Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-10-28
4 japanese Torpedo Apparently
Tried to Ram Launch in Which
Was Baron Ksmura.
HAD A VERY NARROW ESCAPE.
All Documents Relating to the Peace
Negotiations Had Been Takes OF
Before the Accident l."

seattle, oct 27--What appears 70
have been a deliberate attempt to MUIR
dor several members of the Japanese
raare commission I'm the harbor OF
yokohama is graphically described in
, letter to a high government Official
I'M his city, brought on the steamship
Minnesota,
The letter comes from source that
seems 10 insure tho truthfulness Of the
news It was written by woman
prominent IN social circles and tells how
"a Japanese torpedoboUt cndeavorcd,
while running at full spede, to collide
with and sink the launch upon which
fine paace commissioners We're leaving
An. steamship Dakota to go ashore.
"SucN an exciting time az there was
vrou our arrival You know, several
members of the peace commission wer"
on h0hrd o. course, .hc doctors
launch was the first TO come alongside,
m. doctor came aboard ana the launch
pughed off TO make room for a Japa,
r,sp tOrpydoboat, which took her place.
oAll the documents pertaining to the
urace settlement were taken off and the
,oruedobuat then swung out just far
enough TO allow the doctors launch to
come TO the gangway with difficulty.
The peace commissioners then went on
board this launch and all went below
except Mr.. Denson, who stood and
chung to the cabin rail,
"The torpedoboat shot away to-
ward "a battleship about mile distant,
and the launch, instead Of starting to-
ward Yokohama. around our bow, start
ed out of the harbor
oVhen she had gone a few hundred
wards second torpedoboat, which had
been laying off the stern OF the Dakota,
was seen to start up and TO our horror
shot past us at full speed, the water
NvIug ON each side OF our bow, and
roInted straight for the launch that the
commissioners were aboard. Another
launch was between them and she was
grazed along her side but the commits
sioners launch was hit in the bow and
the entire bow knocked off. The bow
post swung out two feet from placc,
while AN the side timbers forward were
smashed
81 saw one man from the launch ny
into the air and come down between tho
tWo boats. | saw his head IN the water
as the Two boats swung together. |
thought he must be crushed, but he was
rot and must have been saved
"rho torpedohoat stopped at what
looked Ike so feet or more beyond the
launch. while the launch FIRST struck
went 10 the assistance Of the disabled
boat II there had not been the first
collision to throw the torpedoboat of
her course little she would have
lammpl pt full speed into the middle Of
the launch, just whore the cmmission-
crs We're. IN the cabin. AS Il was, the
launch. which looked az II she
would go to the bottom every moment,
was able to proceed to Yokohama, two
other launches keeping alongside,
$50 far we have no rumor from the
shore. but to all passengers, It appears
10 be the most fragrant thing they have
ever seen
IAN this took place outside the break
water, as word was sent out that there
was not room for the Dakota TO enter
'he inside harbor until the Minnesota
should sail this afternoon, Baron Ko-
mura Is expected TO arrive here on the
18Th and we are wondering what sort OF
c reception he will receive