Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-06-15
Bodies Of Drowned HIdshIpmea
Beneath Canvas Covering Of
Little Craft.
FLOAT IN TOW RAN HER DOWN
Canopy Frame is Crushed, But Diver
Says Hull of Boat is Not Damaged.
This Confirms Theory of Naval
oHioers-Derr.cks Now Raising
Graft With lta Llfeless Passengers
and Crew.
(From staff Correspondent


surface of Hampton Roads, between
Old Point ami The Exposition
grounds. the nj .Ssing launch Of The
battleship Minnesota was found this
afternoon at 4:40 O'clock. From be-
meath the canvas covering of the
sunken boat the heads and arms OF
three dead men were protruding, Civ
giving grim evidence of the desper-
ate fight the occupants of the launch
made for life when they were carried
below the water like rats in a trap
Until the boat IL brought to tie sur
face tomorrow M CIc will know
how many corpses are covered by the
canvas canopy, 1t is believed. how
ever that at least nine bodies, and
probably those If al eleven ci the
men who we're in tho lar;:;n. VIII be
found.
Lost Monday Night.
Last Monday night, about midnight,
the Minnesota's launch started from
the Discovery Landing Vt tn Etu s:
ton, for the fleet Aboard were:
Midshipman Franklin p. Holcomb,
Herbert L. Holden. Walter G. Ulrlch.
Philip II. Field, Henry G.. Murfin and
William III. Stevenson; r. Fl. bod
son, seaman; II. L. Vadron ordinary
seaman: G.. w. Westfall, fireman.
first, class; Jesse Conn, coal passer.
When the launch failed to reach
the Minnesota Tuesday morning, in
curry WIS made. then Il set"Cn Was
begun and kept up without cessation
until signals from snip to ship this
afternoon announced that II was
over.
Officers Not Surprised.
No surprise was felt among the
officers and men of the fleet when
the launch was found. No idea that
Tie missing men could be alive had
been entertained for two or three
days, so the end OF the search came
as relief rather than as shock
Uniform capes belonging to Mid
shipmen Ulrich and Stevenson had
been picked up in Hampton Roads
and this fact, coupled with the con-
tinued absence of the launch. made
1t certain that the boat and its occu
pants had been lost.
Launches from the battleships Ohio
Rear Admiral Emory's flagship, anu
Indiana, were together. dragging the
bottom of the Roads. when the lost
boat was grappled. The admiral was
Immediately notified and boat was
sent from the battleship Indiana
with diver.
Before darkness had settled over
Hampton Roads it was known
throughout the fleet that the boat
had been located and that it probably
held the rodies of all the missing
men.
Preparing to Raise Launch.
AS soon as the diver reappearcd
a,,t
ders we're sent to the navy yard ut
Norfolk and the naval Tugs Potomac
and Rocket came to the scene. ac-
companied by two steam derricks.
No attempt was made to remove
the bodies from the launch and they
will all be brought up together to-
morrow morning. The diver is making
preparations now. and it is expected
that the derricks will do their work
about 5 o'clock in the morning.
A Strange Scene.
The launch was found at point
500 yards west. by south. from the
Rip.Raps. All during the night all
of the batteshiDs of the fleet played
their searchlights upon the spot,
which was marked by long boat
with red light. from which the
diver is working. and surrounded by
the naval tugs, steam derricks and
half a dozen launches. The reflection
from thousands of electric lights on
the Exposition grounds glowing upon
gloomy and low lying clouds. added
strange weirdness to the ,nusual
scene
In the divers boat are number
of officers, who are experimenting
the work of raising the boat
Captain Mahan's Statea,ent.
On board the lattleship Indiana,
Captain Mahan gave n Daily Press
representative a statement confirm
ing the report of the finding of the
launch. He said that ell OF the de
tails known at this time had been
telegraphed to Washington and that
the department. probably would give
out an official account tomorrow