South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-07-09
Ends Run of $40 Miles at
halifax After Crew Fights
Fire of Explosion and Then
Elements.
ANXI0USLY WAIT NEWS
ON EXPLOSION CAUSE
Search Being Made For Men
Who Drove Holt to Station
on Three Occasions For Ex-
pIOSiveS.

HALIFAX. y. s. July Creeping
through a fog that made navigation
difficult. the British liner Minnehaha
came into port at 1905 this after
noon. Her arrival here ended a run
of $40 miles that began Wednesday
when an explosion on board the ship
started and forced Capt. Claret to
turn toward Halifax and abandon his
voyage to England with $6,GG0.000
worth of munitions and supplies.
The early part of the $40 mile run
was made at full speed while the crew
fought and gained control over the
fire in the hold, but nearing the coast
the liner ran into a severe storm that
compelled Capt Claret to slow down.
The following dispatch from Capt.
Claret Of the Minnehaha was receiv-
ed at the office of the Atlantic Trans
port CO., at S:45 a. M:
Thanks for your wireless. FIRE
apparently steamed out. Think 1t
necessary to discharge some of the
cargo at Halifax. Investigate upper
orlop"
The reference to upper orlop" was
taken by the lines officials TO mean
that Capt. Claret believed il necessary
to ascertain the condition about the
upper orlop deck after removing part
OF the cargo. This message from
Capt. Claret was the third received
since the great liner was set on fire
wednesday afternoon by an explosion
which shipping agents -bPlieve-to TO have
been caused by a bomb placed on
board the ship by Frank Holt or with
the knowledge Of the dynamiter who
attempted tc kill j. p Morgan.
Lack OF direct news from the Min
nehaha during the early hours had
caused grave apprehension at the
Atlantic Transport offices.
Manager Is Silent.
G. w Thomas, assistant manager
Of the Atlantic Transport line. refused
to comment upon the possibility of
second explosion, caused by second
bomb or by the fire reaching the
great stores of war munitions carried
by the liner having sunk the ship,
but he admitted that he was puzzled
by the fact that Capt. Claret had
failed to send dispatches more fire.
quently.
IN the first radiogram announounc-
ing that the Minnehaha was on fire,
Capt Claret promised 10 keep the line
informed as TO the ships position.
His second dispatch was received
here shortly after noon on Thursday.
Then silence ensued. despite several
wireless messages of inquiry sent TO
the ships commander.
Press advices from Halifax brought
the information that the AIinnehaha
was expected there about noon. This
served somewhat to relieve the anXi-
ETY. felt at the offices of the line over
the $1,OO0000 ship, her $6.000.0O
cargo Of war munitions and supplies
and the $50 meI in her Grew. but at
the same time the Atlantic Trans
port officials were unable TO explain
how Halifax could learn definite de-
tails as to the Minnehaha without any
direct messages from Cart. Claret.
Federal authorities and the police
are anXiously awaiting the complete
report of the captain of the Minneha
ha to learn definitely whether the fire
on the liner was caused by a bomb
explosion or by the explosion of am
munition. If caused by a bomb. this
will confirm their belief that dyna-
miter Holt was responsible.
Look for Holt Chauffeur.
In the meantime a search is being
made for a man who drove Holt on
three occasions 10 the SyOsset freight
station for explosives. and on another
occasion was seen with him on a
train. The police say this chaffeur
is a man Of heavy build. with sandy
nalT ana uOTlQ com pieNlOns ana lndl
he is believed to have an intimate
knowledge of the motives inspiring
Holt in his crimes and of the persons
who supplied Holt with sufficient
money 10 carry out his plans They
are handicapped by having neither
the number OF his automobile nor any
clues as TO the locality in which the
Chaffeur lives.
Several officials n police headqUar-
ters are still going through a mass OF
correspondence and notes found in
Holt's rooms at Ithaca. y. Y, in
homes OF discovering something con-
y. .n- L.-L -. rlL- ELa- nr-L-