The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-13
GERMANS FIRED ON
CREW OF SCHOONER
Men on TUo Other Vessels
Believed to Be Lost.

BOSTON. Aug. 1.-Two German sub
marines raided the fishing fleet on
Georges Bank Saturday, and the crews
OF the fishing schooners Oldtime and
Cruiser probably were lost when their
boats were sunk by sunflre without
warning. according to the crew of the
fishinS schooner Mary Senne.t, who were
landed here tonight The Sennett was
also sunk By gunfire and shells wers
fred at the boat when seven OF the
crew were putting away, the fishermen
said
The Sennett's crew rowed for twenty
TOUR hours before they were picked up
seventy-fre miles off Highland light
Ihey said they were fred on without
warning the first shell crashing through
the schooner's side just below the wa
line. She Has on her way to the Boston
market with heavy catch and filled so
rapidly that the crew had no time 10
save personal effects. As they we're
rowing away from their vessel they said
the submarine fred four shots at their
small boat, All Of the shells missed by
considerable margins
The Sennett, Oldtime and Cruiser were
fishing In the same neighborhood when
the Sennetts lookout noticed two sub
marines several miles away. As the
under water boats apparently were pay
ing no attention to the fishermen at the
ti'ne the Sennetts crew continued fish,
ing AFTER putting water and provisions in
the boats as precautionary measure.
AZ they kept an eye on the strangers
thinking they might be American boats
one or the submarines submerged and
the other took a Wide circle around the
little group Of three fishermen. The
hrst intinaton the fishermen had that
the submarines were hostile was when
Shell suddenly crashed into the side
Of the Oldtime. She heeled over and
sank so quickly that the Sennetts crew
were certain the men could not have es-
capped. At any rate, they saw nothing
OF them.
The oldtime had hardly disappeared
when shell dropped alongside the
Cruiser, Immediately followed by an.
other shot, which exploded on the water
line The little craft crumpled up and
went down before the crew had a chance
10 jump for their lives.
The Mary Sennetts men did not wait
for similar end. They threw over
their dories and tumbled In Just as a
shot crashed into her. She was heavily
loaded and sank like a stone But the
German apparently was not satisfied,
He sent four other shells at the small
boats pulling away. but all the shots
went wild.
The crew OF the Swedish steamer
Sydland. which was sunk by n Ger
man submarine August s southeast of
Nantucket, were landed at this Port
to-day. The Germans in sinking this
neutral ship proceeded in a ieisurely
manner. spending three or four hours
in examining the papers, In exploring
her holds and In making ready the
bombs which finally sank her, accord
ing to the story told by the officers.
The Sydland was bound In ballast from
Gothenburg. Sweden. TO Hampton
Roads for orders.
According to the officers the ship was
halted by a shot across the bow On
signal from the raider the captain of
the Sydland rowed to the U-boat's side
with the ships papers,
A boarding party was then sent to the
steamer and n search of the ship was
made. The Germans were courteous.
the crew said, and told them to stock
up their boats with whatever provisions
and personal effects they wanted. The
captain was allowed to retain his navi-
eating instruments, and after the Ger
man commander had expressed reEret
at being Obliged to destroy the vessel
the men were ordered to the boats.
When they had rowed some distance
away they heard explosions and the
Sydland disappeared.