Evening star., 1915-03-31
Leon C. Thrasher One of H.
Fated III Aboard Steamer
FaIaba.
SHARP ISSUE RAISED,
SAYS LONDON PAPER
No Report Has Been Received by the
State Department in
Washington.

LONDON March S1.-Leon chester
Thrasher, an American citizen, was
among the III persons who lost their
lives when the British steamer Falaha
was torpedoed last Sunday by Ger
man submarine in st. Georges chan
nel. He was an employe Of the Broo-
massie Mines Company and had been
sent to the gold coast.
Thrasher had an American passport,
and In the form he was required to fill
out before embarking described him.
self as an American citizen. but gave
no American address. Inquiry at the
offices of the company in London elicit
ed the information that nothing had
been heard from Thrasher.
German Reveals Intention.
Passengers rescued from the Falaba
say that when the submarine ap-
preached the steamer the German cap
tain shouted in English through a
megaphone: Il am going to sink you.
The Daily Mail, in an editorial in con-
nection with the drowning of Thrasher.
says that the question whether the
Washington government will permit a
belligerent to destroy an unoffending
passenger ship, carrying an American
citizen, without giving that citizen any
opportunity to escape, Is raised in it's
sharpest form.
Lived in Massachusetts,.
NEW YORK, March 31-Leon Ches-
ter Thrasher, who was among the Fall
aba's passengers who perished, lived in
Hardwick. Mass. before going to Eng
land. His mother, Mrs. NJ. L. Thrasher
lives there now.
The Eastern Dillon Company. bankers,
OF this city, transacted business with Mr..
Thrasher and received from him a
number of letters from time to time,
the last being written at Plymouth
England. February IS. The firm did
not know whether he was an American
citizen, but thought that he was
Some of Mr.. Thrasher's letters to his
mother. II was said, were forwarded to
her through the firm. In one of these
letters, written early in the year, MIR.
Thrasher said he had finished with the
Gold Coast, and thought he would re-
turn to Hardwick within short time.
Word to His Mother.
You can expect to see me within two
or three -ponths," was the word he sent
his mother, as recalled by a representa-
tive of the banking firm.
Little is known here of Mr. Thrash
er's personal affairs. The bankers had
corresponded with him at intervals,
they said, while he was out of the
country, and on one occasion had
transmitted to him money sent from
abroad for him to go to the Gold Coast.
Il was thought that he was unmarried.
In his last letter to the firm Mr..
Thrasher wrote: You can write me at
- Cartwright Gardens street, Pancras,
Il \
given by Thrasher when he filled out
the passport form in England.
Was Born in Hardwick.
HARDwICK. Mass, March 31.--Leon
chester Thrasher. one of the passen-
gers whose lives were lost when the
British steamer Falaba was sunk by
German submarine off the coast of
Wales last Sunday, was citizen of
the United States. He was born in this
town in 1854.
This was established today by his
mother, Mrs. Mary L. Thrasher Leon.
she said. was the second of four chill
dr.n.
Leon Thrasher lived here until 1901
when he went to Springfield to learn
the nschinist's trade. After complet-
ing his apprenticeship he became a
travelling ma ster mechanic, his work
taking him TO many parts of the world
States he went to Alaska. and later
70 continental Europe.
Received Letter Friday.
Nrs Thrasher received letter from
her sou last Friday, in which he wrote
that he would sail from Liverpool on
the Falaba for Broomassie. Africa
where he had obtained a position as
master mechanic in the mines.
The next she heard of him was when
she read OF his death in this morn
ing's papers.
The Thrasher family has appealed
70 Washington 70 learn the circum-
stances of the death of Leon. Mrs
-ustin N Thrasher of West SPRING
Ald communicated by long distance
tephone with Representative Fred
fck H Gillett, who. she said, prom
ed to cable Ambassador Walter Hines
pase at London, asking the latter for
:: complete report on the death Of her
hrother-in-laU.
G