The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-10-12
AMERICAN TRANSPORT
is DESTROYED
Continued rom rage ~

necessities.
Miss Jane Rider, of Tucson. Ariz.,
a lied Cross nurse. who was aboard
one of the vessels in the convoy with
which the Otranto was proceeding
said to the United Press:
The first we knew of trouble to
the Otranto was when we picked up
is. O. S. messages from both the
i Otranto and the kashmir. The storm
was so bad we couldn't turn. but had
/ TO put back out to sea- We couldn't
see thing. Then we heard the OF
ranto was trying to put lifeboats
over the side with some of the men
drowning as they tried to enter.
| Miss Ruth Gibbons of Ardmore, \.
Y, another survivor, said there were
many conflicting stories regarding the
number of missing. Latest reports
from Belfast, she declared, said there
were 900 unaccounted for while 9TH
ers she had heard placed the loss
at 400
| Men from the lost ships who talked
| to the United Press correspondent
described spectacular scenes at the
British rescuing ship came alongside
the damaged transport
THE men were told 1t was every
man for himself. Standing on the
top deck men began to leap aboard
the destroyer. some OF them as far
as twenty feet.
Corporal j. j. Doherty. Of Brooklyn.
who was among those rescued was
asked If he was scared.
Hell. MOI" he said. Nothing
scares US" -
Private r. S. Aplleby. of Knoxville,
Va. said the weather was terrible
Waves came over as the ship listed
and it was difficult to stand still.
Privates c. w. Allen, Moxen, Pa,
and o. j. Holman. Boston. jumped
together.
Everybody was calm" declared
Sergeant E. j. Donohue, of Columbus.
Ohio. We knew we were doomed
and didn't think of rescue. But when
we saw that destroyer we felt hne.
Il saw fifty soldiers swimming at the
side OF the destroyer and saw that
ship cut one in two.
Another who was hanging TO
dangling ladder from the side of the
destroyer. was crushed to death when
the warship was thrown against the
side of the Otranto.
Many other stories of men being
CTUSlGu DetN cen lhC ACSSoO SAiP ohAA
he doomed vessel were told. Other
survivors told Of men being washed
into swirling seas from which there
was no returning.
Corporal C. Finnegan. New York,
was able to grasp rope tied to gun
aboard the destroyer. For forty-iye
minutes he was dragged in the water
behind the rescue ship. but finally
was pulled aboard.
Private VIII Coyington, Columbus,
Ca. rescued two privates who were
struggling in the water.
w j. Weidgenant. of Chicago. de-
clared he saw one soldiers head
the two vessels.
Private j. Roman, of Philadelphia.
said that when the order was given
to jump the men simply jumped with
out asking any questions. Some
landed and some missed. He was
washed over the side Of the destroyer
twice, he declared, only to come out
all right.
All the men landed were most
cheerful and praised the efficiency OF
the Red Cross workers. AT Belfast
the soldiers were unanimous in their
praise of Lieut.. Commander Craven,
who commanded the destroyer and
forced it eight times along the OF
ranto to take OF the men.
The soldiers clamored about the
United Press correspondent. urging
him to give the utmost praise.
He is of nerve and iron" declared
Private Hubert Saylor, Of Ashland,
KY. ''f there are any medals to be
passed out, he wins them.
He refused to give up his efforts
until he couldn't take another man"
said another
Lieut.. H. NJ. Conwell, Of Lamar,
Colo, added unstinted praise to these
words.
The Otranto's life boats were low
cred for the purpose of acting as
tenders between the Mounsby and
the Otranto, but they had little effect.
soldiers declared Lieut..
Crlvea kept his ship
and there was danger that
he would be smashed against the side
OF the transport
Word reaching here early today de-
clared bodies OF forty soldiers had
been washed ashore and that twenty
survivors had reached Islay in safety.
lSlay Is the point WneTe lHs ctTdHto
was driven on the beach.
American authorities have sent a
ship loaded with supplies to Islay
and British relief ships also have
put out.
Accounts Of the accident seem to
agree that it was due to tanning OF
the Kashnlir's steering gear and
heavy loss Of life was ascribed to
loss OF the wireless on both ships
shortly afterward. The Mounsly also
lost her wireless. The Kashnnir
reached port in badly damaged
condition.
An official admiralty statement
issued last night declared the Nouns
ly took off 593 men, members Of the
crew and soldiers and that sixteen
survivors had reached Ialay. This
statement placed missing at All.
l.. -