South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-10-13

than 800 OF US had been saved
Sticks BY His Officer.
Cpl. william weidgant Of Chi
Berne Coffman OF Galesburg. III
was sitting in the cabin with the
lieutenant when the crash came
The lieutenant had pneumonia. I
pat a life belt around Coffman.
the corporal said today, and hur-
ried on deck 10 see how serious the
accident was They told me that the
Otranto might stay afOat a couple
OF hours. so I rushed back 10 the
ca bin and dressed the lieutenant.
Then 1 took him 10 the smoking
room.
From there I tried 20 make il
was crushed 10 splinters before we
could get in II.
Then the order came. Every
man for himself Lieut.. Coffman
was turned over by the commanding
officer 70 two British seamen and
was told 10 jump for the destroyer,
which was battling alongside.
Ties Self to NcntiIatOr.
ct jumped and landed by VEN
tilator. ] tied myself 10 il. 20 keep
from being washed overheard by
the heavy sea Two other soldiers
came hurting by and l grabbed onto
them. The three OF ms saw another
soldier land on the deck Of the de
stroyer on his shoulders Before
we could help him. he was crushed
10 death as the vessels came to-
gether.
Many Crushed Between ships.
There was not as much excite
ment as YOU might expect declared
Sergt Glenn p. Stein Of Omaha. 81
saw several men crushed 10 death
between the destroyer and the OF
ranto. Melvin Davies and myself
were the only two saved out Of five
boys from Omaha
Thomas Campbell of Memphis
was another survivor TO praise the
commander Of the British destroyer.
1T was heroic work he declared,
I was with "A bunch of 50 survivors
who were taken TO a hospital. In
Guided in the number are four sec
ond Heutenants They are: w NJ.
II. Pepenfroth Of Columbus. o.;
Frank A. Perkins of Augusta Ga;
David r. Sutton Of Glendale, 5. c.,
and Samuel Levy Of Atlanta Ga.
The crash came in the toughest
weather 7 ever saw. The stearing
gear Of the Kashmir had been dam
aged by the heavy seas and she was
hurled against us. We were eating
breakfast at the time. Every one
rushed upstairs. There was a great
hole in the side Of the Otranto. Sew
eral men had been killed outright.
Floods Coal Bunkers.
The water poured in through the
hole. flooding the coal bunkers. The
two ships separated within a few
minutes. The crew OF the OtrantO
heaved an anchor overheard to pre-
vent her from going on the rocks
which could be seen through the
mist.
Then the British destroyer came
along. Her commander, Lieut. Claw
ems. was standing in plain view. He
was looking toward the land and
evidently saw that it was impossible
for US to be rescued from there.
The crew of the Otranto stood 20
their posts All Of the American SOL
diers were cool and calm even when
they saw the hfeboats being dash
ed to pieces against the sides Of the
ship
capt. Davies Of the Otranto. ask
ed Lieut.. Cravens TO come alongside
with the destroyer Dangling life
boats were used to keep the destroy
er and the Otranto from battering
each other 20 pieces.
When the word was given for
every man TO look out himself we
clambered down ropes and leaped
for the deck of the destroyer.
Lieut. Simmons Of the Otranto
sang out 10 the Americans. Cast
off your heavy boots and coats and
jump The men needed no urging
although the leap was something
like 40 feet
Some Of the men missed the de
stroyer's deck and disappeared in
the foaming waters between the two
vessels saw three crushed to
death before they struck the water.
Makes Three Trips.
II jumped also and was washed
off the deck Of the destroyer three
times before I made fast
The destroyer came along side
four times. getting most of the sur
vivors on the third trip. She was
pretty badly battered herself
THE waves washed dozens Of
Americans from the deck of the de-
stroyer TO which they were not al
ways able 70 cling Most of these
were lost when the Otranto lurched
toward the destroyer. crushing the
bridge and smashing the wireless.
The marvellous maneuvering Of
Lieut.. Cravens and the skill and
GOODNESS Of the American soldiers
and the British seamen prevented a
greater loss of life.
Everything was as orderly as
anyone could expect" said Sergt
Paul T. Mitchell Of Savannah. Ca.
The British destroyer did magni-
fcent work"
HCDMhNC ChI phHK