New-York tribune., 1918-01-15
Freighter Supposed to Have
Been Rammed by Ship
in Same Convoy
Messages.
Tell of Accident
Rumors of Attack by Ger
man Submarine Discount
ed by Meagre Reports

The American Hawaiian freighter
Texan was rammed and sent to the bot
tom of the Atlantic before daylight
yesterday by another vessel, supposed
~ three or four hundred miles east of
Boston, the port where the first news
of the accident was received.
The Texan was in command of Cap
tain G. B. Knight and carried crew
of fortynine men. According to mcagrc
messages relayed to port by other YES
sells, the men took to the boats and no
lives are believed to have been lost.
Throughout the day rumors were
current that the Texan had been at
tackled by submarine and that Ameri-
lantic for the German raider.
No confirmation of this report could
be obtained, but it was generally be-
lieved, from the fragmentary wireless
messages received ashore, that the
Texan was rammed and sunk by YES
sci of a convey with which she was
steaming eastward.
The first news of the collision was
received in Boston when vessel ar
rived there and reported that at 4
a. m. she picked up an S o S mes
sage from the Texan stating that she
had been struck amidships and was
sinkin; that heavy sea was running
and that she was putting out oil.
Sends "Goodby"
message saying that lifeboats had been
lowered ard that the crew was putting
ctf The last heard from her was a
message saying "Godby. No more"
At no time did the sinking vessel
give her position The ship which
brought the news to Boston reported
also that she received a message sent
either to or from the steamship Will
iamette saying Go to assistance of
Texan"
A government radio station also
picked up part of a message sent out
by the Willamette 10 an unidentified
ship saying will you escort me back
TO-" This gave rise to the sup
position that perhaps the Texan had
been rammcd by the Willamette and
that the latter vessel was standing by
to pick UP the crew of the sinking
vessel.
The Texan. which was under charter
to the United States, is the sixth yes
sci of the American Hawaiian Line that
has been lost since the European war
began The others were the kansan
the Missourian. the Columbian, the Ne
braskan and the Arborean.
The Texan was regarded among ship
owners as a splendid type OF profitable
cargo carrier. She had made many voy-
ages from San Francisco to Philadel-
phia and New York, carrying great
Quantities Of raw sugar from Hawaii.
On return voyages she carried large
cargoes of manufactured goods.
A Great Cargo Carrier
She was an oil burner, All feet long
with a 52-foot beam, and had a regis
tered gross tonnage Of S,6l5. Of GER
tain cargocs she is credited with stow
ing away as much as 12.500 tons. She
was built for the American Hawaiian
Line at Camden, N. j., in 1902.
OF her crew of forty-nine officers anc
men, thjrty-six are Americans, three
Of them hailing from New York. Tho
New Workers. arc Mortimer Mendcl
sohn, wireless operator. 271 East 1l1tl
Street; Alvah Baker. wireless operator
o53 West 10th Street, and Robert a
Whalcn, able seaman. whose address
was not given to the United State:
Shipping Commissioner.
CAPTAIN knight is from Alameda
Cal. and Louis $. Jellson, first officer
lives at 1872 Belmont Avenue, Newark
n. j. f. Bildcrt. chief engineer, lives
at 1881 North Seventh Street, Phila
delphia William I. Stevens, sccont
engineer, Rowayton, Conn, and A. J
Kenncy, third engineer, Brooklnc
Mass. Other officers are Jens Jensen
carpenter; James A. Stephens, boat
swain; William Benron and II. ]. Put
zin. quartermastcrs; Hans Josefson
second officer; T. C. SCHNEIDER, thirC
officer; Arthur r. Odotts, second as
sistant engineer, and w. V. Kcefc, thirt
assistant engineer.