The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat., October 09, 1916, Image 1

About The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922

Image provided by: State Historical Society of Iowa

VOL. 123. NO. 85
i&:-
:vA'.
lUnited States Destroyers
Beach Port With People ...
Saved From Six Tor? "JS
pedoed Ships. .W .^,
V'vV |W
Fourteen Babies Taken on Board
From Life Boats, Found Bob
"'I.'' »#,#*
blng on the Sea Off the ,•
New England Coast.
[By F..W. Getty. United Press Staff
Correspondent.]
NEWPORT, R. I.. Oct 9.—Dripping
with brine which stood out like
sweat on their steel sides' from 'pro
digious efforts of rescuing.pasBetigers
,of six torpedoed merchant, ships, four
'&trW*-4mnriirB arrived here
before dawn today, bringing the fl»t
stories of the European war carried to
Antrim's doorstep. %.
While powerfal searchlights flashed
and whistles sounded, the destroyer
Ericcson—the first to arrive—nosed
her way back from the scene of the
I operations of Germany's boats,
striking terror to shipping off the
I New England coast.
Of the eighty-one persons picked
I up from smtUl boats by the Ericcson,
not one was injured. Practically all,
however, had lost every personal be
I longing. They were without money or
baggage of any description. They
had only the clothes they wore.
For the first time In tfeelr, lives,
officers and men of the Ericcson saw
babies cooing on the grim warship.
Fourteen babies were in the boats
the Ericcson found bobbing on the
water which had become the grave of
the steamer Stephano, bound from St.
John's to New York. Many were
I sleeping peacefully in the arms of
their mothers or nurses as the life
boats rocked with the gentle sway
of the sea. Almost all night long, the
tots had drifted. Only the dim
light of a lantern In the life saving
«faft and the soft rays of the moon
sifting intermittently through the
clouds served to light the scene,
*hlch but a few hours before had
Ren one of America's peace.
The passengers of the Stephano
wk to the small sboats at 6:30 Sun
day evening. They were adrift until
•tout 2:30 this morning.
There was no sign of hysteria or
"igfct, as men, women, and even an
e|8ht
year old child, told their stories
flelng suddenly aroueed from din
to* tables, tram little social gather-
la*5
In salons and babies hurriedly
*a*ened from sleep to be hustled
o*«r the side and into life boots.
"Wy a short distance away floated a
I green monster. The submarine
«*ted low in the water, her bulging
«oe« and pointed -snout giving her
appearance of a giant man-killing
Four thousand miles from a home
theoretically in "enemy waters"
•ndjrith no known base for supplies
wel, the Teuton was unloosening
r~ it the very doors of Amer-
PT1 the flrst
very
|0ne
NO OFFICIAL
*. WORD DECEIVED
tf
President Wilson Has No Com
ments to Make on Activ
ity of German Subma
rines Sunday.
WATCHING IT
r*
&
%a^»
IHGHTY-ONE PICKED UP
t« -r
1
®larm was given
*"d a shot came screaming across the
®°w of the Stephano, many of the
Managers refused to believe they
_®re being attacked by a submarine.
v"ejrJaughed when an officer rushed
«y shouting that all must don life
Preservers and take to the boats. But
*fe
serious meln of the crew,
tae hurrying about *rf the crew and a
(Continued on page 8)
4
of the Real Tragedies of
Life When Passengers Took
to the Life Boats.
.Jta* Pre* Leased
nbwpoot, JL l^o*.
CLOSELY
German Ambassador to Talk With
the President This Afternoon
at Probably Import
.ant Conference.
HV
[By Robert J. Bender, United Press
Staff Correspondent.]
AS BURY PARK, N. J., Oct 9.—
President Wilson was still without of
ficial word early today of the Ger
man raids off New 'England, hence
withheld any Indication of his atti
tude.
He was slated to talk with German
Ambassador VonBernstorff at 2 p.
m. for the first time in many months.
The conference was ararnged some
time ago for the purpose of discuss
ing Polish relief.
Until late into the night, tele
graphers worked with Washington to
learn whether German boats bad
violated the protection given by the
imperial government given In the
past. But no determining Indication
came.
The deepest anxiety over the sit
uation was manifest but official
action and official comment were
withheld in keeping with the past
rules, not to act without full facts.
Messages from the state and navy
departments early today said these
branches were hard at work garner
ing information and would rush It
through the moment it was obtained.
Bernstorffs visit is assumed to be
as stated reliably for the purpose of
delivering Kaiser Wllhelm's answer
to the president's personal appeal
for co-operation by European rulers to
help starving Poland.
Nevertheless some saw in the visit
an extra significance in view of the
rumored peace moves by Germany as
well as the fact that German raiders
so spectacularly sunk ships off the
American coast.
Officials here attach little import
ance to the letters delivered by the
U-53, pointing out a special German
messenger would have forwarded
these had they teen vital instead of
having them intrusted to an ordinary
American citizen.
'As for a new peace move, officials,
moluding the president, profe9S to
have no Information. There is every
Indication that the governemmt sees
no early end of the war and plans no
part in bringing such an end immed
iately.
Complied With Law.
ASBURY PARK, N. J., Oct. 9.—The
German submarine active In the
steamship lane oft Nantucket com-,
plied with all rules of international
law before acting, Secretary Daniels
informed President Wilson in a pre
liminary report today.
Daniels is expected to make formal
report later in the day. The presi
dent will make no statement unti!
complete evidence regarding the sub
marines is in his hands.
Daniels reported early advices re
ceived show no loss of life as result I
of submarine attacks and that the
Submarines gave full notice of their
intentions before sinking any of the
vessels. No definite word as yet has
been received from the crew of the
Kingston which sunk thirty miles off
Nantucket, naval reports said. Sev
eral U. S. destroyers are in that
vicinity.
Unable to Locate.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9.—The navy
department was advised by Admiral
Knight by telegraph today that United
States destroyers have been unable to
locate the crew of the British freighter
(Continued on page 7.)
DOLL LOST OVERBOARD
WHEN GIRL WAS RESCUED
doll lost and one mother's hand badly
lacerated—these were the only casual
ties attending the sinking of the liner
Stephano by a German submarine.
As one of the small boats was draw
ing away from the liner's side, a little
girl dropped her doU overboard. Sh9
began crying. Just as the mother
reached out to rescue the doll, a wave
rolled the life boat against the Stepfe*
aao apd baty wgs «pnh«A
iy,
I S
.V
1
FF
While Kansan Was Being Ex
amined, Another Ship Wire
lessed She Was Being
Attacked.
SHOT ACROSS THE BOW
Hawaiian-American Steamer Not Mo
lested After the Germans Had
Looked Over the
Papers.
ment after viewing the photograph
of the U-63 taken during the tatter's
hurried call at Newport Saturday,
was taken as conclusive proof that
more than one German submersible
4
he
same as those depicted on the U-53.
The submarine raider did not board
the Kansan. Instead the German
captain bailed from deck after spot-
XContlnoed
2*1
aub Ctofititotion-dlBemotrat
KEOKUK, IOWA, MONDAY, OCT. 9, 1916
On New Si! (marine Zone
German torpedoes Send Mifiant Ships to Bottom of
Sea at Doors of America
fBy Fred S. Ferguson, llnlteo-vress Staff Correspondent.]
BOSTON, Mass., Oct. 9.—The trans-Atlantic lane over which has flowed a steady stream,
of munitions and supplies fon the allied powers from American shores is in the grip of submar.
rines of the kaiser's navy todjay. v"?
Six unara%d merchantman axe Smown to lie on the ocean bottom south of Nantucket,
torpedoed by German submerspbles and late reports have it that two and possibly three
more have-been sunk.
The vessels positively known to have been destroyed are:
The Stephano, 2,153 tons, British Red Cross line, St. Jqhns, N. F., to New York.
The Strathgene, 4,321 tons, British New York to Bordeaux. \v,\
The West Point (no tonnage given) British, London to Newport News.
The Kingston (no tonnage given) British, destination not iknown.
The Bloomersdijk, 3,201 tons, Dutch, New York to Rotterdam.
Christian Knudson, 2,538 tons, Norwegian, destination unknown.
The passengers and crews of all the vessels are known to have -been rescued with the exception of those
of the Kingston. The fate of the men on this ship is as yet unknown.
Allied warships are now closing In upon Germany's new submarine zone. The crackling wireless of three
British cruisers Is mingling wl$i that of American destroyers out upon the sea on missions of mercy and rescue.
Reports to Nantucket, Newport and Boston indicate there la certainly more than one sufamar.ne striking
terror along the great International water highway. Officers of the steamer Kansan Indicate beilef that two en
emy super-U boats were operating at America's very portals.
A dispatch from the United Press staff correspondent at Newport declares Miss Margaret Wilson statsd
positively that she saw the name U-61 painted on a life preserver of the submarine which ssnk the steamer
ftsphano.. Miss Wilson who was a pa*a«nger on the Stephano, said she looked at the submarine, through
galssss and declared she could not-be mistaken on the fetter affif figures she saw. As the fighting submarine
which put In st Newport was the U-53, this would definitely account for two submerslbles.
At Nantucket a report has befen picked up that two or three submarines are In action and that the number
of ships sunk is now eight or nine.
The crew of the steamer Kingston one of the six known victims, was still missing today. There Is every
hope that the men from this ship may still be adrift or .picked up by aome destroyer which has not yet reported.
Good weather prevails off the New England coaat and if the Kingston's crew got off before their ship went down,
naval officers bellevq there Is every reason to take an optimistic view of the situation. A total of 216 survivors
have now been landed at Newport from four American destroyers. The Ericcson landed eighty-one, the Drayton
six, the Benham, thirty-six and the Jenkins thirty-one.
Included among the passengers were many women and fourteen babies. The survivors brought stories
scarcely equalled In the lore of the sea since the sinking of the Titanic or the Lusltanla. There is no doubt In
shipping circles here that Germany's plana for Intercepting munitlon^carry Ing ships were carefully laid. Elud
ing the allied patrol, the submersibles have established themselves squarely In the path of practically all trans
Atlantic ships. The regular lane recognized by all navigators Is off Nantucket Light. It Is there that the mon
sters of the kaiser's submarine force are lurking. They are In a position to strike any type of ahlp they desire.
For Instance, the big American line steamer Philadelphia, with passengers and freight from New York to Liver
pool, was In the waters from which the reports of German submarines have come today. The Soandlnavlan
Amerlcan liner, Frederick VIII, is somewhere off that part of the ooast, bound from Copenhagen to New York,
with Ambassador Gerard aboard.
One of the mysteries of the new undersea campaign is the escape of the steamer Kansan, chartered by the
French government and carrying an enormous cargo of munitions.
PEACE PROPOSALS
NOT IMPOSSIBLE
Ambassador Gerard May be
Bringing Request to Presi
dent Wilson to Act
For the Kaiser.
NOW IS THE BEST TIME
If Armistice Is Not Declared, Another
Winter Campaign in
Europe Will be
Started.
[Tlie foll{ywln^
dispatch was re­
ceived by the United Press today In
response to a request for comment on
the report that Germany has decldcd
to ask for peace. It is believed to
be of tremendous significance in
view of the fact It Is passed by the
German censor.]
[By Carl W. Ackerman, United Press
Staff Correspondent]
COLOGNE. Oct 7.—(Delayed.)—It
is not Impossible that Ambassador
[United Press Leased Wire Service.] Gerard is conveying peace proposals
BOSTON, Mass., Oct. 9.—A German to America. Before departing from
submarine othsr than the U-53, halted Berlin fie held most important con
the Hawaiian-American steamer Kan- ferences with Chancellor Von Beth
Ban,
officers of the vessel declared on tnann Hollwegg, Foreign Secretary
reaching port here today. Their state- yon jagow. Dr. Solff, secretary for
the colonies, and several leading
members of the reichstag.
It is believed here that now is the
time for Washington to make peace.
Only Washington can do this because
operated off the }Iew England covc gjjg possesses such great influence
Sunday. After studying the photo- ^ith London end Paris.
graph, both officers and men said the
ship hailing them was different anl
that the men aboard were not
Now is the psychological moment
for if peace is not made now the war
must last another year as the winter
campaign is now prepared.
An armistice is not mentioned, but
It is believed that President Wilson
can appeal, to powers and ask them
to send special representatives to
Washi^gtop to-noseHats
-.A
PLENTY OF
I
Raid by German Submarines
Off Shores of America, Can
Cause Disagreement
With England.
"UNHEALTHY" GROUND
Teuton PI rata Craft Permitted to
Use United States as Base,
Will Make England
Angry.
[United Press Leased Wire Service.]
I LONDON,* Oct. 9.—Possible dls-,
agreement between Great Britain'
and the United 9tates as the result
of German TT boats depredations off
the American ooast was forecast by
the Dolly Chronicle today.
Counter measures taken by the al
lies will hamper American trade
1
and also make it "unhealthy" for
American submarines off the coast of
the United States, the newspaper as
I serted.
"The United States disagrees with
us when it admitted the D^utschland.
but the. disagreement is much sharp
er when it admits a pirate craft like
the U-53 and fraught with many more
inqonveniences for the United
States," said the Chronicle. "What
& Ml-
4-k
ON OTHER SIDE
British Advance in Macedonia
iery Thunders.
GREEK FLEiET JOINED
French Transport With 2,000 8oldlsrs
on Board, Has Been 8ent to
the Bottom by
Torpedo.
[United Press Leased Wire Service.]
'LONDON, Oct 9.—Pressing their
advance on the.allied right wing in
Macedonia, the British have occupied
the villages of Cavdarmah, OnajwH
and Ha&natar, It was officially an
nounced today.
British cavalry has joined In the
pursuit of the Bulgarians and has
reached the line of Kararaska-Sal
mon-tHomondos.
Entire Greek Fleet.
ROME}, Oct 9.—The whole Greek
fleet has now Joined the revolution
ary movement, said an Athens dis
patch today.
Cannons Roar last Nlght.^^
PARIS, Oct Artillerying occur
red skmth ef the Somme and in the
region of Roye last night, but the ut
most calm, so far as lnftmtry opera
tions were concerned, prevailed along
the entire French front
Transport Torpedoed.
PA3US, Oct 9.—The transport Gal
'lia, carrying 2,000 French and Serbian
troops, has been torpedoed. The tor
ped» exploded the transport's cargo
of munitions.
Up to the present 1.362 soldiers
have been rescued. The survivors
were landed at Sarrinia.
[•Presumably the big French liner
Gallia is the transport sunk. The Gal
lia was built in 19-13, displaced 14,968
tons and was 574 feet long with a 62
foot beam. She was registered at
Bordeaux and was in south Atlantic
service before the war.]
Russians Capture Trench.
PETPROGRAD, Oct. 9. Ttusslan
troops forced the Austro-German
lines in the region of Vladimir-Voly
nekl and captyred Austrian trenches
south of Shikhalln, after repelling
enemy attacks, it was officially an
nounced today.
In Robudja the Russians are *orti
fying newly conquered positions.
Russo-Ritmanlana Withdraw.
SOFIA, Oct. 9.—After several days
of unsuccessful attacks against the
Bulgarian lines on Dubrudja the Russo
Rumanlans have withdrawn to their
former positions, it
Nwas
nounced today.
officially an­
Offensive Continued.
LONDON, Oct 9.—The British con
tinued their new offensive north of
the Somme last night, establishing ad
vance posts east of Le Sars in the di
rection of Butte De.Warlencourt, about
two miles trom Bapaume, it was offi
cially announced today.
For the first time since the opening
day of the allied offensive the fighting
extended north of the Ancre brook
last night. The British successfully
discharged gas at different points and
entered German trenches, returning
with prisoners.
At Neuville St. Vaast and also near
Loos, several raiding parties entered
onemy trenches, inflicting many cas
ualties, taking a number of prisoners
and destroying machine guns.
Torpedo Boat Raid.
PETROG'RAD, Oct. 9.—Six Russian
torpedo boats raided the Black sea
ports of Slmsun and Sinop, destroying
fifty-six Turkish sailing vessels, it was
officially announced today.
THE WEATHER
Fair and warmer Tuesday.
Local temp—7 p. m. 78 7 a.
s. "-'irSMOTSl
m. 50
EIGHT PAGES
E
That Was the Record Earlyi
This Morning of Raid on
American Coast by the
German Terrors.
nO- JJOBB
OF LIFE
Not Known How Many 8ubm«rsible4(
Took Part In Sunday's At
tacks oa Morohant
"T
3^4
t»tsi
bfl
NBTVftPOaVT. R. I., Oct 9.
of nine ships have been sunk
German submarines up to an early!
hour this morning, according to anJ
officer of the destroyer Brlccson, ar
riving here.
This officer said he snderstoodj
more than one submarine was surely
taking part in the attacks. He said,'
information at Nantucket was tiiaC
two and possibly three submarines,
bad been sighted. H9s Information
was all from Nantucket and con
forms to reports given there as tai
messages picked up from wireless
flashes.
One report declares there were tw«*
submarines—the 53 which put in
Newport Saturday, and the 54.
An­aap
other report mentions the 61. Ther
is no way at establishing deflnitel.
how many submersible! are on thai
scene.
All latest Information is that th
has been no loss of life. All pai
gers from steamers which were sun!
have been taken off the Nantucke'
light ship and have each been landei
or are enroute to Newport aboari
United States destroyers. Passen
gers from the Stephano and crews ofl
the Strathdene. the West Point, thaj
Kingston, the Bloomersdijk and thai
•Christian KudBon, were taken off d*uiv
ing yesterday afternoon and late last|
night.
Great City in Danger.
BOSTON, Mass., Oct.
dm*
.-•T'
t*'
'-sM
9.—Grave*
fears are felt here today for the
steamer Great City, which sailed from
Boston late yesterday, before the di»
rectors of her line learned of the sub-,
marine- activities off Nantucke^
Shoals.
The Great City is bound for St»
Nazarre, France, with a big cargo
for the French government. She is
carrying about 7,000 tens of steel,
500 horses and several hundred tons
of feed and grain.
On the Search.
NANTUCKET, R. I.. Oct. 9.—Allied
cruisers are cruising off Nantucket,
shoals in search of German subma
rines. Wireless messages picked ujk
early today indicate that three Brit
Ish cruisers have arrived only a few,
miles off Nantucket. The British
vessels are apparently llsteming in
oji
all wireless in the hope of getting
some report as to the whereabouts
of the raiders.
Aid for Wage Earners.
DES MOINBS, Iowa, Oct. 9.—Mun
icipal aid for wage earners this win-,
ter, in view of the high cost of liv^
ing, was suggested by Corporation
Counsel H. W. Byers, former attorney
general of Iowa.
"This action," he said, "should be
based upon the assumption that with
the present scale of flood prices, it
will be impossible for the man who
makes $2.50 a day or less to support
his family.
SUPPLY SHIP ATTENDS
SUBMARINE ON THIS SIDE
Larger Boat Carries Plenty
of Torpedoes for the Fight
er to Use as Needed.
{United Press Leased Wire Service]
W^HINGXOni Oct, 9^-Advioes to
the navy department from the New
England coast have convinced the de
partment that the U-53 had a convoy
—probably a supply ship in the form
of a larger submarine built to carry
munitions, but .pot to fight. The In
formation on 'which this belief is
based, is not revealed, but the exists
ence of such information became
known, today.
il
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