Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-06-12
DROWNED?
Launch Of Batt|eship Min
nesota Is Missing
With Five Midshipmen and a
Crew Of Five Sailors.
Left Exposition for BattIeshlp After
Dance and Disappears.


landing II TIE Exposition grounds
shortly after midnight last night in a
launch Minnesota, are missing. and it
| is believed that the launch with the II
| men on board has gone to the bottom of
| HAMPTON Roads. The men are Mid
shipmen Philip II. Field. VIM. II. Stew
| enson. Franklin p. HocOmb, II. l.. Hol-
den. Henry Clay Murfin, Jr., Walter
Carl Ulrich; Seamen r. H. Dodson,
Frank T.. Plumber, Harley L. Van
dornc, George w. Westphal.
A box belonging to the firemen's
launch was found floating near here TO-
day and. as the last seen of the launch
was when it pulled out of the EXPOSE
tion pier officers of the fleet gave up
all hope Of ever seeing the men. The
six midshipmen, accompanied by Lieut..
d. Nj. Randall, came ashore last night
in the launch of the Minnesota, to at
tend a BAN on the Exposition grounds.
| 1t was after midnight when the party
got away on the return trip.
Tonight the monitor Florida found a
cape ahoat in the roads which has been
| identified as that which was worn by
Midshiman Ulrich last night. Lieut..
tIdlluSlll VI tIlt vi WIN NftS
included in the first list of missing, has
arrived safely in Norfolk. He did not
take passage on the Minnesota's launch
as had been supposed.
WI lie the launch carried a good sized
party, no one has been found who can
say how many occupants the launch con-
| tanned.
The coast on all sides of Hampton
Roads is beirg patrOlled tonight for bod
| les that may possibly wash ashore. The
police of the surrounding cities ana towns;
| and tile Powhattan Guards at the James
| town Exposition have been asked to as
sist in the search for those known to be
missing.
Naval officers are tonight using every
effort to ascertain who was in the launch.
| A number of men are reported missing
| from the various ships. Men have been
detailed to search Norfolk. Portsmouth.
Newport News and vicinity. The vessels
of the feet are keeping in constant inter-
communication by wireless telegraph.
At midnight the following information
was received from the flagship Connecti-
| cut. bearing on the disaster in Hampton
Roads last night:
/ lAllllcH lIOul liz 4IlllllCFc'tb 49, i'A''S
night about 1870 A. NJ while returning
| from, tie Exposition pier. Six midship-
men and the launchs crew of five are
thought to have leen drowned. Capes of
| two midshipmcr We're found floating in
| the harbor tonight. No survivor to give
absolute details. Opinion is that launch
was run down by a steamer"
| Because of their recent entry into
| the naval service the young officers
who We're lost We're not widely known
| outside Of the Naval Academy. Mid
| shipman Henry Q. Murlin, Jr., was
| native Of Ohio. and member OF the
| second class at the Naval Academy.
| Phillip H. Field was milshipman
| from Colorado who belonged to the
| first class of the academy Midship-
| man Walter G. Ulrich, of the second
| class. was from Wisconsin. w. H
| Stevenson Of North Carolina, was q
/ member Of the second class. Henry l.
| Holden Of Wisconsin,. and f. p Hol-
/ comb Of Delaware We're members OF
| the second class.
| Midshipman r. p. Holcomb was at
| tachr:l to the Connecticut ana is sup
| posed to have taken passage on the
| Minncsota's missing launch. He was
| appointed to the Naval Academy from
| Newcastle. Del.
| The five missing enlisted men are:
| r. II. Dodson, seaman; II. l.. Van
dornc, ana +. r. Plumber. ordinary
| scamen; g. W. Westphal, fireman
| first class, and Jesse Conn, coal passer
The loss was one Of the most severe
that has ever fallen upon the personne
IIF -. GYsg.t nf
| calamity reached the navy depart
ment through The Associated Press
| Dfapatchcs \ wireless message was
dispatched from the station at the
| Washington navy yard direct to thG
fleet lying in the Roads. inquiring int
| the accuracy of the report. Within q
half hour a reply came from Admira
| Evans ana il killed the last hope that
| had been cherished. The navy depart
| mcnt tonight received a dispatch from
| Pear Admiral Evans which says:
| "a ditty box belonging to the fire
man Of the Minnesotas missing launch
has been picked up afoat near berth
- ard therefore it was concluded that
| the launch with all on board was lost
Have ordered board Of investigation
| Steamer last seen at Exposition pier
about midnight last night"
| In the opinion of the officials Of the de-
partmcnt Admiral Evans had delayed
sending the sad message until he had eX-
hausted every means Of finding q trace
| of the missing men. For the sailors at
the navy department said that there was
| always n chance that the launch had
fmere1y broken down her machinery and.
| going adrift without control in the very
| strong ebb that swept through the roads.
had perhaps gone out To sea with her
crew and passengers still safe There was
also the chance that, having been run
down by some big steamer the men hal
been hauled aboard while the launch had
| gone down. In either event ii was thought
news would have been received before 4
o'clock when Admiral Evans made his
report.
TORNADO IN ILLINOIS.
i nunoin Anain Vicited-Aeauv Dan,