Nicholas Naftel Alles, 50, was an auditor for the Hotel St. Regis Company. Although he lived in New York City, New York and had United States citizenship, he had an estate in England. He was on the Lusitania to hurry to the side of his dying mother. He paid $149.50 for his ticket, 46029, and cabin B-31. Alles survived the Lusitania sinking.
When the Lusitania was torpedoed, Alles was standing by the verandah café. He went down to his cabin to get a lifebelt. Then he went back on top and climbed to the funnel deck. At the time he thought that where he was was the safest spot on the Lusitania. He was washed off when the ship sank. Alles swam to an upturned boat.
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Monday, 10 May 1915, page 2:
“I had struggled aboard a life raft and about five minutes later we picked up Lady Allan, who had been battling bravely to keep afloat and was now ready to give up. We hauled her aboard and laid her down in the center of the raft. She remained there in a semi-conscious condition until we were picked up. What became of her two daughters I don’t know.
“I shall never forget those two hours of drifting. At times we were surrounded by bodies of the dead and always we could hear the dying shrieks of men and women in the water. We passed the bodies of several babies.
“In spite of the tragic situation those on board the raft joined in ‘Tiperary’ [sic, Tipperary] and other sonogs [sic, songs]. We sang to keep up heart.”
They were rescued by the “Greek” Katrina, the British SS Westborough in disguise.
Alles died in New York City in 1932. His wife, Katherine died in 1959.
Related pages
Prichard Letters: Letter from M. Alles dated 21 June 1915
Contributors:
Paul Latimer
Michael Poirier
Judith Tavares
References:
Cleveland Plain Dealer, Monday, 10 May 1915, page 2.
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