Mr.
ISAAC LEHMANN, Saloon Class Passenger
[No Picture Provided]
Isaac Lehmann, 36, had three brothers, Diland, Martin, and Henry. Per
Hickey/Smith, Isaac was a New York buyer of United States Government supplies.
According to Hoehling/Hoehling, Isaac was an export broker. According
to Preston, Lehmann was an equipment manufacturer, and he was on the Lusitania
hoping to secure further contracts with Allied countries. Lehmann's
cabin on the Lusitania was D-48.
Early in the voyage, Lehmann was disappointed that the ship was traveling
so slowly. He asked First Officer Arthur Rowland Jones the reason
for the ship's lackluster performance and was told that they were not running
all the boilers because "the crew was picked up here and there as they
could get them, and they were very scarce over in Liverpool at that time."
On the night of 6 May, Lehmann was present at George Kessler's party. Also in attendance
were Charles Lauriat, Theodate Pope, Edwin Friend, and Frederick and Mabel Pearson. Staff Captain
Anderson also made an appearance where Kessler asked Anderson if the passengers
were ever going to be drilled for the lifeboats.
"That is that Captain's decision" was all Anderson could say.
The talk of submarines had so thoroughly unnerved Lehmann that he spent
all night, completely dressed, in his stateroom.
The next day, 7 May, Lehmann was smoking with Maurice Medbury in the
smoking room when the torpedo hit. To him, it sounded like "a blast
in the subway or a cannon." He then exclaimed to Medbury, "They've
got us at last! Let's go outside!"
Suddenly frightened, Lehmann then said to Medbury, "Let's get away
from here."
The two men rushed towards the deck as debris came crashing down on
the the roof of the verandah café. Lehmann never saw Medbury
again.
Lehmann then hurried back to his D Deck stateroom for a lifejacket
only to find it gone. Then, he flung open his dress suitcase and
pulled out a revolver. He thought, "this would come in handy in case
of any body not doing the proper thing."
On his way to the boat deck, he met up with his steward William Barnes
and ordered him to fetch a lifejacket. Lehmann stood impatiently,
waiting, until Barnes returned and Lehmann fastened the lifejacket. By
this time, water was surging along the starboard side and flooding onto
C Deck.
On reaching the Promenade Deck, the wet Lehmann was met by Purser James
McCubbin and Dr. James McDermott. Lehmann saw the two men walking
the deck and calmly puffing on cigarettes. Lehmann then asked why the
two men were not at the positions and they replied that "there was not a
chance that the ship would go down, that I should remain calm, and said I
was very foolish to have my lifejacket on."
Not believing what was going on, Lehmann then told the men that "it
was better to be prepared" and made his way to the Boat Deck, portside.
He reached the Boat Deck and saw that lifeboat #16 was gone. He
then looked aft to lifeboat #18. Forty women and children were sitting
in the boat and an ax-wielding seaman was nearby.
With the Lusitania's bows plunging underneath the water, Lehmann
demanded of the seaman, "Why aren't you putting this boat into the water?
Who has charge of this lifeboat?"
"It is the captain's orders not to launch any boats."
Furious, Lehmann took out his revolver and waved it in plain sight
of everyone. He shouted, "To hell with the Captain! Don't you
see the boat is sinking? And the first man that disobeys my orders
to launch this boat I shoot to kill."
The seaman did not argue any more and swung the ax to release the pin
holding the boat. Due to the list of the ship, the lifeboat swung
inboard, crushing passengers on the collapsibles, and smashed those standing
on deck against the smoking room bulkhead and windows. Lehmann was thrown
down on the deck and lost his revolver. He could hardly believe what
had just happened. Those on the collapsible had either been killed or
maimed by the runaway boat. Lehmann also felt a stabbing pain in his
leg and saw blood streaming from it.
The crew regained control of lifeboat #18 and were easily lowering
it when a man in the boat stood up and shouted, "Don't you drop this boat!"
Just then the crew lost control and lifeboat #18 threw its load into
the water.
Lehmann then grabbed onto a nearby rail, but the water "commenced coming
over the smokestack" and washed him "right off the deck and into the ocean."
The water probably did not come over the smokestack, but most likely
was swirling around the ventilators.
In the water he found a baby next to him and he and another man lifted
the baby onto a steamer chair floating by. The two men managed to
keep the baby alive for an hour-and-a-half, but eventually the child succumbed
to exposure.
First Officer Jones managed to pull the 200-pound Lehmann into lifeboat
#15 and they were picked up by the Peel 12 before being transferred
to the Flying Fish.
When they got into Queenstown, the captain would not let anyone off
the boat until he received clearance from the proper authorities. Lehmann
found the wait "just as hard and difficult as it was to get saved from the
Lusitania." While in Queenstown, he stayed in the Queen's Hotel
and was asked to share a room with three men. Lehmann also received
"nothing to eat at all."
By mistake, Isaac's brothers Diland and Martin were named on the
Sunday, 9 May 1915 New York Times as also being on board.
Contents of a letter Isaac sent to Henry at the latter's address
of 39 West 34th Street, New York City was reported on page
4 of The New York Times, Tuesday, 25 May 1915.
Contributors:
Michael Poirier
Judith Tavares
References:
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.
The New York Times, Sunday, 9 May 1915.
The New York Times, Tuesday, 25 May 1915, page
4.
Preston, Diana. Lusitania: An
Epic Tragedy. Berkeley Books, 2002.
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