The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-04-30
Ten q. s. Gunners Missing OFF
TOrpedOed Ship.
Captain and Part of Crew Also
Believed Lost.
MAY Be FIRST WAR VICTIMS
Steamer Vacuum Is Sunk on
Return Trip to L. $.
Three American GunnerS Are
Among is Men Rescued.

London. April 3O.-The American
steamship Vacuum was torpedoed and
sunk Saturday by a German subma-
rine, it was announced today
An American naval lieutenant, nine
American naval gunners, the captain
of the Vacuum and some of his crew
We're reported missing.
Unless the American naval leuten-
ant and his gun crew, now missing
are later rescued, they will be Amer
ica's first fighting force to lose their
lives in Americas war with Germany
The naval lieutenant will be the first
officer killed.
]. l. Eposlucci a boatswain's mate,
United States navy. is still missing
from the Aztec torpedoing and he may
be the first of Americas fighting men
to die.
The Vacuum is a steamship, prop
erty OF the Vacuum Oil company of
New York and was on its way to New
York when torpedoed.
The chief mate and seventeen men,
including three of the American navy
gunners. have been landed.
Is Americans in Crew.
New York. April 3O.-The Ameri-
can steamship Vacuum. left New
York March 80 for Birkenhead
England, and carried a crew of "a men
of whom 5 were American citizens,
including nine native born.
NOT an Oll Tanker.
The Vacuum was formerly known rs
the Baymon. At the company's Of
fices, it was stated she had discharg-
ed her cargo at Liverpool and was
homeward bound when attacked.
At the offices of the Vacuum Oil
company, it was stated that the Vac
uum was regular cargo boat, not an
oil tanker as first reported. She had
delivered cargo taken on at New
York to Liverpool and was returning
home in ballast.
The cablegram received by the oil
company and cabled advices to the
United Press, indicated that a total
of sixteen men, including Captain Har-
ris and the American gun crew. were
probably lost. The Vacuum's crew
numbered thirty-four and eighteen
were reported landed. in the reports
from London. Fifteen members of
the crew were Americans With the
gunners and the lieutenant in COM
mand the Americans aboard num-
bered twenty-five.
New Yorker Ship Captain.
New York, April SO.-Capt. S. Har-
ris. residing at Lempstc--, n. Y. was
in command of the steamer Vacuum
when she was sunk, and Lieutenant
Thomas, u. $. n, commanded the
American navy gun crew aboard her.
according to information obtained here
today.
The Vacuum Oil company admitted
receiving cable advices of the loss of
the vessel. but withheld details.
Boat With CAPTAIN Capsized.
New York, April 30.-Only three of
the American naval gunners aboard
the oil tanker Vacuum, sunk by a sub
marine. are listed as saved in cable
gram received at the oil company's
offices here today.
The message follows:
Vacuum torpedoed twenty eighth,
40 miles west of Barra- Number one
lifeboat capsized with captain and
others drowned. Number two. with
chief officer and following saved:
Simpson and Williams. engineers; Lin
egren, carpenter; Loles, quarter
master: Witzen, Gissos, oilers; Parde,
stocker: Singros, Nimegapham, Byl
seamon; Dia and Andrews, stewards
Hatton, wireless; William Oreu and
Nichola Hitson and Lasked, naval"
In addition, the message said those
in number two boat were saved, in
GLIDING the chief officer; Simpson and
williams, engineers; Lingren, carpen-
ter; Lotes, quartermaster; Hatton,
wireless operator; William Orrell,
cook: Nichola, Hilson and Lasker, of
naval gun crew