Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-07-01
When Peace Seems Certain
Germans Spoil 1t by
Sinking Liner.
TWENTY AMERICANS
ARE BELIEVED LOST
If Ship Was Unarmed Seri-
Gus Problem May
Develop.
xAIAsHINGTON. Juno sO-Tho

XNTAsHINGTON, juno SO-The
w Dominion freight liner Armen-
ian, flying the British flag and car
rying mules from Newport News, Va.
to England, was torpcdoed and sunk
on Monday night by the German
submarine U-2S Off Cornwall, Eng
land, and nearly score of American
mulcteers aboard are reported lost,
according to messages received by the
state department today from Consul
John s. Armstrong, jr, at Bristol,
Twenty-nine men were lost and ten
injured.
The news created sensation in Of
fcial quarters, as it was the first case
of loss Of American lives since the
sinking Of the Lusitania, The gravity
of the incident, however, and the
action of the Washington government
depends almost entirely on whether
the Armenian was chartered by
British government and was in fact
a transport OF war, aboard which
Americans would sail at their own
risi, or whether she was an unarmed
mcrchantman. In the latter case,
even though carrying contraband, the
ship should have been subjected to
visit and search and those aboard
transferred to place of safety before
the destruction Of the vessel.
Seek More Details.
In the absence Of official informa-
ton on these points, officials declined
to say what effect tho sinking of the
Armenian would have on pending ne
gottatiOns between the United States
and Germany.
Immediate inquiry was directed to
Ambassador Page at London to Sc
cure more details and when Secretary
Lansing returns tomorrow Ambassa-
dor Gerard will be instructed to in
quire of the German admiralty as to
its report.
From the messages re eived it ap-
pears that in addition to the torpedo
at least one shot was fired from a
disappearing rifle. The consuls re-
port said the wireless was taken by
the second shot" 1t was not made
clear whether the Armenian was first
ordered to halt and resisted capture
requiring a second shot, or wheth er
the submarine attacked without
warning. The fact that the number
of the submarine was given indicated
that she had come to the surface to
make the attack.
Mules Contraband.
Mules are contraband OF war, ac-
cording to all the lists Of the bellig-
erents, so there can be no doubt as
to the contraband character of the
Armenian's cargo.
Officials will make an effort to
learn whether the vessel was armed
and whether she was a part of the
British naval forces before the opin-
ion of the state department on the
case will be disclosed.
a
telegraphed to President Wilson at
Cornish, n. H.. and Secretary Lansing
at AmherN, Mass, and it was consid-
cred probable that they would com
municato with each other while In
New England
Exact Number Not Known.
The message from Consul Arm
strong did not show clearly just how
many Americans were lost. In his
list of Americans missing he named
20 muleteers-6ight whites and IL
negroes, who were unaccounted for.
but later kilograms spoke of DR.. j.
s. Niso. Porto Rican. and three ne
groes as having been picked up by
submarine and other survivors by a
Belgian trawler and transferred to
two British destroyers. which brought
them into Bristol.
The list of missing as finally made
up tonight from Consul Armstrong;
reports included the following white
me":
J. NJ Monroe, New Orleans.
b. Nj. Cranberry Montgomery, Ala.
s r. Hutton, Cartersville, Va.
f. Williamson. New York city.
Hairy Stone, New York icty.
Brown, (cattle carpenter) Harris
burg. Pa.
Dr. j S. Viso. Porto Rico.
X. II. Brooks or West (chief fore
man OF mulers) London (naturalized
Americana