Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-20
Minesweeper Standing by
Sunken Submarine in Hope
of Forcing Air and Food
Through Side of Vessel.
MESSAGES GROW FAINT,
BUT TAPPING CONTINUES
Opportunity to Lower Diver Await
ed by Commander of Falcon.
Gloom Pervades Navy as Hope
for Trapped Men Fades-Death
Is Believed Near

CembeT ZU.-FalnC SounuS WCic
heard from within the sunken
submarine S-4 at II o'clock today,
but these were not signals, Off
GERS of the submarine So, sister
ship Of the ill-fated craft, said.
1t appeared to those on the sur
face that the survivors Of the
S-4 were making efforts in their
own behalf.
Capt. King said that if the
weather moderated at low water,
which falls about 3 o'clock this
afternoon, divers would be sent
down and an attempt would be
made by them to get tanks OF
oxygen and liquid nourishment
into the S-4s torpedo compart-
ment through the listening gear,
!. known as the sc tube.
Such procedure has never been
attempted before, he said.
Faint Signals Are Heard.
Faint signs OF life We're apparent
on the sunken submarine at 6I'
o'clock this morning. The osclllatol
Of the S-S, sister ship of the Inflated
craft, in position near the wreck
picked up at that hour signals IRON
the submerged vessel.
The tappipgs carried no code mes
A~l tho six
men who had been imprisoned in the
torpedo room since Saturday were tot
weak to rap out on the side OF the
vessel the orderly messages in the in
ternational code which had been re
ceived on previous days.
AS the predicament of the prisoners
continued to grow more desperate
their comrades on the surface wer'
held to inaction by storm and rougf
water. which made diving operations
difficult and dangerous
On board the mine sweeper Falcon
which is anchored near the buo!
marking the position of the 81, wer'
the supplies of oxygen and CONDENSED
food which Rear Admiral Franz
Brumby, in charge of operations
planned to send down to the sunkel
vessel by means of divers as soon a.
that was possible.
Plight Becomes Desperate.
Early today the gale which sweep
the coast all night had moderate'
only slightly and a falling baromete
indicated worse weather to come
The Falcon. which has been used a
a base for diving operations in tn
salvage work, had not at that hou
been able to get into position for re
newing the work.
Representative Of the Associate
Press went out to the salvage flee
early today in a fishing boat AM
spoke both the Falcon and sun
marine S-8, stationed above tn
sunken vessel. At that time no prepa
rations to resume diving operation
had been made on board the min
sweeper. the sea being still too rough
Men on board the S-8 said tina
through the night signals had bee
heard at various times from the Sd
II was hours since Lieut.. Graham
Newell Fitch, leader Of that desperat
band. had tapped out the last intel
| ligible message to the outside worlo
| a message that naval officers feare
| TO answer. This message at 4;45 pm
yesterday, was:
as there any hope?'
Jaboriously, by hammer, the 81
spelled their names and for the mrs
| time it was definitely known whoi
the possible survivors were or the 4
| men who had left on trial cruls
| which ended last Saturday when tn
submarine was rammed by the Coas
Guard destroyer Pauldin8.
Beside Fitch they were:
Frank Snizer, torpedo man, Ridge
| field Park, n. j.
Russell A. Crabb, torpedo man, Sal
Diego, Calf.
Roger Leslie Short, torpedo man
Bonneville, Mo.
Joseph l.. Stevens, seaman, Prov
dence, X. ].
George Pelnar. seaman, soutl
Omaha, Nebr.
Fitch gave his home at New Lon
| don. Conn.
rhe signals were picked up by s.
on it's oscillator.
A life limit of early tomorrow morn
;ny was fixed by Lieut.. Charles b
NIo,nscn. Navy submarine expert, a
| Washington. lie said that a norma
discra~ae OF carbon dio~!de trozn IN
i.,,n-:so-ed s!N would bring DEANS =
ar hours *-o:.. TIE tine o. re 60. -"
| S37 o'clock Saturday afternoon. II.
,,y>.i: was exec az about a.E@- q
/ morrow. xu
II the torpedo men knew no" 70 Ge
arr out of the torpedoes the men mlSh
live $50 hours. If they did not sue
coed in doing that. the presence OF a.
officer who would force his crew 10 ~
quietly on the floor OF the chainoe
might materially prolong thei
chances of surviving.
Momsen made his Calculation peIor'
IL was ascertained that Fitch wa
among the six.
New Difficulties Arise.
New difficulties beset the work o
divers who had hoped they might y
able to introduce oxygen ana TOO
through the torpedo tubes in the DOW
where is located the long narrow room
which has become a verltaple 'oSlur'
chamber for the trapped sailors.
! A survey by divers revealed the new
| hazard in the form of mud pied deel
around the prov of the boat and
was feared that with the action OF
! strong current the tubes might NOT re
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