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Show COLLIER SUNK BY A ZEPPELIN London, Feb 3, 9 60 p. m. The collier col-lier Franz Fischer, which left Hartlepool Hartle-pool Monday afternoon, was sunk at sea by one of the raiding Zeppelins that visited England. Thirteen of the crew, Including the captain, were drowned. Three men were saved, Chief Engineer Engi-neer Burch, Steward Taylor and Seaman Sea-man Charles Hllller The Franz Tischer was a captured enemy vessel employed as a coasting collier. Hllller, who is a native of Newfoundland, New-foundland, described tho disaster as follows: "About 10 30 o'clock Tuesday night wo heard a noise overhead such as we had never heard before Presently Pres-ently a Zeppelin came right on top of us and dropped a bomb which fell near the engine room. A tremendow explosion followed, the vessel remain ing afloat only two minutes. "There was not time to launch lifeboats. life-boats. We all went under with the ship When I came up again I caught hold of a life belt After swimming for some time I came across the chief RM-s naaotiBB nii engineer and the steward, who had also managed to get hold of life belts. By their aid we kept afloat for au hour. "It was pitiful to hear the cries of some of the other men who had come to the surface after the disappearance disappear-ance of the vessel, but soon their cries ceased and we concluded they wGre all drowned. Meanwhile, we continued shouting for help. When almost exhausted, a Belgian steamer heard us, lowered a boat and picked us up. Later wo were transferred to a mine sweeper and landed." Asked how the Zeppelin managed to locate the vessel in the dark, Hllller Hll-ller .said the collier was riding at anchor an-chor and her anchor lights must have been seen by the men In the Zeppelin. Zeppe-lin. As the vessel was stationary, It was easy to drop a bomb on her. |