The Irish standard., 1907-03-16
Victims OF BLAST
MAY NUMBER 1S4
OVER HUNDRED MEMBERS OF
GREW OF FRENCH BATTLE.
SHIP ARE MISSING.
SEVENTY KNOWN TO
HAVE BEEN KILLED
Entire Town Of TouIon In Modrnino
as Result of Awful Disaster
Charges Of Naval Graft and In.
efficiency Are Made.

as Result Of Awful Disaster
Charges Of Naval Graft and In.
efficiency Are Made.
Toulon, France, March 14.-M.
Thomson, minister of marine, arrived
here Wednesday morning from Paris.
The roll Of the battleship Jena, on
which the disastrous explosion oc-
CURED Tuesday, was Immediately call
ed and 407 men responded to their
names. Those of the crew who are
Slightly injured are quartered tempo
rarily in the naval barracks. Twenty
four officers and engineers also are re-
ported to be safe, and besides there
are A of the crew lying in hospitals,
seriously injured.
AS the officers and crew numbered
$50, it will thus be seen that in addi
tfon to 70 known to be dead, 1853 are
not accounted for, but the naval au.
thorities consider it probable that a
large number Of these have sought
refuge with relatives or friends in
Toulon.
Later in the day Al of the missing
men turned up, leaving lis unaccount-
ed for or killed. The entire town is
in deep mourning. Crowds are gath
cred at the gates of the arsenal and
docks, anxiously awaiting the account.
ment of the names of those who lost
their lives in the explosion.
Afterpart Completely Destroyed.
Minister of Marine Tomson, who
was accompanied by his staff, upon
his arrival here consulted with the
port admiral, after which he proceed
ed to the scene of the disaster All
around the Missiessy dry dock were
strewn pieces of shells and the store
shed and other buildings in the vicin-
ity were pierced in many places. The
afterpart of the battleship is complete.
lly destroyed, the plates being unriv-
leted everywhere aft.
Minister Tomson, with small par.
ty, boarded the hulk of the Jena
whose forepart was found to be almost
Intact. The minister remained on
board an hour watching the work of
the men who were with difficulty re-
moving the bodies and parts of bodies
and transporting them ashore.
Later the minister questioned the
Officers who escaped and obtained
their views regarding the causes of the
disaster. He then visited the injured
officers and others in the hospitals and
serving.
Ship Total Loss.
The Jena will be a complete loss.
its entire after section has been dam.
aged beyond repair. The dry dock will
be emptied, the wreck shored up, and
the bottom of the dock searched for
bodies.
Capt. Adigard, commander of the
: battleship, and Capt. Vertier, chief of
staff of the Mediterranean squadron,
were among the killed. Six of the
wounded men in the hospital died
Tuesday night.
A telegram of sympathy on the Tou.
Ion disaster has been received from
King Edward, who is at Biarritz.
Press Makes Graft Charges.
Charges Of naval graft and ineff1.
cheney are made against the naval au.
thorities in connection with the dis,
aster. 1t is pointed out by the Paris
press that the Jena horror is only the
last of series of disasters, two tor.
pedo boat destroyers and cruiser
having been lost within the last two
years. Gross negligence is charged
and astounding revelations are limited
at.
1t Is noted as a strange coincidence
that the day that M. Casimir-Perier
was elected president powder mag
azine at Toulon blew up, killing 400
persons. His death yesterday coin,
cided with Toulon's latest catastrophe.
Story by AdmiraI's Orderly.
An orderly of Rear Admiral Man.
ceron, who was cut, bruised and blood.
stained, said Of his experiences:
Rear Admiral Manceron's quarters
are above the magazine. was in the
dining-room when the first heavy
shock occurred. The quarters were at
once filled with acid fumes and chok.
ing smoke. rushed to the rear of the
admiral's cabin, where he sat awaiting
his coffee. I saw that he was wound
ed. and I shouted to him to run. After
that l don't know what happened. l
lost my senses and did not regain con.
seriousness until the rescuers found
me-"
Wealthy Farmer Found Dead.
Bloomington, ILL.,, March 14-H. L..
kerrick, one of the wealthiest farm.
ers of central Illinois and an exten.
Bive breeder and exhibitor of Aber-
deen.Angus cattle, was found dead in
bed Wednesday morning. Heart dis.
noeo uoc tho caueo of death Mr. Ko~