One of the first official acts with reference to the loss of the Lusitania was the impaneling, on May 10, of a coroner’s jury at Queenstown to fix the responsibility for the death of the passengers whose bodies were recovered and taken to that place. The inquest was conducted by Coroner John Horgan. The coroner’s proceedings were comparatively brief, and were concluded with the return of the following verdict of the jury:
“THE CRIME OF WHOLESALE MURDER”
“We find that the deceased met death from prolonged immersion and exhaustion in the sea eight miles south-southwest of Old Head of Kinsale, Friday, May 7, 1915, owing to the sinking of the Lusitania by torpedoes fired by a German submarine.
“We find that this appalling crime was committed contrary to international law and the conventions of all civilized nations.
“We also charge the officers of said submarine and the Emperor and Government of Germany, under whose orders they acted, with the crime of wholesale murder before the tribunal of the civilized world.
“We desire to express sincere condolences and sympathy with the relatives of the deceased, the Cunard Company and the United States, many of whose citizens perished in this murderous attack on an unarmed liner.”
CAPTAIN TURNER’S TESTIMONY
Captain W. T. Turner, the Lusitania’s commander, was the chief witness at the inquest.
The Coroner asked the captain whether he had received a message concerning the sinking of a ship off Kinsale by a submarine. Captain Turner replied that he had not.
“Did you receive any special instructions as to the voyage?”