Dr. HOWARD LOWRIE FISHER,
Saloon Class Passenger
[No Picture Provided]
Dr. Howard L. Fisher of Washington, D. C. was on his way to France
to help his brother-in-law establish a hospital somewhere in France. His
sister-in-law Dorothy Conner, a Red
Cross volunteer from Medford, Oregon, was accompanying him on the Lusitania.
The two knew Marie Depage of Brussels
and they had considered teaming together at La Panne to help with Dr.
Antoine Depage. During the voyage they had made acquaintance with
their table companions, militant British suffragette Margaret Mackworth and her father,
David Alfred Thomas, a Liberal British Member
of Parliament. Dr. Fisher's cabin on the Lusitania was E-50.
Dorothy and Howard had arrived very late for lunch that Friday. Margaret
Mackworth and D. A. Thomas, were finishing a cup of coffee. D. A.
Thomas was teasing Dorothy about the statement she had made earlier. Margaret
and D. A. then excused themselves as Dorothy waited for Howard to finish
his lunch.
Then the torpedo hit. Howard and Dorothy went up to A-deck portside
to see what was the matter when Margaret Mackworth joined them, asking
if she could stay with them until she sighted her father. They then
saw a lifeboat go almost perpendicular, spilling out half its load. The
boat, however, did not capsize and the remaining occupants scrambled back
aboard.
Howard, realizing that he and Dorothy didn't have lifebelts, went back
down to fetch them. As he left, the ship righted slightly and an
authoritative voice boomed, "The gates have closed and the ship is not
sinking." Dorothy and Margaret laughed and shook hands and Margaret
said, "I guess you've had your thrill[.] "
Howard tried to go back to his and Dorothy's rooms on E Deck, but when
he went below decks he discovered that E Deck was already submerged and
D Deck was rapidly flooding. He could only grab the lifebelts from
D Deck after wading though deep water.
Upon reporting the rapid flooding of the ship, Returning to A-deck
where the ladies were, Dorothy and Margaret saw that Howard was wet.the
three decided that they would have to jump ship. The lifeboats were
being lowered with too much difficulty and many of them were spilling their
loads. Howard squeezed though an open space on deck, and Dorothy climbed
over the rail to jump. Margaret was hesitant and was swept off the
ship when the water rose up to meet her.
Dr. Fisher was able to find and upturned boat that was in danger of
being swamped. Luckily, another collapsible boat had drifted out
from underneath to redistribute the mass of humanity clinging on for their
lives. Actress Rita Jolivet recognized him, and at the moment managed
a weak smile. Even though they would spend nearly four hours in the
water before being rescued, Dr. Fisher helped treat the sick and wounded
survivors. He was picked up by the S. S. Westborough, disguised as
a Greek steamer named Katrina.
Dorothy later told Lady Mackworth that Howard was well in Queenstown
before parting ways. Lady Mackworth and D. A. Thomas went home to
Wales; Dorothy and Howard continued on to work on the battlefields of
France.
Howard's brother was Walter I. Fisher of Chicago, who was known
by the Plamondons and once a Secretary of the Interior.
Contributors:
Michael Poirier
Judith Tavares
References:
Ballard, Dr. Robert D. with Spencer Dunmore. Exploring
the Lusitania. Warner Books, Inc., 1995.
Hickey, Des and Gus Smith. Seven
Days to Disaster. G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1981.
Hoehling, A. A. and Mary Hoehling. The Last Voyage of
the Lusitania. Madison Books, 1956.
Preston, Diana. Lusitania: An Epic Tragedy.
Berkley Books, 2002.
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