The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1899-01-27
THE PAUL Jones BLOWN UP.
Remains of the Wrecked Vessel
Found by Fishermen,
NOT ONE ON BOARD SAVED.

MOBILE, Ala, Jan. 21.-Thc govern
ment Steamer Pansy touched at Biloxi,
Miss. ~ yesterday afternoon and re-
ported finding on Breton island part
Of the stern of the naphtha launch
Paul Jones, also. a. 'yawl boat
with bow smashed and other small ar
ticles from the launch. The condition
of the wreclSage tends to show that
the naphtha tank blew up and tore
the boat to pieces.
The Pansy met the Maud with Jones
and Taggert on board. The latter
visited the wreclage and identified it
as part of the Paul Jones. No bodies
were found. sta .f.@ek
The Paul Jones had the following
pleasure seekers on board:
Joseph Brinkman, Louisville.
Miss Florence Taggart, daughter of
Mayor Taggart of Indianapolis.
Miss Margerie Woodland, daughter
OF George Woodland vice president of
the Prairie State bank, Chicago.
Colonel Harry c. Yocum, st. Louis.
Miss Florence Yocum, his daughter.
The crew consisted of three men,
whose names are unknown. The
launch, which was owned by Law
renee Jones, a Louisville distiller, was
loaned by him to Mr.. Yocum, and left
Louisville December 8, for trip to
Florida She left New Orleans for
Pensacola, January 3. Since that time
nothing definite had been heard from
her until yesterday, although her loss
had been rumored since last Sunday.
News confirming her loss has been
brought by oyster fishermen, who have
known of it for more than week.
The launch exploded, they say, on or
about January 5, near Bird island, and
everything goes to show that all on
board were killed or drowned.
The boat was operated by a gasoline
engine, and it is now recalled that she
met with several accidents from fire on
her way down the river. tits regard
ed as certain that this engine ex-
ploded, but from what cause will prob
ably never be known. The force was
such that it not only blew off the pilot
house but split the yacht in two.
The men who brought this definite |
news are engaged in the oyster fish
cries off the east Louisiana coast. |
Last Friday they visited Bird island
and found lumber schooner ashore,
also a pleasure yacht near the island.
The latter, they say. was split in half
by an internal explosion. The men
boarded the yacht and explored her
cabin, breaking open the tru..I,s and
taking from them lot of fine female
apparel and keys and whatever other
property they discovered on board.
Although their discovery occurred q
week ago, the men did not come to
Venice, the nearest settlement, until |
yesterday, when they had to, to lay in
a supply of provisions. In Venice
they turned the keys over to the store
keeper by whom these facts were
made known.
The keys bear a tag inscribed
"Fletchcr & Co., Indianapolis. e The
taken from the trunk by the
men is that of Miss Taggart.
No bodies were seen by the men on
or near Bird island, but there is no
hope of anyone having escaped from
the wreck The Paul Jones had two
boats, One badly stove in was picked
up by the Marie Louise of Mobile
The other with Paul Jones painted on
her, was found by the Pansy off Biloxi.
The three relief expeditions ought
to reach Bird island to-day Two go
from New Orleans, the Zeta and the
Doullet, and one from Mobile, the
Maud Bird island is merely sandy
reef covered by coarse sea grass.