"BETTY"THE SAVED THE LIVES OF 38 CREWMEN OF A TORPEDOED SHIP.

By Wilbur S. Forrest UPI Correspondent.
London July 20, 1915.
Thirty eight members of the crew of the British cargo
steamer Caucasian, torpedoed off the British coast,
owe their lives to a diminutive Pomeranian dog.
The story was told today at headquarters of the
National Canine Defense League where Captain
Robinson of the Caucasian was awarded a silver
medal for saving the life of the dog and consequently
the crew.
The Caucasian was torpedoed after a submarine had
pursued the vessel for an hour. While the crew was
swarming into the boats Captain Robinson handed
"Betty" his wife's ten month old Pomeranian dog to
the second mate directing that the animal be placed
in a life boat. The mate handed "Betty" to a member
of the crew who accidently dropped her overboard.
When the captain entered the boat he saw the little
dog swimming toward the submarine. He
immediately jumped into the water and swam about
a quarter of mile. When he reached the dog he placed
it on his shoulder and was surprised to find that he
was within a few yards of the submarine. The
German officer of the craft, standing on the deck,
addressed him in imperfect English.
"I had made up my mind to blow up your lifeboats
because you did stop your ship, but I will not do so as
a reward for your brave swim to save your little dog."
Captain Robinson swam back to his lifeboat and the
submarine proceeded on its search for other victims.
The crew were picked by the British steamer
Inglemoor but immediately were forced to take again
to their own boats as the submarine returned and
torpedoed the Inglemoor.
Captain Robinson with his dog, and crew, were finally
rescued by another steamer and landed in Benzance.
Correspondent Wilbur S. Forrest is one of the London
staff of the UPI bureau, he was in charge of the
Cleveland bureau of the United Press up to the time
of his transfer, early in 1915, to the other side.
Forrest was the first American Correspondent to
reach Queenstown after the Lusitanian was
torpedoed and his graphic story gave the American
press a splendid picture of that disaster.
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