Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-10-23
German U-Boat Claims
First Victims From Unit
ed States War Forces;
Antilles, HON eward
Bound, Is Blown Up and
Sunk.
SUBMARINE ELUDES
DESTROYER CONVOY

Washington, D. c., Oct. 2o.-The
German U-boat has claimed its first
victim from Americt's war forces.
Within twenty-four hours after an
American destroyer had been disabled
In an under-sea attack, q torpedo
crashed into the engine-room bulkhead
OF the homecoming transport Antilles,
and sent her to the bottom of the sea,
with the loss of seventy lives Sixteen
soldiers and several enlisted men Of
the navy were included in the sub
mersible's. heavy loss. There were
237 men on board the Antilles.
VICTIMS NAMES LACKING.
Administration officials are awaiting
with profound interest application of
the meager details cabled to the navy
department by Vice-Admiral Sims.
Names of the great majority Of the VIC
TINS are lacking, the official dis
patches giving only those of four naval
seamen and three engineer officers Of
the transport
It is impossible as yet to Ascertain
the identity of the casualties among
the crew and soldiers The list cannot
be completed until the muster roll
made up at the French port of en-
barkation can be compared with the
roster Of survivors.
SINKS ALMOST INSTANTLY.
Relief was general in official circles
over the fact that the vessel had met
her fate while homeward bound and
not on the way over with q largo mum.
Der of troops aboard. Had the 1ac.
cessful attack been delivered while the
Antilles was on her trip to France. tho
loss Of life probably would have been
appalling. She was struck in vital
spot and plunged below 30 swiftly that
but comparatively few could have eur.
vived. -
DANIELS STATEMENT.
Secretary Of the Navy Daniels aus,
thorized the following statement last
night in regard to the loss Of the
Antilles:
The department is in reoeipt Of
a dispatch from Vice Admiral
Sims, which states that the 8. 8.
Antilles, an army transport, was
torpedoed on October II, while re.
turning to this country from for.
I eign service This vessel was M
der convoy Of American pS*rol
vessels at the time.
Antilles was not seen, nor was
the submarine which fred it. The
torpedo hit abreast of the engine
within five minutes.
One hundred and sixty-seven
persons out Of 237 on board tho
Antilles were saved. About seventy
men are missing.
All the naval officers and officers
Of the army who were on board
the ship at the time we're saved,
as we're the officers OF the ship.
with the exception of the follow
ing:
Walker, third engineer officer.
Boyle, junior engineer officer.
O'Rourke, junior engineer officer.
The following enlisted naval
personnel were lost:
Kinney, E. l., seaman, second
class; next Of kin, Thomas M.
Kinney, father, Water Valley,
Miss.
Hunt, J. w, seaman. second
class; next Of kin, Isaac Hunt,
father, Mountain Grove, Mo, r
No. 2, Box ~.
Ausburn c. L., radio electrician.
first class; next OF kin, II. Aus.
burn, brother. $500 Louisiana
avenue, New Orleans, La.
Watson, H. F., radio electrician,
third class; next of kin, Mrs. w.
L. Seger, mother, Rutland, Mass.
There were about thirty-three
of the army enlisted personnel on
board, of whom seventeen were
saved. The names OF the missing
of the army enlisted personnel
and Of the merchant crew of the
ship cannot be given until the mus
ter roll in France of those ON
board has been consulted.
AS soon as the department is in
receipt of further details concern
ing the casualties they will be
made public Immediately.
MINISTER IN ARMY WORK.
Davenport. Oct. 19.-Rev Frank
Cole tho DOpT11ar naStOr Of ST TOhp's