The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-01-10
on SHIP T0RPED0ED By SUB
MARINE
Charles 4. Blatchiord Bears Sears
Received During The Attack

shoHhegan has Il lter aho has
followed the ea Tor - years and dur
ine that time has Travelled OYER eyer,
part Of lhe world Thi- man Is
Charles 4 Blatchford Of Boston and
he is a guest Of his cousin, Charles s
Smith Of Heselton street and George
l. II Smith Of North avenue Thru
the courtesy Of the latter gentleman
The reporter was granted an interview
with this man who has 50 many in
teresting things to tell Mr. Batch
ford had not seen his cousin for A.
years and the meeting vas certainly
a pleasant one
Fifty-three years on the sea gives
man many experiences but it seems
that the subject of this interview has
had more than his share. He has
many times escaped from a watery
grave but his most recent escapade
was during the attack Of a German
submarine on a vessel of which he
was steward Mr.. Blatchford was in
the hold of the ship at the time Of the
attack and splnters from the vessel
entered his hand and check leaving
ugly-looking scars to tell the story.
1t was several months ago that the
seafarer left New York on the Jennie
E. RICHTER in the employ of Sheppard
& Morse Company. 1t was sturdy
vessel being built at the Bath ship
yards The ship was laden with 1910
barrels of lubrieating oil and was
bound for Havre. France Twenty
seven days out from New York in the
Bay of Biscay. the submarine attack
occurred. Without warning the
monster of the deep fired two four
inch shells at the ship. The crew of
y took to the lifeboats and then re-
tired to await orders from the Of
fcers on the submarine. A fine
looking German officer approached
the life-b boat and inquired about the
cargo He spoke very good English
and informed the men that he knew
exactly the day they sailed from New
York and where they were bound.
Then he said that it was his duty to
sink the ship and he did SO after di-
recting the lifeboat on its course to-
ward land
h. hn doh Tho
ter was very rough and heavy gale
was blowing. II seemed to Mr.
Blatchford that the ship would be
swamped at any moment. After "a
hours the crew reached Migua. Spain
and went from there to Corona. 1t
was learned few days later that
the same submarine which attacked
the oil tanker had blown up the
American ship California. The par
ty remained in Corona for 80 days
and returned to New York on the Al
phonso XII. A German spy was dis
covered on this ship but escaped be
fore the authorities could detain him
Mr. Blatchford arrived safely in New
York and considered himself forta-
nate in his escape.
SAW KING CONSTANTINE AB-
DICATE
His talk was most interesting and
the reporter asked him regarding
some of his experiences in Greece.
This Globe trotter had the good for
tune. or otherwise. to be present at
the time when King Constantine alb
Dictated the throne
you probably know" said the in
terviewed that the wife of King Con
stantine is sister OF Kaiser Bill.
She was doing the ruling and the peo-
pie didn't like that a little bit. SO
one fine morning an uprising occurred
in Salonica and 80 warships appeared
in the harbor threatening to blow the
capitol to pieces if the King didn't
yacate within tWenty-fonr hours.
Twenty three hours passed and then
the King abdicated Many deaths
resulted from the uprising and Mr.
Blatchford, with other companions,
saw many terrible sights. Greece Is
mountainous country and the dead
/ are not buried hut cremated. He
/ saw $500 men who we're either sight
less, without arms or without legs.