Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-06-20
LIVES
LOST; STEAMER
SINKS LAUNCH
Dead Include Six Midshipmen
Fresh From Naval Academy
...Five Enlisted Men.

Washington. ID. c., une 13.-The loss
at one time of six bright young mid
shipinen fresh from the academy at
Annapolis and a boatswain and four
enlisted mel attached to the bnttleship
Minnesota-eleven men all together, as
reported briefly to the navy department.
yeSterday-waS n of the most severe
blows that has fallen upon the person.
mel of the navy since the Spanish wal,
In the estimation of tbs officials.
Evans Gives UP Hope.
The navy department has received n
dispatch from Rear Admiral Evans. in
command of the United States fleet at
Hampton Roads, which say US:
"A ditty box belonging to fireman OF
the M%innesota's missing launch a
been picked up atloat near berth q. and
l am forced to conclude that the launch
with all on board is lost. Have ordered
board of investigation. Steamer seen
at exposition pier about midnight last
night"
List Of Dead Seamen.
Admiral Evans telegraphed that the
five missing seainen are:
Il. IL. DODSON, IN
H. l.. NANDERNf. ordinary sea-
r. r.. PLUMBER. ordinary seaman.
G.. w. WESTPHAL. fireman. first
class.
JESSE CONN. coal passer.
Identity of Lost Midshipmen.
Because of their youth and very re-
cent entry into the laval station the
young officers who We're lost were not
widely known outside of the naval aca-
deny.
Midshipman Henry C. Muffin. jr..
was a native of Ohio and a member
of the second class OF the naval acad-
envy. Like the others. he had been
sent aboard the battleship Minnesota
for a summer course OF instruction to
afford the practical education neces-
sary to supplement the theoretical
work at the naval academy.
Philip II. Field WAS a midshipman
from Colorado, who belonged to the
first class OF the academy.
Mldshipman Walter G. Ulrich. of
the second class. was from Wis
consin.
Midshipman w. II. Stevenson. of
California, was Il embe of the sec
ond class, and Henry l.. Holden, of
Wisconsin, was a member of the same
class.
Midshipman +. p. Holcomb. second
class. was attached to the Connecticut
and took passage on the Minnesota's
missing launch. He was n member of
the naval academy from Newcastle,
Del. His father. Thomas Holcomb. ia
employed as a clerk in the comptrol-
ler's office at the treasury department.
First News in Pross Reports.
The first news of the calamity
reached the department through the
Associated Press dispatches from Nor
folk. A wireless message was dis
patched from the station at the Wash
ington navy yard directed to the fleet
lying in the road, inquiring into the ac-
curacy Of the report. Within a halt
hour the answer came from Admiral
Evans and it ~dissipated the last hope
that had been cherished that the report
might be untrue.
In the opinion Of the officials of the
department Admiral Evans had de-
layed sending this sad message until
he had exhausted every means of find
Ing a "a of the missing men.
Sailors Cling to Hope.
Sailors at the navy department said
there; was always n chance that the
launch had merely broken her machin-
cry and going adrift without control
in the very strong ebb tides that swept
out to sea with her crew and passen-
gers still safe.
The following information was re.
ceived from the flagship Connecticut
bearing on the accideat.
Launch from the Minnesota lost last
night about 1890 o'clock a. m. while
returning from the exposition pier. SIX
midshipmen m the launch's crew OF
five enlisted men are thought to nave
been drowned. Caps of two midship.
men We're found floating in the har.
Dor tonight. No survivor to give de.
tails. Indication that launch was rur
down BY a steamer"
The father of Harley Van Dorne is
c. l.. Van Dorne. of Cedar Rapids, Ia
Nm prnprcc I'M roo