Omaha daily bee., 1915-07-01
SUBMARINE SINKS
A MULE SHIP OFF
BRITAIN; 2S LOST
Nearly Score of Americans Aboard
Vessel Sent to Bottom by Ger
man subsea U-Ss in Eng
lish Waters.
WAS VESSEL WAR TRANSPORT :
Not Known from Information
Whether U. S. Muleteers Sailed
at Own Risk.
BOUND FROM NEWPORT NEWS

WASHINGTON. June S0.-The
Dominion freighter Armenian. fly
ing the British flag and carrying
mules from Newport News, to Eng
land was torpedoed and sunk on
Monday night by the German sub
marine U-3S off Cornwall, England,
and nearly a score of American mule
teers were reported lost, according to
messages received by the state de-
partment today from Consul John s.
Armstrong. jr., at Bristol. Twenty
nine men in all we're lost and ten in
jured.
Creates Sensation.
The news created q sensation in official
quarters, as It was the first casa Of loss
of American lives since the sinking OF
the Lusitania.
The gravity OF the incident. however.
and the action OF the Washington govern
ment depends almost entirely on whether
the Armenian was chartered by the
British government and was in fact,
transport of war. aboard which Ameri-
cans would sail at their own risk or
whether It was an unarmed merchant
vessel
In the latter case. even carrying con-
traband, the ship should have been sub
jected to a visit and search and those
aboard transferred to ap lace OF safety
before the destruction OF the vessel was
attempted.
Officials silent.t, n
In the absence OF Official iAforinatipn'
on these points officials declined 70 say
what effect the sinking OF the Armenio
would have on pending negotiations be.
tween the United States and Germany
The Armenian was torpedoed at sos
p m. June 2s. twenty miles northwest
OF Trevose Head. Cornwall. England
Consul Armstrong at Bristol reporting. /,
The names Of the missing Americans
are;
w. WILLIAMSON, address unknown. +,
5. Nj n. NSHsIEss dRANBEsRRx, Rsx aiis washington
| street. Montgomery. Ala.
g r, SUTTON. SsrteEyillEe. Cart, TdlE Va
- BROWN. a cattle ship carpenter. HAr-
r. ii. BROOKS. OR WEST, chief fire
man; naturallzed American, London.
Consul Armstrong; message said:
"The Dominion line steamship Ar
menian was torpedoed and sunk at a.
m. on the 2Sth, twenty miles west by
north OF Trevose Head. Cornwall, by the
German submarine. U-Ss. Twenty-nine
lost and ten injured, The following
American horse attendants missing"
Hero the message gives the names of
the missing Americans.
Second Message.
| A second message from Consul Arm
strong gave the following list Of negro
muleteers. also missing:
Julius Henry, king William. Val J.
Smith. Portsmouth; Wall. Foley. Little.
llNewport News; King. Small, Rlckert
and Oakes. Norfolk"
The consurs message adds that DR.
Wise and three negro muleteers, reported
TO have been picked up by the Belgian
trawlsr. Prof. Stevens, and transferred
TO two destroyers at noon yesterday.
were brought into Bristol last night.
This apparently removes DR.. Wise from
the list of missing. which the consul gave
In his dispatch.
State department officials Immediately
set afoot an inquiry to determine
whether the Armenian was sailing
merely as a freight vessel carrying con-
traband cargo. or was under charter 10
the British government The interest OF