The star-independent. (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, May 07, 1915, Image 1
s THE WEATHEB CLOUDY TO-NIGHT AND TO-MORROW 0»HIW Htpwt P>« • SS£l u «'£f D VOL. 77—NO. 132. Lusitania Is Torpedoed and Sunk; Fate of I,2s3Passengers Unknown Great Cuuard Liner, Supposed to Have Been Attacked by a German Submarine, Goes to Bottom in 30 Minutes Off the Irish Coast RESCUE SHIPS HURRY OUT Many Americans on Board the Vessel — . Washington Is Great ly Excited But No Official Statement Issued b} r Govern ment at Late Hour This Afternoon By Associated Press, New York, May T.—The Cunard liner Lusitania, one of the fastest steamships afloat, was torpedoed and sunk this afternoon off the coast of Ire land, ten miles south of Kinsale. She had aboard 1,233 passengers. She sailed from this port last Saturday, May 1, and carried in addition to her own large passenger list, 103 passen gers transferred to her from the An chor liner Camperonia. The news of her sinking was an nounced by the local office of the Cunard Line and was based on cable advices received irom the home office of the company in Liverpool. Dispatches Announcing Disaster Three dispatches received in the or der n<ined. were made public by the line and read as follows: "We received from the Land's End wireless station news of repeated dis tress calls made by the Lusitania ask ing for assistance at once. Big list. Position ten miles south of Kinsale. Subsequently received the telegram from Queenstown that all available craft in the harbor had been dispatch ed to assist.'' The second message to the local of fice read: "Queenstown, 4.51) p. m. Wire be gins about twenty boats of all sorts belonging to our line are in vicinity where Lusitania sunk. About fifteen other boats ari ■ nuking for spot to render assistance." The third cablegram was dated Liv erpool and read: "Following received by admiralty: Galley Head. 4.25 p. m. Several boats, apparently survivors, southeast nine miles. Greek ste,-imer proceeding to as sist. '* Foreign Dispatches Confirm News Dispatches received here from Lon don, Liverpool and Queenstown con firmed the news. One of the messages said it believed that all the big liner's passengers bad been saved. No definite news as to the fate of the passengers had been received by the Cunard line here early this after noon. The Cunard Line announced that it would make public as fast as received dispatches on the sinking of the Lusi tania, including those relating to the fate of the passengers. The stock market was stunned by the news. A torrent of selling orders poured in from every section of the country. A period of intense excite ment followed. Prices in war special ties broke 15 to 30 points within an hour. Stable issues dropped 5 to 10 points. Vessels Rendering Assistance Late to-day the Cunard Line officials received a dispatch from Queenstown stating that a large steamer and many small vessels and boats were in the vi cinity rendering assistance. The dispatch follows: "Large steamer just arrived in vi cinity. Apparently rendering assist ofrar- 4tHKmt flnftepettftettt ance. Tugs, patrols, etc., now on the * spot taking boats in tow. Motor fish } ing boats with two Lusitania boats bearing probably for Kinsale." This information came from Old , Head via Quenstown. Queenstown. May 7.—Cunard Line I steamer Lusitania has been sunk. It was torpedoed. London, May 7, 5 P. M.—Lusitania has been sunk off Old Head, Kinsale, by a torpedo. Assistance has been II sent. New York, May 7.—Confirmation of L the report w*s received in a dispatch dated Queenstown 450 p. m. to-day and reading as follows: "Old Head, Kinsale. about twenty boats, all sorts, belonging to the Lusi tania, are in vicinity where sunk. t' About 15 boats are making for the spot to rescue. London. May 7.—The passengers on board the Lusitania are believed to be safe. Passengers Reported Saved j New York, May 7.—The Dow-jones Company ticker service in a report from j London, declares the Lusitania was _ | beached and passengers and crew, ac cording to Lloyds, were saved. I. : Liverpool, May 7, 5.40 P. M.—The "Evening Express" was officially in _ J formed this evening by the officials of ' the Cunard Steamship Company that the Lusitania had been torpedoed and that she had sunk this afternoon. l' Kinsale, off of which the Lusitania 5 was torpedoed, is a seaport of Ireland, thirteen miles southwest of Cork. It lies near the entrance of St. George's channel, between Ireland and England through which transatlantic vessels 1 pass on their way to Liverpool. • i Washington Greatly Excited Washington, May 7.—News of the torpedoing of the Lusitania struck of ficial Washington like a bomb. While disposed to ajrait full details before ex pressing opinions ah administration of ficials realized that the incident was probably the most serious Washington has faced since the beginning of the war. j No Word of Passengers or Crew ; Liverpool, May 7, 5.35 P. M.—The j "Echo" has been informed that a mes sage to the Cunard Line read as fol | lows: "The Lusitania was torpedoed and sunk at 2.33 p. m. off Kinsale. "There is no word of her passengers or crew, who number over 1,000." Sunk at 2.33 p. m., London Time London, May 7, 5.50 P. M.—The manager of the Cunard Company has in formed the Liverpool "Evening Ex press that he received this afternoon the following message from the wire- I less station at Old Head off Kinsale: The Lusitania was sunk by a sub | marine at 2.33 o'clock this afternoon, ,| eight miles south by west (of this point)." Not Known How Many Saved London, May 7, 5.56 P. M.—A dis patch from Liverpool to the Exchange Telegraph Company says it Is not known how many of the Lusitania's passengers were saved. No Comment on Disaster | Washington, May 7.—President W!l --i son was informed of the sinking of the Lusitania, and White House officials showed keen anxiety to learn whether any American lives were lost. No com ment was made. ! 1,253 PASSENGERS WERE ON BOARDTHE LUSITANIA New York, May 7.—When the Lusi tania sailed she hart about 1,263 pas sengers. Some nervousness had been caused because of the publication in the morning papers of Saturday of an advertisement warning intending trav elers that a state of war existed be tween Germany and Great Britain and her allies; that the zone of war in cludes the waters adjacent to the Brit HARRISBUBG, PA., FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 7, 1915—16 PAGES. ish Isles; that i-n accordance with no tfce given by the German government vessels flying the flag of Great Britain are liable to destruction in those wa ters and that travelers sailing in the war zone on ships of Great Britain or her allies do so at their own risk. The advertisement was signed "Imperial German Embassy.'' This warning apparently did not cause many cancellations for the ship sailed with a very full passenger list. Just before the steamer's departure a number of the passengers received tele grams warning theui not to sail on the vessel as it would be torpedoed. A. O. Vanderbllt Got Message Alfred G. Vanderbilt wan one of the passengers who received .such a mes sage. He destroyed it without com ment. Charles P. Sumner, general agent of the Cunard line, was at the pier and in a statement made then, said that the voyage of the Lusitania would not be attended by any risk whatever as the liner had a speed of 25 and a half knots and wan provided with unusual water tight bulkheads. In commenting on the report of the torpedoing of the Lusitania to-day marine men pointed out that in their opinion the Lusitania could not be sunk by a single torpedo. The Lusitania was delayed for more than two and a half hours in sailing for Liverpool last Saturday on account of having to take over the 163 pas sengers from the Anchor liner Camer onia, which was chartered at the last minute bv the Britieh admiralty. Others Ignore Warning Charles T. Bowritig, head of the firm of Bowring Brothers, and presi dent of the St. George's Society, was one of the passengers who sailed on the Lusitania. He commented on the advertisement appearing in the Ger man papers characterizing it as a silly performance and below the dignity of a diplomatic representative of any for eign government. Alexander Campbell, general man -1 aiger for John Dewar & Sons, London, who also sailed, referred to the adver tisement as "tommy rot." Other passengers on the Lusitania included Klbert Hubbard, publisher of "The Philistime;" D. A. Thomaa, the wealthy Welsh coal operator and his I daughter. Lady Maekworth, the Eng | lish suffragette. All these persons took I occasion to say that they saw nothing to worry at in the advertisement. List of First Cabin Passengers The fallowing is a list of the first cabin passengers aboard the Lusitania: Mr. and Mrs. Henry Adams, 'Boston. A. H. Adams, New York. Lady Allen and 'Maid, Montreal. IMliss Anna Allan, Montreal. Miss Gwen Allan ami maid, Mon treal. LM. X. Allan, New York. Continued on Thirteenth Pace. TORPEDOED AND SUNK IN 33 MUTES, SAYS PACE Washington, May 7.—Ambassador Page at London cabled: "Lusitania torpedoed and sunk within thirty minutes. No news of pas sengers yet." Admiralty Hurries Aid to Sec one Queenstown, May 7, 5.35 P. M.— Immediately the news of the torpedoing of the Lusitania was received here the admiral In command of the naval sta tion dispatched to the scene all as sistance available. Tugs Warrior, Storm cock and Julia, together with five traw lers and the local life boat in tow of a tug were hurried to sea. No News of Passengers' Safety Queenstown, May 7, 4 P. M.—The Admiralty officers here have no news concerning the safety of the passengers and the crew of the Lusitania. Twenty Boats in Vicinity London, May 7, <1.43 P. M.—The Cunard line gave out information this evening to the effect that there axe about twenty boats In the vicinity of the spot where the Lusitania went down. Sixteen more boats, the line says, have been dispatched to the scene for rescue work. The twenty boats on the spot belong to the Lusitania. The 10 other boats were sent to the scene from New York by points. BRITISH SHIP CANDIDATE TORPEDOED BY SUBMARINE London, May 7, 12.56 P. M.—The British steamer Candidate was torpe doed by a German submarine yesterday off Waterford, Ireland. The members of her crew were saved. The British steamer Candidate was of 3,826 tojis net register. Built in Glasgow in 1906 she was 398 feet long. She was owned in Liverpool, where she arrived April 9 from New Orleans. The Candidate was outward bound when she encountered the submarine 18 miles from Waterford. Members of the crew say the vessel was torpedoed without warning. Four boats were launched from the Candidate. One of these was swamped, but the occupants clambored into other boats. All of the crew, numbering 44, landed at Milford Haven. CENTURION. BIG BRITISH STEAMER. IS TORPEDOEO London, May 7, 2.55 P. M. —The British steamer Centurion was torpe doed by a German submarine off the Irish coast yesterday. Her crew were saved. The Centurion was attacked about the same time that the British steamer Candidate, owned by the same com pany, was torpedoed off Waterford, Ire land. The Centurion was bound for South Africa and the Candidate for Jamaica. The Centurion was 339 feet long and her tonnage was 3,85 4. She was owned in Liverpool. C. A. BARCLAY HURT IN HIGHWAY AUTO MISHAP George A. Barclay, 48 years old, of Pittsburgh, superintendent of roads signs in the State Highway Depart ment, was seriously injured this morn ing when truck No. 8, belonging to the State Highway Department, fell over the edge of a 20-foot embankment on the Harrisburg-Sunburv road just be low Mountain Spring hotel, 28 miles from Harrisburg. Mr. Barclay sus tained a fracture of the left leg and of the right arm, with possible internal injuries. Dr. George B. Kunkel, of Harrisburg, accompanied the representatives of the State Highway Department to the scene of the accident and had Mr. Bar clay brought to the IHarrisburg hospital. Charles W. Hepford, chauffeur, was thrown from the auto as it fell and sus tained a lacerated scalp and cuts and contusions of the head and body. J. R. Ross, of Gettysburg, the third member of the party, jumped as the truck fell and escaped injury. ELKS ARRANGE PROGRAM Mothers' Day Exercises Will Be Held at Lodge Room Sunday At the Mothers' Day exercises to be held on Sunday afternoon at 3.30 o'clock at the EJks' lodge room, under the auspices of the social committee Harrisburg Lodge No. 12, B. P. O. E., the following program will be given: Solo, "A Perfect Day," William Webster; opening address, B. W. Dam ming, E. R.; prayer, Dr. Ellis N. Krem er; soprano solo, William Webster; ad dress, W. M. Hargest; violin solo, se lected, Harry R. Loeser; duet, "The Lord Is My Sliepherd," Mrs. E. J. Decevee and Mrs. H. A. Hertzler; bene diction, Dr. Ellis N. Kremer. E. J. Decevee *t piano. Boys and Girls! Uncle Harry Talks To-day On "THE WAR UP TO OWE" Read What He Has to Say On Page 2 IE ATTACKS 4 HOMES IN GNOLA Two Dwellings De stroy e d and Two Damaged by Early Morning Blaze HELP IS SENT BY THIS CITY Friendship Motor Truck Responds to Call for Aid Prom 'Cross River Town and Gives Material Assistance —Loss Is Put at $ 10,000 Flames totally destroyed two houses and damaged two more in Enola early to-day, causing an estimated loss of SIO,OOO. The origin of the blaze is not known. The lire started about 1.30 o'clock in the vacant side of double frame dwelling, the other side of which was occupied by R. F. Kautz. These were destroyed. The homes were in Perry street, in the southwest section of Enola, a long distance from the fire house. Before the blaze had been dis covered it had gained much headway and by the time tile Enola fireman ar rived the flames had eaten their way to another double dwelling. On the arrival of Enola fire company word was quickly sent to the Pennsyl vania Railroad firefighters, and both the Car Shop and the Engine House de partments made long runs to the scene of the blaze. With a strong wind blowing the fire men feared the blaze would get beyond th'eir control, so a hurried telephone call was sent to the Friendship fire com pany of Harrisburg. It quickly respond ed with its motor truck. The Harris burg firemen arrived in time to be of material assistance in checking the flames, being in action for more than half an hour. The houses partly destroyed were occupied by Charles Kuntzelman and Israel (Snyder. Mrs. Kuntzelman suf fered from the shock of the early morning fire and received medical treatment. The houses are owned by Frank & Zinn, a real estate company, of Newport, and are fully insured. The fire is believed to have been started by a tramp who was sleeping in the vacant house. FIRE IN THE TECH RICH SCHOOL BURNS ITSELF OUT MysteMous Blaze Destroys Desk and Valuable Instruments and Ruins Tiled Wall Without Anybody Dis covering It Until It Is All Over A fire, concerning the origin of which there is mystery, destroyed a desk be longing to J. Grant Koons, engineer at the Technical High school, Walnut and Aberdeen streets, along with valuable testing instruments which were on tho desk, and ruined a wide surface of white tiling on the walls of the fire proof room some time during last night. The fire burned itself out before it was discovered. The damage may reach 1500 and is fully covered by insur ance. Had it not been for "the fire proof -nature of the building, the whole structure might have been imper iled. H. S. Gumpert, janitor, was last in the building at 9 o'clock last night. Then everything was all right. He found the desk in ashes this morning. The fire had consumed it during the night and burned itself out with no damage to the room, which is of steel and concrete, except to the wall tiles, a number of which fell off on account of the heat. School officials do not know how to explain the fire. Koons said he kept no matches in the desk. That the fire was confined to such a small area puz zles the officials. A paper calendar but three feet away on the wall was not even scorched and a wooden tool box about the same distance away on the floor was only slightly marked by the flames. This room is in the new part of the building, which is fire-proof. Should a similar fire have occurred in the old part of the building, the stairway would have been damaged, in the opinion of school officials. A total of $30,000 in surance is carried on the building. To-morrow Closes Olean-up To-morrow will wind up Harrisburg's semi-annual clean-up after which a gen eral inspection of the city will be made •by the police and the City Bureau of H*alth. The clean-up men yesterday hauled 207 loads of ashes and rubbish out of the city. AISTRO-ITALIAN aim TENSE Subjects of Dual Mon archy in Rome Lose Confidence in Favor able Outcome FINAL PROPOSALS HANDED TO ITALY Utmost Secrecy Is Observed Regarding the Concessions the Austrlans Are Willing to Make—Von Buelow and Baron Sonnlno in Conference Paris, May 7.—A Havas dispatch from Rome says the Austrian Ambassa dor is reported to have handed to For eign Minister Sonuino at a conference yesterday afternoon the Vienna Cabi net's final proposals to Italy containing | the extra concessions the dual mon archy is willing to make. While the utmost secrecy is observed regarding these concessions, Austrians and Ger mans in Rome have lost confidence in a favorable outcome of the negotia tions. Prince Von Buelow, the German Ambassador, also called upon Baron Sonnino yesterday afternoon. Germans Hurriedly Leave Rome Rome, Via Pari<s, May 7, 4.35 A. M. ——l. pon receipt of a dispatch from Ber lin the German school in this city sud- Coatlnued on Thirteenth Pagr. Army Corps Advancing Against Serbia Geneva, Via London, May 7.—A dispatch to the "Tribune'' from Vi enna says that an army corps under Archduke Eugene has arrived at Mora vitz, ten miles from the Serbian front ier, advancing against Serbia. TWO HEN DEAD: CIRLDYINC j Triple Tragedy at Jersey Shore When Jealous Railroader Finds Woman With Another Man By Associated Press, Williams port, May 7.—Two men are dead and a girl probably fatally injured a« a result of a double shoot ing and suicide at Jersey Shore, near here early to-day. Lester Poust, 28, a machinist, employed by the New York Central railroad at Avis, shot and fatally wounded Charles Holes, aged 32, a bartender, and wounded Cecilia Sowers, aiged 22, a dining room girl, when he found them together in a rooming house. Poust was jealous. He shot both through the head and then shot him self through the mouth, dying almost instantly. The girl is in a hospital. Holes was married and leaves two daughters living at Jersey Shore. 4 BURNED IN GAS EXPLOSION Two Probably Fatally Injured in Ac cident at Mines Wilkes-Barre, Pa., May 7.—Four men were burned, two probably fatally, in a gas explosion in No. 2 mine of the Delaware and Hudson Company here to-day. The accident was caused when one of the men entered a cham ber where a body of gas had accumu lated after a blast had been tired. The explosion caused many wild ru : mors and hundreds rushed to the mouth of the shaft and remained there for several hours before their fears were allayed. Permit for Bowman Building The building permit for the six-story addition to the store of Bowman & Company, at Market and Dewberry streets, was issued to-day by Building Inspector James H. Grove. The struc ture is to cost $25,000. C. M. Her shey got papers to build two two-story frame and stucco houses at Nineteenth and Mulberry streets costing $6,200. Sold Ice dream Without License As a result of the activity of the City Bujeau of Health, Alderman Hov erter this afternoon placed eight war rants in the hands of a constable, for the arrest of ns many defendants on a charge of failing to take out a food license to sell ice cream. In the ma jority of the cases, the offenders are venders who opened business at the cir cus groun'de yesterday. \ POSTSCRIPT | ► PRICE, ONE CENT. BIG LOSSES BY TURKS AT KILIDBAHR Allied Troops Capture Heights Facing Souain Dere Fort Af ter Sharp Fighting TOWER OF MAIDOS FIRED BY SHELLS Division of Turkish Reinforcements Ar rives on Peninsula and Desperate Fighting Is On to Prevent Them From Effecting a Junction London, May 7.—An Athens dis patch to the "Daily Mail" says: "The allied troops after short en gagements whicih caused heavy losses to tihe Turks captured the heights facing Souain Dere fort, four miles west of Kilid Bahr. The possession of these heights promises the s|>eedy reduction of Souain Dere which covers Kilid Bahr. "The allies lateT continued tlheir sue cesses, turning their attention to die section of the peninsula between Gaba Tepc and Seddul Bahr. "An entire division of Turkish rein forcements have arrived on the penin sula and desperate fighting is under way t,o prevent them from effecting a junction with the troops in holding the positions in the lower ports of the penin sula." Using Inflammatory Shells Dardanelles, Thursday, May 6, Via London, May 7, 12.22 P. M. —The ar tillery exchanges between the warships of the allies and the shore positions of the Turks continue. Some vessels are firing from the gulf ofSaros, making use of inflammatory shells. The town of Maiilos was set on fire yesterday. Certain Forts Silenced London, May 7.—Certain forts at | Chanak and Kalid Bahr in the Darda- I nelles have been silenced, while some of those of both sides of tihe waterway up to -N'agara probably also are out of ac tion, says a dispatch to the "Chrou icle'' from Mvtilene. Aviators Fly Over Constantinople Paris, May 7, 12.30 .U. M.—The first attack of the war on Constantinople is reported in an unofficial dispatch from Athens. It is said three Russian aviators flew over the c.itv dropping sev eral bombs which are .believed to have caused extensive damage. The message says also that tihe Rus sian Black sea fleet bombarded tho Turkish forts on the left bank of the 'Bosphorus on Wednesday. Several Rus sian shells fell within about ten miles of Constantinople. Victories Reported by Turks Constantinople, May 6, Via Wireless to Berlin and London, tMay 7, 8.07 A. IM.-—The following statement regarding the operations in the Dardanelles was issued last night 'by the Turkish war office: "An enemy battalion was annihilated Wednesday as the result of an attack by our troops against his left wing. "At Ariburau part of the enemy's strongly 'built entrenchments were cap tured. "At Seddul Bahr we inflieted Cieavv losses on the English and captured great q lantities of ammunition. Wo 'have taken ten enemy machine guns." WALL STREET CLOSING By Associated Press, New York, May 7.—Confirmation of the sinking of the Lusltanla was fol lowed by enormous selling' orders. Losses ran from O to 12 points stand ard stocks and 15 to 30 in war spe cialties, with a few substantial recov eries in the final dealings. The closing was weak. Stocks collapsed this aft ernoon on news that the British trans atlantic liner Lusitania had been tor pedoed. Prices fell away rapidly, but support brought some steadiness at tho close.