The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-15
FIND LAUNCH with
! BODIES J ! ! ( OF VICTIMS. I )
CertainNow That1ll-fated
CraftWas Wrecked BY
Hitting Tow-Line
ERRICK WILL
LIFT i T TX O-DA.'Y
Feared That Stevenson and.
Ulrich Slipped Out of Opening
in Canopy Wen Made Des-
perate Effortlto Escape,
but All Per-
isl1ed.
DERRICK WILL

& NEWPORT NEWS. VA, juno IA
With canopy frame crushed but can-
vas still tightly fastened down, the
missing launch Of the battleship Min
nesota was located in twenty seven
feet OF water, about 1900 yards west
by south OF Fort Wool this afternoon
about o'clock. Across the little craft
was tell-tale piece Of towing line,
serving to convince the naval officers
that they are right III their theory
that the launch was run down by q
float OF some kind in tow Of q tug.
The diver who went down to examine
the launch. reported that the heads
and arms Of f#three men were protrud-
ing from beneath the canvas cover
ing; the men having made desperate
fight for life when they. were carried
down like rats in trap.
It will8be 5 o'clock tomorrow morn-
Ing before the launch can be raised
and at this time no. one knows how
many bodies will be found. It is be-g
.lieved that certainly nine Of the bodies
will be under the canopy; but the fact
that the uniform capes Of Midshiprnen$
3Ulrich and Stevenson were picked up
lin the Roads Indicates that those two
must have succeede led in getting free
from the boat before they We're
drowned. g,3. g "a ~ s3 d Z 81 81
Official Report Of Find.
Aboard the battleship Indiana to-
night Captain Hanan confirmed for the
Acc~ "a 1roa t1,<, rrtr rr th15< 7y
ing OF the launch. He said that all
the facts had been wired to Washing
ton. and that an cialsreport would
be given out Eto-morrow. Searchlights
from all tho Amer lean battleships are,
plyia g upon tho spot. around which
two floating derricks, the naval ! tug
Potomac, end ha'S a dozen launches;
and cutters are anchored n; VI
"a diver Is W at the bottom Of the
Roads, placing the cables with which
the derricks will aise the launch Or.
fleet are waiting anxiously for tho
raising of the boat.
The Search at nm End.
The ill-fated boat was found by the
launches OF the battleships Ohio and
Iowa. who were dragging over q.
course laid out by officers. "a diver
from the Indiana was sent down as
soon as possible and before darke
ness had settled over the Roads siH.5
nails from ship to ship announced that
the search which had been in progress
since Tuesday was at an end. In look ::
Ing for the boat the officers proceeded
on the theory that the launch when
Fit left the Exposition Grounds at mid 3
night Monday started for the battle-.
ship Connecticut to put Midshipmans
Holcomb aboard that vessel. to which
he belonged. Y
It was supposed that tho boat was
run down somewhere between point
where she would have started across
the main channel and the battleship5
Connecticut. There the find was made,.
the spot being several hundred yards
from where the Connecticut was
anchored. and n short distance from
the French squadron. "a s 81
New FORK, Philadelphia and Norfolk car.
float passed through the Roads short-l
ly after midnight Tuesday morning.,
bound from Cape Charles for Norfolk.
The float arrived at Norfolk about 3
o'clock Tuesday morning and Is be-
lieved to have been directly off the ex-!
position grounds at the time the launch
went down in the same place
Ran Into Tow Line.
AS far as the diver could tell. the
hull OF the launch was not damaged.
only the canopy frame being crushed.
This Indicates that the boat was not
In collision with q tug or other such
| sraft. Naval officers are convinced that
the boat ran into Il tow line and was
thrown under n square end barge Of,
Inoat.6S II this happened. the launch
must have been literally mashed be-
meath the water and its occupants. FIVE
midsl,lpmen and six seamen, had no
chance to escape. :}t
DIP EpAPIMG .EQP ..llII