The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-06-14

Launch and EsOdics-Gcncral OD;n
ion il That Craft Was Run DOwI
by Stcamcr-TclcSram From Pres
idcnt and Mrs. Roosevelt.
Washington, June IA dispatch
from Rear Admiral Evans requesting
that the next of kin te informed that
the 6iX midshipmen and the five en-
listed men Of the Warship Minnesota
previously reported q: missing, were
undoubtedly drowned, was made pub
lie at the navy department today The
dispatch adds that the uniform caDes
OF AIidshipmen Stevenson and Ulrich
have been picked up.
Admiral Evans late.' telegraphed the
navy department that the boats of the
fleet were dragging the waters for the
missing launch and bodies of the elev-
en- victims and that the board is in
vestigating the catastrophe. The ad-
miral also stated that the general
opinion was that the launch had been
run down by steamer.
Baltimore, June ia telegram ex-
pressing the shock and grief of Pres
1dent and Mrs. Roosevelt at the news
of the disaster in Hampton Roads
yesterday was written by the presi-
dent on tbs train and sent from Bal
timOre as follows:
Rear Admiral, r D. Evans, care
navy department, Washington, D. c..
eve are inexpress;bly shocked and
grieved by the news of the disaster
Theodore and Edith Roosevelt"
Norfolk, Va, June ia report
came ashore from the warships at the
exposition grounds this afternoon to
the effect that piece of canopy, pre-
sumably part of the covering of the ILL
fated launch Of the battleship Mime
sofa, which was lost Monday night
with eleven men, had been brough up
from the waters depths by the battle
ship Alabama's launch.
Dragging in the roads is in progress
and it was while engaged in this
search that the piece of canopy was
brought up. Divers will be sent down
at the spot where the piece of cano-
py was found.
The hats of several seamen have
been brought to the surface. They
bear no marks but are supposed to
have belonged to the seamen aboard
the launch.
Officials coming ashore from the
fleet said that the missing launch had
been given up as lost. The only hope
for the men now is that some of them
may have been picked up by outgoing
vessels but this is improbable as they
would likely have sigraled Cape Hen
ry that they had these men aboard
One report today was that the Min
nesota's launch being run down by
tug and coal barge which the form
er was towing. The report did not
give the name of the tug Or barge.
1t IS said, however, that the tug stop
ped IN the roads Immediately follow
ing the accident but finding no trace
0 the object which had been struck
Or any sign of life or anything in the
water. resumed it's course with the
coal barge in tow.
The presumption is that the launch,
a small craft, sank immediately in the
darkness of the stormy night, the
eleven occupants being caught in their
canvas covered craft with no possible
way of escape and carried to the bot
tom drowning like rats in a trap. 1t
was raining and the chOppy seas were
sending spray to such an extent that
it became necessary for those in the
launch to have the canvas covering
buttOned tightly to the sides of the
little vessel.
There was an opening. on each side
of he canvas for the passengers to en-
ter and leave the launch, but both Of
these. it is believed, had been button
ed down Immediately upon the launch
leaving Discovery landing at the James
town exposition pier shortly after mid
night, and the little launch was max
ing rapidly through the heavy seas
for the battleship Minnesota when she
was suddenly struck and sent to the
bottom in several fathoms of water
The only opening in the canvas
which covered the launch is suppos-
ed to have been in the front, just