The Washington herald., 1907-06-13

Norfolk. Va June l--The mystery of
the loss Of the launcn from the battle
ship Minnesota with six midshipmen and
five seamen. remains as dark as the
stormy night en which the tragedy oc-
Cured. A swarm Of United States Sc
cret Service agents is az work az the
Hampton Roads port seeking possible in
formation regarding vessels that could
have run down the launch The report
that the Navy Department is in posses
sion of The name of a vessel. tug with
coal barge. or any other kind OF vessel
which ID is radically certain ran down the
launch. and that the captain and crew
of the vessel win be arrested as soon as
the vessel touches az the uort whence i
is bound. yet lacks confirmation
The shores 0f Hampton Roads and
those contiguous are beins Tatrolled for
bodies Of the victims. and dredging for
the bodies and launch has commenced
from the pier from which the launch
started TO the Minnesota. No floats from
the launch was reported to-day Had
the launch been run down by d large
vessel. it is regarded as probable that
( those aboard the larger vessel would not
/ have known OF it,
launch Way Have Overturned.
Col cast and several others expert in
matters marine expressed their belief
that the launch was not in collision. but
probably was overturned by a sea or ht-
striking a shosL Col Oast said that all
I the excursion steamers from this port
had come I'm from the Roads long before
the launch left the exposition grounds.
and therefore. none of them could have
coilided with the launch
Search was made for two men from
the torpedo boat destroyer WurdeR. who
/ left that vessel az "a. m yesterday IN
a small launch and proceeded 10 Newport
I News. There they had some trouble
with their engine. and. repairing 10 as
( best they could. started on the return for
the Worden. 'ying Off Pine Beach, near
I the jamestown exposition grounds
The two men were located here tonight.
They are Charles S Flint. machinists
mate. and II. Miller. seaman The launch.
becoming disabled drifted far up the
river. and was towsd back here
/ No information has been received by
I the Navy Department. 20 clear up the
mystery surrounding the less of q steam
launch from the battle snip Minnesota.
/ ln-8 telegram received uv tine Navy Do
pdrtmeut last night from Rear Admiral
/ Rubisv II. Evans commanding the fleet
I o. which the Minnesota is attached Es
/ acknowledged that he had been unable ID
get any facts I'm addition On these r.
/ ported Tuesday. which were entirely
/ lacking 20 details Of the supposed TRAGEDY.
/ The caps of two midshipueu We're found
. aaaat. and Admiral Evans asked ths the
( depa rtHl, ~ inform the families Of the six
midshipmeu and five enlisted men that
undoubtedly all those in the laurch wegs
I lost. Second Lieut.. Z. y. Randall Of ths
Marine Corps. who was supposed % have
/ been y the missing launch. is alive AMI
we'll lie luckily missed tse launch Jr1
/ spent the night ashore.
Telegram from Evans.
/ The Secretary Of the Navy last night
received the following telegram from
Rear Admiral Evans:
/ NO information relative 10 loss Niu-
/ nesota's oficets and men than was re-
/ ported Tuesday. Launches from fleet
/ dredging bottom without results. SIX
/ midshipmen and five men missing. as re-
/ ported Tuesday. Opinion I'm fleet that
/ launch run down by steamship"
/ The message was iu response tn an in
/ quirv sent to Rear Admiral Evans by the
department asking him Co report results
/ in detail
/ Early Yesterday morning tie department.
made public the following dispatch r--
ceived late Tuesday night from Rear Adj
uiral Evans:
/ Request that Bureau Of Navigation in
/ form next of kin that six officers ana
/ five enlisted men, previously reported.
were undoubtedly drowned last night at
Hampton Roads. The uniform caps ot
/ Midshipmeu Stevenson and Tlrfch have
/ been picked no sioat this afternoon"
/ The notifications were promptly sent by
\ the Bureau Of Navigation Tn kilograms
! sent out late Tuesday night. the bureau
/ held out the hope that tine missing offi-
/ GERS and men might he found alive
All Hope Abandoned.
After Admiral Evans dispatch of Tues
day night was received. the bureau aban-
doned hope and proceeded To inform the
next of kin what the department was
/ prepared 20 Go in the way of sending
bodies TO the homes of the deceased.
| The information was also given that the
| bureau would wire any further inform3-
tion relating to the missing as it de-
/ velOped
The message received last night from
Admiral Evans. stating that the opinion
prevailed in the fleet that the Minnesotas
| launch had been run down by a steam
| ship. confirmed the theory that existed
| in the Navy Department Officers here
I have Contended from the first that the
| launch could not have Capsized. Admiral
Evans states that an inquiry has been or
dered and that the Roads are being
dredged. The responsibility Of conduct
| ing the search and inquiring into the cir
cumstances Of the case with a view 10
| fixing the responsibility is entirely in
the hands of Admiral Evans. No instruc-
tions have been sent him
Rear Admiral Brownson. chief of the
Bureau Of Navigation. went tc Hampton
Roads Tueday night on the regular Po-
tomaC River steamer, but his trip had
been planned before the accident occurred.
He will doubtless advise with Rear Ad-
miral Evans concerning the tragedy