The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-15
THAT OF MISS TAGGART
THE MAYOR IDENTIFIES THE BODY
FOUND AT CHANDELIER ISLAND.
IL VIII BE Taken to New Orleans To-
Day-StOry Of the Paul
Jones.

Just four months after the sad news OF the
loss Of the naphtha launch Paul Jones
reached indianapolis the Identification. of the
body OF Miss Florence Taggart, the beautiful
daughter OF Mayor Taggart. was made by
the father. A week or so ago there was
found on Chandelier island, on the gulf
coast. a body that had been cast up by the
sea. and, though the waters had done
much to efface the features of this beauti-
full girl, it seem that the mayor and Mrs.
Taggart found sufficient evidences TO satisfy
themselves that the body was that of their
first born. for last night the Associated
Press bore this brief message from New Or
leans: Mayor Taggart. OF Indianapolis,
who went down to Chandelier island to view
the body of the young woman found buried
there, identified 1t as his daughter who was
lost in the wreck of the Paul Jones. The
body will be brought to the city to-mor-
row."
1t was Sunday, May Is. exactly four
months ago yesterday, that Mayor Taggart
was called up by telephone by the Journal
early in the morning and informed of the
distressing report which had just been re-
ceived intimating that the Paul Jones, on
which Miss Taegart and a number Of school
friends were aboard for a pleasure cruise,
had been sunk I'm the Gulf of Mexico.
Wreckage had been found near Pensacola,
and this, coupled with the fact that moth
ing had been heard of the launch for a
week, caused great fears along the gulf
coast for the vessels safety. Shortly after
the launch, which had gone down the Ohio
and Mississippi rivers from Louisville. left
New Orleans TO enter the gulf and skirt the
winter resorts along the Mississippi coast
4. -.r1 L~-o. 80 roo1 TNna au-no
OF the launch, Mr.. Lawrence Jones, of
Louisville, believed the craft had been able
to breast the Storm or that IL had taken
refuge in some out-of-the-way inlet and
would be heard from later. Col. William
launch from his friend, Mr.. Jones, and had
on board as his guests besides his daughter,
Miss Florence Yocum, Miss Marjorie Wood
ultimate destination of the launch was
Bellaire, Fla Mr.. Jones and Mayor Tag
CART early that Sunday morning teie-
gulf coast and the next week found them
making a search In person along this coast.
Senator Fairbanks procured the assistance
of the government and a revenue cutter was
detailed to assist in the search.
For a long time there was no clew TO the
part of a hull, recognized as that OF the
Paul Jones, was washed ashore, and then
came the report of the finding of a pair OF
stockings with Miss Taggart's initials on
them. All this uncertainty added a great
deal to the distress in the Taggart family.
Experienced shipbuilders along the coast
We're satisfied from an examination of the
hull which washed ashore that the boat
had been wrecked by an explosion, and
that none of the people aboard would ever
be seen alive again.
Several weeks ago Mayor Taggart decided
to take his wife down to the gulf coast that
she might view the locality where her
daughter met such an untimely end. A
few days afterwards the finding of a body
on Chandelier island was reported, and this
FASTENED the trip. At the time the mayor
left here IL was thought that the body was
more probably that of Miss Yocum than of
Miss Taggart. After finding it the sailors
who came upon IL buried Ii. Chandelier
island Is off the Mississippi coast, directly
south Of Biloxi and about seventy miles on
a direct line east of New Orleans. 1t is
presumed the remains will be brought to
this city for interment.