1915-05-08is

“Foreshadowing a tragedy with rumors fully as stirring as those surrounding the two great maritime disasters during recent years – the loss of the Titanic in 1912 with about 1,500 lives, and the sinking of the Empress of Ireland a year ago, when over a thousand were plunged to death in the waters of the St. Lawrence – the message that flew over the wires from New York to this city early yesterday afternoon agitated Hamiltonians to an unprecedented depth.”¹

¹ “Messages of Rescued to Hamilton Friends : Unfortunately They Have Been Few and Worst id Feared.”

Hamilton Times. May 7, 1915.

When word reached Hamilton that the huge passenger ship, the Lusitania, had been torpedoed and sunk, it did not take very long to determine approximately how many Hamiltonians were aboard that ship. Certainly friends and family were aware of loved ones that had booked passage on that ship. Also, the local firm, Heming Brothers, steamship agents had a clear idea of the official rolls of those who had purchased tickets to cross the Atlantic on the ship.

What was frustrating was trying to learn the fate of the Hamiltonians named as passengers:

“With over a score from here on board the Lusitania, the news carried double significance and anxiety to the thousands who picked up the newspaper extras, an anxiety mitigated for a time when an early rumor had the boat’s submersion twelve hours after being ripped by German torpedoes and a later dispatch that all had been saved. Authentic reports towards midnight dispelled those, however,, and when this morning’s dispatches came to light, even the hope that the death roll would be small was abandoned.”¹

From shortly after noon when first news of the Lusitania attack until well after midnight, the offices of all three Hamilton daily newspapers were besieged both by telephone calls and by huge crowds gathering outside their buildings. Knowing that the newspapers received telegram notices constantly, citizens clamored for the latest on the disaster.

The most prominent citizens of Hamilton known to have booked passage on the Lusitania were Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Young .

They had purchased tickets on the speedy liner as soon as they had learned that their son, Lieutenant J. V. Young, had been wounded in a battle in Western Europe and was recuperating in an English hospital. The Youngs had encountered great difficulty in getting tickets for the passage on the Lusitania but managed to do so and had quickly took a train from Hamilton to New York City to get on board shortly before the big ship pulled away from its dock in that city.

By Saturday, May 8, 1915, two days after the incident, the local newspapers were able to confirm that 30 Hamiltonians had been aboard the ill-fated, with another three reportedly on board. Only ten rescues had been made known to that point:

“The shock of the terrible disaster has resulted in the usual overloading of wires and dispatches with personal messages and press dispatches, and confusion has resulted.

“The Herald offices and the offices of the Cunard agents and the railways in Hamilton were besieged all  yesterday afternoon and late into the night by enquirers.

“The scenes following the disasters of the Titanic and Empress of Ireland were not repeated, though, the blow seeming to lose some of its force following the big losses the nation has had to stand since the war commenced. But there are heartaches in many houses .”²

² “Many Hamilton People Anxious Over Relatives”

Hamilton Herald.   May 8, 1915.

The newspapers all sent reporters to the homes of those known to have been on the Titanic to both try to get pictures of those individuals and also get reaction from loved ones:

“”There were many pathetic scenes  in homes visited by Spectator reporters yesterday. In many cases, relatives of those aboard were inconsolable with grief, even when assured that the information the newspapers had at that time indicated that few, if any lives had been lost.”³

³ “Great Disaster Has Filled Many Homes in Hamilton With Frightful Anxiety”

Hamilton Spectator.  May 8, 1915.

One well-known Hamiltonian, Robinson Pirie, had been confirmed as being saved. Mr. Pirie was a buyer with the Sanford Manufacturing company.

Hamilton Mayor Chester Walters did not chose to react quickly to the news of Lusitania disaster:

“This morning Mayor Walters stated that he had been asked by several prominent if he did not think that the city should hold a mass meeting of protest and pass resolutions to be forwarded to the president and secretary of state of the United States.

“His worship does not think this would do any good and would only show weakness. It is not likely such action will be taken here.”²

By Monday, May 10, 1915, the number of Hamiltonians who had been on the Lusitania had been lowered to 23, with only five of those confirmed as being saved.

Rumors were rampant and exact information was difficult to nail down.

Such was the case with J. M. Young, the manager of the Hamilton Cotton Company and his wife:

“The only word acme in a cablegram to Ian Young, their son. The message was from Mrs. A. B. Osbourne, wife of Dr. Osbourne. She cabled Mr. Young to the effect  that she saw his father and mother jump into the sea with life belts just a minute before she herself jumped. There is still a faint hope that they may have landed at some isolated spot.”⁴

⁴ “J. M. Young and Wife Jumped Into Ocean With Life Belts Just Before Lusitania Sank”

Hamilton Spectator. May 10, 1915.

The ultimate fate of Mr. Young was still definitively unknown when several of his employees and the Hamilton Cotton Company made a decision:

“Colonel Ashton, commanding officer of the 26^th battalion, was sitting in his office at noon on Saturday when someone knocked for admittance. He opened the door and found five men, in civilian dress, standing at attention.

“ ‘Where’s the recruiting sergeant, sir?’ inquired the spokesman.

“ Out just now,’ replied the colonel.

“ ‘We want to enlist,’ was the explanation in chorus.

“ ‘Where do you come from?’ asked the colonel.

“ ‘Cotton company, sir,’ said the speaker for the party. ‘The boss was on the boat. We are here and we are ready.’

“The ‘boss’ was J. M. Young, president of the Hamilton Cotton company, who, with his wife was aboard the Lusitania. They are reported as probably lost.

“The men thought so much of the ‘boss’ that they are willing to chuck their jobs, determined to go to the front and avenge his reported death.

“This little incident reflects the spirit with which the British people are meeting the challenge of the murdering Huns, and incidentally it is as fine a tribute as a man of Mr. Young’s worth could have paid to him.

“The cotton mill president’s popularity with his men was impressed upon a Spectator Reporter who visited the mill at the noon hour today and found groups of employees seated on the grass outside. They were a unit in paying tribute to the kindly acts of the ‘boss.’

“ ‘Mr. Yong was the type of man who was well-liked and respected by the ordinary employees.’ Said one man.”⁵

⁵ “ ‘Boss Was On Board and the Men Want Revenge”

Hamilton Spectator.  May 10, 1915.

(To Be Continued)