The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-06-12
Fate of Middies and Sail
OrS Is Unknown.
WERE INALAUNCH
When Last Seen and are Believed to
Have Been Drowned in the
Waters of Hampton RNads.

Norfolk, Va, June 12.-Six young
midshipmen who came ashore late
Monday night in small boat from
the battleship Minnesota, lying in
Hampton Roads, to attend ball at
the jamestown exposition grounds, to-
gether with five seamen, are missing.
The missing are; Midshipmen Field,
Ulrich, Holden, Murin and Stevenson,
Of the Minnesota, and Midshipman
Holcomb, Of the battleshlp Connecti-
cut.
The five missing seamen are; r. H.
Dodson, seaman. II. l.. Van Dorm, or.
dinary seaman. F. r. Plumer, ordinary
seaman. G. w. Westphal, fireman,
first class. Jesse Conn, coal passer.
The Minnesota's launch left Discov-
cry Landing at the exposition grounds
shortly after midnight and the theory
of the officers Of the feet is that the
launch struck something and went
down and that all were drowned.
It was stated authoritatively here
last night that the naval officials have
absolute knowledge OF the identity OF
steamer which ran down the launch
OF the battleship Minnesota in Hamp-
ton Roads and that the arrest of the
crew of the steamer is expected TO fol-
low.
Last night the monitor Flerida
found cape ahoat in the roads which
has been identified as that which was
worn by Midshipman Ulrlch Monday
night. Lieut.. Randall, of the marine
corps, who was included in the first
list of missing, has arrived in Wash.
ington. He did not take passage on
the Minnesota's launch as had been
supposed
Washington, June 12.-The loss at
one time of six midshipmen fresh from
the academy at Annapolis, Md, and
coxswain and four other enlisted
men attached to the battleship Minns
sota-11 men altogether-as reported
to the navy department Tuesday was
one of the most severe blows that has
fallen upon the navy since the Spanish
war.
The navy department last night re-
ceived a dispatch from Rear Admiral
Evans in command of the feet at
Hampton Roads. which says:
"A ditty box belonging to fireman
Of the Minnesota's missing launch has
been picked up a6oat near Berth No.
q and ! am forced to conclude that
the launch with all on board Is lost.
Have ordered board of investigation"
Midshipman Henry c. Murfin, jr.,
was a native of Ohio and a member
Of the second class at the naval acad-
emy, Like the others, he had been
sent aboard the battleship Minnesota
for a summer course of instruction
Philip II. Field was a .midshipman
from Colorado who belonged to the
first class of the academy.
Midshipman Walter G. Ulrich, OF
the second class, was from Wisconsin.
w. n. Stevenson, OF North Carolina,
was member OF the second class and
Henry l.. Holden, of Wisconsin, was a
member of the same class.
Midshipman F. p. Holcomb, OF Del
aware, was member of the second
class.
Naval officers at the department re-
called many perilous passages be.
tween ship and shore in these little
steam launches. But the general
opinion was that, with careful man.
agement the launches would weather
almost any kind OF a storm.
The conclusion was reached that
either on account OF the lateness OF
the hour Of the, return trip the Mime
sofas launch in her haste had been
driven hard into the heavy sea that
prevailed In Hampton Roads, or that
the little boat had been run down by
some of the giant tramp steamers that
make use of the roads as refuge in
time OF storm