Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-31
marine REGIMENT
IS OFF: FOR HAITI


/
the authorities here from time to time.
Scion Menos, the Haitian minister to
washington. was Q visitor to the State
Department today In search Of informa-
tion, having received no advices from
his capital. France has not made rep
reservations to the Washington gov
eminent In regard to the entry Of the
French legation, but the French secre-
| ment for information.
seamen Killed by Shippers.
Gompers and Whitehurst were killed
Thursday night during an attack from
| the south OF tho city, as a result OF
sniping from tho brush in the out
skirts. Gompers was q nephew Of
Samuel Gompers Of Washington. presi-
dent OF the American Federation of
Labor. He lived at 107 Stockton street,
e bnrooklyn, N. Y. Whitehurst lived at
6oS Clay avenue. Norfolk, Va. Both be-
longed to the seaman battalion Of the
cruiser Washington.
Gompers was twenty-three years old.
he enlisted In the navy at the age Of
OF his first term of servive. He served
on board the cruiser Washington, sta
TONED at Vera Cruz last year. He had
also served on the battleship Idaho
HIS mother in New York received last
Monday a letter from him containing
his pay check. He had been her sole
support. Mrs. Gompers is widow,
and the bureau of navigation tele-
graphed her as follows:
commander of cruiser squadron re-
ports that William Gompers. seaman.
was killed in action at Port au Prince,
Haiti. on the night Of July g. You
have the sincere sympathy OF the bu-
reau in the loss of your son. Telegraph
bureau OF medicine and surgery dis
position of remains.
VICTOR BLUE"
Whitehurst was seventeen years old.
the son Of G. NJ. Whitehurst, a Norfolk
barber. He IL survived by a large fam
lily. He joined the navy a year and a
half ago, and dispatches from Norfolk
say he was last at home Thanksgiving
day.
The men were members of q patrol
and were shot from ambush The at
tackers were beaten OF without having
approached closer than the outskirts of
the city. No other United States troops
were killed or wounded, and the loss
OF the attacking forces was not re-
ported.
Admiral Caperton's message report
Ing the killing of the men gave few
details. It showed. however. that he
had been warned Of the intention of
some Haftfans to attack the city and
early in the evening Capt. E. L. Beach.
Washington. who had been assigned
by Admiral Caperton to command the
United States forces ashore, moved his
men out to the edge Of the capital to
meet the attackers. leaving guards to
maintain order in the town.
Soldiers and Civilians Disarmed.
Tho Haitian soldiers and civilians IN
the city had been disarmed to prevent
sniping from houses. It was at 8
o'clock Thursday evening that the shots
from the attackers began on the out
skirts of the city. the bluejackets from
the Washington, including Gompers
ana Wh1tehurst, bearing the brunt of
the fighting. From the brush beyond
the last houses the snipers opened fire,
which was returned and the snipers
driven OF. but not before the United
states forces lost the two seamen.
In his first message after his arrival
at Port au Prince, Admiral Caperton
askned for reinforcements. He suggest
as 1t is very hot at Port au Prince, and
Admiral Caperton said he does not
want to keep the 400 men he now has
on patrol and shore duty all the time
ed to patrol the city and surrounding
district Of the city adequately. He
asked that the additional marines be
sent on the cruisers North Carolina or
Tennessee. which are fast ships, this
indicating that he wanted the addi
tional men quickly and expected diff
culties
1t was said at the department, how
ever. yesterday afternoon. when 1t was
announced that Admiral Caperton had
asked for reinforcements in the first
place, that the two fast cruisers he
suggested were not available for sea
Immediately. The department then or
dered the battleship Connecticut, at the
Philadelphia navy yard. made ready to
sail today.
The Navy Department issued the fol-
lowing statement:
Statement Of Navy Department.
"At the request of Rear Admiral
Caperton, now in command of the
forces exercising military control of
Port au Prince, Haiti, for the protec-
ton of lives and property in that city,
the following reinforcements have been
sent him:
The U. s. S. Connecticut, Capt. E. H.
Durell commanding, has been directed
to proceed to Port au Prince without
delay. A regiment of marines, about
500 in number, will be embarked on
the Connecticut. and will be under the
command of Col. F. X. Cole, L. S. NJ c.
Upon the arrival Of the Connecticut at
Port au Prince the marines will be
disembarked and the Connecticut will
return for necessary maneuvers In the
Atlantic fleet"
Admiral Caperton's Report.
Admiral Caperton's report was para
phrased In q statement by the Navy
Department as follows:
admiral Caperton reports from Port
au Prince that owing to report that
the town would likely be attacked dur
ing the night that he made DISPOSE
ton of his forces for defense at pm.
Attack from south about 8 pm. Shipping
from brush in outskirts of town. Two
killed in the seaman battalion, none
wounded. Successfully repulsed attack
Maintained quiet and order in interior
of city throughout night"
NEWS DEPRESSES PRESIDENT.
Officially Informed Of Killing of
IT g SaiIors hv Hoifiona