Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-06-12
Eleven Perish In BattIeship
 Minnesota'S s Launch.
SIX YOUNG OFFICERS DROWN
Pleasure Party to Jamestown fx
 hlbitiOn Missing.
COCKSWAIN AND FOUR IN CREW

Admiral Evans Message to Washing
 ton Department Says That a Ditty
 Dox From warship's Missing Motor
 Boat Has Been Picked Up AfIoat
 Near Norfolk, va., and He Is Forced
 to Conclude That All In Her Have Been Lost-was Last Seen at Expo sition Pier at Midnight.
 WASHINGTON, June 12.-A tele- gram received at the navy department from Rear Admiral Evans says:
 Minnesota steam launch after going to the exposition at late hour is still missing, and grave fears are entertain ed that she has been run down and sunk. She had crew of five men and as passengers six midshiEmen-P. H. Field, w. H. Stevenson, H. L. Holden, W. c. Ulrich, H. c. Murfin, IT,, and F.P. Holcomb. Search has been made, but without success. Z "A ditty box belonging to the Minne- sota's missing launch has been picked up afioat near here, and I am forced to conclude that the launch with all on board is lost. Have ordered board of investigation. Steamer last seen at exposition pier about midnight
 "The capes of two midshipmen were found floating in the harbor last night
 Admiral Evans telegraph says that the five missing seamen are R. H. Dod- son, H. L. yandorn, F. R. Plumber, G. W. Westphal and Jesse Conn. Midshipman F. F. Holcomb was at- tached to the Connecticut and is sup posed to have taken passage on the missing launch.
 The officers were returning to their ships from a dance given at the James, town exposition in honor of the An napolis and West Point cadets last night.
 The last positive information is that the launch with its party left Dis covery landing at the exposition grounds shortly after midnight. No one knows how many there were in the party or anything about the launch after 1t showed off from the pier. The night was a stormy one, and it is ex- pected that the officers at once went in the cabin of the launch to escape the weather. Naval officers think this might explain the reason some escap- ed if the launch was swamped or was cut down by steamer.
 The loss at one time of six bright young midshipmen fresh from the academy at Annapolis. together with a cockswain and four other enlisted men attached to the big battleship Minne- sota, eleven men altogether. is one of the most severe blows that has fallen upon the personnel of the navy since the Spanish war.
 In the opinion of the officials of the department Admiral Evans had de- layed sending the sad message until he had exhausted every means of finding trace of the missing men. Sailors at the navy department say that there is always a chance that the launch had merely broken down her machinery and, going adrift without control in the very strong ebb tides that sweep through the roads. had perhaps gone out to sea with her crew and passen- gers still safe. There was also the chance that, having been run down by some big steamer. the men had been hauled aboard, while the launch had gone down.
 Naval officers at the department re. called many perilous passages between ship and shore in these little steam launches But the general opinion was that with careful management the launches would weather almost any kind of storm.