The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-01-16
With a Party of Five on Board
Including Three Women.
LAST HEARD OF HER
Was on January Third at Mouth
of the Mississippi,
When She Started to Coast as
Far as Pensacola.
Daughter of Mayor Taggart
Was of the Party.

Louisville, KY, Jan. 16.-There seems
TO be every reason to believe that the
naphtha yacht Paul Jones, which lett
Louisville December Z with a pleasure
party of prominent society people, pouno
for Pensacola, Fla, and other ports III
southern waters, has gone down IN
gale in the Gulf of Mexico with all Oh
board. The party consisted OF Colonel
H. c. Yocum and daughter, Miss Yocun'
and G. NJ. Yocum, all of St Louis; MISS
Florence Taggart, daughter of Mayor
\Taggart of Indianapolis, and Miss Mar
gerie Woodland of Chicago
Deck hand John Barry and Engineer
Badgley were the only two members OF
the crew of four known in Louisville
The last heard from the yacht was
when it left the mouth of the Mississippi
river on January 8. 1t was the plan OF
Colonel H. c. Yocum, under whose dl-
rection the yacht was sailing, to coast
along the various ports between the
Mississippi's mouth and Pensacola,
Fla, where it was the intention of the
party to make a considerable stay. Ac-
cording to weather reports received at
the local bureau the yacht encountered
a storm three days out.
NOTHING CAN BE LEARNED.
The relatives of those on board are
In a terribly perturbed state of mind on
have been telegraphing every port on
the gulf coast where it is thought the
slightest chance of information could
be obtained No word of the missing
craft had been learned. Tugs have put
out from a number of ports in search
of her.
The craft was the property of Mr..
Lawrence Jones of this city. He pur-
chased it in the east, where it had been
especially constructed for pleasure
cruising. 1t was launched here about
the middle of the summer.
Mr. Jones offered the use of the craft
to Colonel Yocum for a winter cruise in
southern waters. The three young la
dies of the party were schoolmates. just
having completed school last June. 1t
was for their especial entertainment
that the party has been gotten up.
About midnight Mayor Taggart, in
response to query, wired from In
dianapolis as follows:
--latest I have is what Mr.. Lawrence
Jones says, that they left the lighthouse
at the mouth of the Mississippi on Jan
uary 8 for Pensacola, since which time
nothing has been heard
'TAGGART."
A telegram from Mobile, Ala, late to-
night said:
TELEGRAM FROM MOBILE.
There are no new particulars to be
obtained regarding the reported loss of
the yacht Paul Jones. Tugs have been
sent out of southern ports, and all ship
ping people have been requested to keep
a LOOKOUT Tor the missing boat, but no
tidings have as yet been received. Yes
sells arriving report that severe gales
have been blowing for the last few days
on the gulf. They say the winds have
been very strong for several weeks. E1v-
cry means is being taken to find some
trace of the yacht"
1t is barely possible that the Paul
Jones put in during the gale at a point
along the coast where there is no tele-
graph office, hence no tidings.
The Paul Jones was one of the finest
pleasure yachts of her size af1oat being
60 feet in length, 10 feet beam and feet
draught. A 20-horse power gasoline en-
gine in the center of the boat furnished
the power to turn the single screw pro-
peller in the rear. Fuel for 200 miles
was carried. The interior of the four
cosy cabins was finished in mahogany
and plate glass mirrors and these We're
changed to sleeping rooms much as a
sleeping car is changed from a coach to
a sleeper at night.
The complete equipment and hand
some decorations made it veritable
floating palace.
ly powerful engine and screw made this
yacht as speedy and seaworthy as it
was possible to construct
BAD LUCK FROM THE START.
When the yacht left Louisville a quick
trip to New Orleans was expected and
would have been made had all gone
well. However, she sustained a num-
per OF accidents which held her up at
"
seemed to follow her persistently
While the boat lay at Elizabethtown
ILL.,, one night a fire broke out in the
gasoline room about 12 O'Clock. while all
were asleep. One of the crew was awalx-
ened by the smoke and succeeded in
arousing all on board. The flames were
only eXtlnguished after a hard fight
This detained her considerably over
time.
A short distance below Memphis the
boats machinery became disabled and
she was forced to tie up quite a length
OF time. There were also one or two,
other minor accidents before the Cres-
cent City was reached.
In addition to all this Col. Yocun had
much trouble with his pilots.
SEARCH BEGUN
Indianapolis, Jan. 16.-A News special
from Washington says: At the request
OF senator Fairbanks the secretary of
the treasury has ordered the cutter
Winona at Mobile to go to sea fmmed-
lately in search of the yacht Paul Jones
thought to be in distress between New
Orleans and Pensacola, Fla
NO WORD AT NEW ORLEANS.
New Orleans, Jan. 16.-Although there
has been diligent inquiry all morning
off points the gulf coast not a word
has yet been received here regarding
the fate of the yacht Paul Jones,
STILL NO TIDINGS.
Washington. Jan. 16.-Nothing is
known at the treasury department
about the naphtha launch Paul JoneS
whose supposed loss in the Gulf of Mex
dco has been reported by the press. Can
tain kimball of the life saving service
has sent out orders to the gulf stations
20 report anything that can be learned