
ers.
The barges were being towed by the |
tug Perth Amboy, owned by the Lehlgh |
Valley Railroad, and were bound from |
Gloucester for New York One was |
loaded with stone, but the others were
light, being on their return trip after
carrying cargoes Of coal to New Eng
land. The attack was without warn
ing and only the poor craftsmanship
Of the German gunners permitted the
escape OF the crews.
The attack took place three miles
south Of the Orleans Coast Guard Sta
tion, which is midway between Chat
ham, at the Elbow, and Highland Light,
at the extreme tip Of the Cape. The flr-
ing was heard for miles and attracted |
thousands TO the beach, from which the |
flashes Of the guns and the outline Of |
the U-boat were plainly visible. Posi- |
BILE danger to the onlookers was not |
thought Of until a shell whizzed over |
their heads and splashed in a pond a |
mile inland. Three other shells buried |
themselves in the sands of the beach. |
The survivors Of the tow, with the |
exception Of two injured, were taken to |
the Orleans Coast Guard Station, COM
municatlon with which by telephone
under navy regulations, was not per-
mitted. No information could be OBJ
tanned from official sources on the
Cape.
Botovich and another man from one
Of the barges, both Of whose arms had
been injured were sent 10 the private
hospital Of DR.. James McHugh. Later
was taken TO a hospital in
Boston. 8
The survivors lost all their personal !
fleets and some OF them who were
laving their turn in their hunks when
he U-boat appeared came ashore in 6
heir night clothing.
The tug Perth Amboy with her four 6
'arges in line was putting along leis- O
rely Just of the shoals, two miles y
rom shore, at If o'clock this morn
ng when the U-boat, of an esti- \
mated length of 400 feet, rose sudden =
y one mile seaward and trained her 7
Suns on the tow.
A moment later and without warning :
% the crew a shell struck the second =
,arge amidships. The empty craft r
doubled up and sank so quickly that
Ter crew barely had time TO lower ;,
heir small boat.
Captain ]. II. Tapley, Of the tug. had !,
sounded his whistle as soon as the u y
boat was sighted and ordered the I
)arges abandoned.
The first shot was followed by a !
rain Of shells that dropped on and all
about the Perth Amboy and her :
Dsrges A well aimed shot next sank
he last barge. Meantime hits on the d
Jug had set her aflre, but she stood q
Dy her barges to the finish. The third
barge in the line. the smallest Of all.
proved a hard mark and the German 4
yunners occupied half an hour in dis y
posing Of her.
BY this time the firing had alarmed s
he whole Cape, and cries for assis- Q
ance were sent broadcast No Ameri- 0
,an warships, however, appeared to be b
n the vicinity and the exhibition OF
ierman gunnery went on methodi- a
ally. o
Then two hydro-aeroplanes rose s
rom the station at Chatham and flying ?
ow darted toward the enemy as G
hough to attack. Il could not be p
cen that they dropped any bombs, but b
he Germans evidently anticipated an 7
tack from the air, for they stopped Il
ring at the vessels and elevated their
uns against the hydroairplanes. They
id not fire, however, and a moment Z
ater submerged. b
The planes circled about where the 4
nemy was last seen and then turned 4
heir noses toward their station.
carcely had they reached shore when
he U-bost reappeared and resumed
er attack on the tug and the one light u
arge remaining afloat. Both the tug n
nd this barge were In flames and n
;ere held where they were by the II
unken barges, one Of which, with a
BAD of stone, made an effective anchor. ID
When the firing hepan the crews N