Salt Lake Tribune | 1915-11-14 | Page 4 | Woman Physician Relates Story of Ancona Disaster

WOMAN PHYSICIAN RELATES STORY OF ANCONA DISASTER PARIS. Nov. 13, 5:25 p. ni.' Passengers aboard, the liner Andorra, were compelled trf seek safety in tho boats while the steamer wag subjected to a cannonade from an Austrian submarine, according to a story of the tragedy told by Dr. Cecile E. Greil of New York to the Havas correspondent at Ferrwille. The American Ameri-can woman saved herself by dropping" from the deck into a launch" which already al-ready was in the sea. Her moid was killed in their cabin by a gun shot. "I was in the dining room of the first-class first-class passengers." Dr. Greil is quoted as saying, "chatting with some of the voyagers, voy-agers, whpn we heard the report of a cannon; There was great excitement on deck and men were running here and there. I asked the ship's doctor what was happening, and he replied that he did not know. Then I went on deck myself. "I saw through a slight tog a submarine sub-marine about a hundred yards distant. Tt was equipped with two cannon, forward for-ward and aft, which were being; lired rapidly. J went down to my cabin to get my papers and there found my maid, who pleaded with me to save her. A cannon shot interrupted our conversation. conversa-tion. A shell entered the vessel through the porthole and killed my maid. I went up to the deck with a life-belt. "Boats were being lowered, all completely com-pletely filled. T soupht to get into one of them and was told' there was no more room. I went to another and received the sajne response. I then crossed the deck and saw a launch afloat- This contained con-tained the chief engineer. Carlo Lera-berti; Lera-berti; two doctors and other first-class passengers, some of I he women arid members of the crew. I asked Lemberti to be allowed to get in. " 'Come on he said, at the same time grasping the side of the steamer to prevent pre-vent the small boat from moving off. "I gauged well the height which separated sepa-rated me from the boat, and, being well trained' in gymnastics, I old not hesitate to let myself fall into the launch, landing at the-place designated. "During all this time the submarine had not ceased bomoar.d,ing: the. Ancona, not paying the slightest attention to the women, children and men trying to get away. -At this .moment the submarine was vevy close to us. The fog lifted and we could clearly distinguish the Austrian flag, which was new. Torpedo Finally Used; , "The Ancona resisted the cannonade well. Many of tjie shots entered above the water line, and the noles caused by others were too small to admit much water, wa-ter, as the sea was very calm. To finish ,thf work, the submarine discharged a torpedo and the vessel negan to sink. "Some hours aftertf-arfl we encountered a heavily-laden boat, which was leaking. We took aboard five women and four children in order to lighten it. Lemberti then took it in tow, not permitting more passengers to crowd into our boat. "When the sun disappeared we saw a black spot on the horizon and all the survivors became greatly excited. It was not another submarine, but the steamer Pluton. which had seen our signals and rescued us about 7 o'clock in the evening. even-ing. Later it headed for Bizerta, after bavins circled the vicinity of the spot where the Ancona was torpedoed and rescued res-cued other survivors who were in boats. The Pluton's captain placed the crew at the disposal of the survivors to aid those who were suffering. "I dia everything possible In the way of first aifl to the wounded, whom we were bringing back on the Ancona- All trios1 wounded men, except those saved bv the Pluton, remained on board the Arjcona and went down with her. "We arrived at Bizerta about U o'clock, but remained aboard the Pluton. the officers placing their cabins at - our disposal. At S o'clock the next morning we reached the arsenal at Sidt Ab Dallas, where a temporary hospital was created for us." Dr. Greil was on her way to her home In New York. Sp had been visiting the Russian consul and his family at Bah, Italy. A inong the Ancona passengers at Ferryville is Marquis Scerra, who was wounded in the foot by a projectile.