The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-08
Commander Was Brother OF
Navy Secretary's Wife.
Reports Indicate Bagley Went
Down With His Ship.
ONE OF NAVY'S NEWEST SHIPS
Was Attacked at Night With
Rough Sea Running.
While on Patrol Service in
North Atlantic Waters.

Washington. Dec. S.-Torpedoed in
a night attack. the American destroy
er Jacob Jones. one of the newest
and LARGEST submarine hunters Of her
GLASS was sunk Thursday night in the
war zone and two-thirds of her crew
Icsr The disaster brings to the Amer
fcan people the firsz naval loss of
great consequence since the country
entered the war.
Thirty-seven of her officers and
crew were taken off in life RATS The
remainder are not accounted Tor IN
tod9y's dispatch from Vice Admiral
sims who forwarded the names OF ten
Of the survivors
Lieut.. Commander David Worth
Bagley. brother Of Mrs. Josephus
Daniels. wife of the secretary of the
navy. and whose brother was the first
American officer to give his life in the
Spanish h-American war. does not ap-
pear in the list of survivors. Inas-
much as Admiral Sims mentioned 9TH
er officers among the survivors and
did not name Bagley, It is feared he
went down with his ship. The COM
plement of the Jones in peace times
was five officers, five petty officers
and eighty-seven enlisted men. I'm
dnubtedly this has been probably in
crea sed to 100 or more. From the
.eirst report it would appear that the
loss Of life would be upward of sixty
Probably Blew Ship in Two.
The attack. which was at O'Clock
at night. was delivered by a torpedo.
Ir the rolling icy seas of the North
Atlantic winter weather the subma-
rine probably had plenty of opportun-
itr to pick her time for the shot. The
submarine probably came upon the
destroyer patrulling her course IN the
dark and had all the best of the en-
gagement.
No details were contained in todav's
has ha
tofore that when submarine gets a
hit on a destroyer it is more due to
a chance meeting and good oppor-
tunity than fighting skill on the part
Of the submarine.
The large loss Of life would indi-
cate that the torpedo with its deadly
charge of high explosives, made a
fair hit plump on the destroyer's thin
hull and that the submarine hunter
probably was blown fairly in two
That she went dow quickly is evi-
denced by the fact that nothing is said
of survivors getting off in life boats.
Those saved got off on RATS which
probably foated off the sinking ship
as she plunged dowA in the icy dark
ness.
Get Names of 10 Survivors.
The names of ten survivors have
been received here. They are:
Lieut. John X. Richards.
Ensign Nelson n. Gates.
Assistant Surgeon L. L. Adamkie-
WicZ.
Charles +. Pierce fireman
Timothy Edward Twomey, seaman.
John c. johnson, seaman.
Henry A. Stutzke, chief machinist's s
mate.
Edward F. Grady. fireman second
class.
John J. Mulvaney. seaman.
Myron Flood. seaman.
The sinking occurred December 6
at s p. m, while the ship was on pa
troll duty.
Commander Bagley's brother was
the first American officer killed in
the Spanish American war.
Performed Heroic Service.
The Jacob Jones was the ship
which saved sos persons from the
Drama. p. & o. liner converted into
an auxiliary cruiser, on October 10
The Drama had been torpedoed by a
submarine while she was acting as a
part of a convoy of merchant vessels
under escort of American destroyers
The Jacob Jones was one of the con-
Voy.
The Jacob Jones and another de-
strOyer were detailed to remain by
the Drama after the submarine had
been attacked and put out of action
When the Drama began to settle il
had grown dark and her crew aban-
doned her. The Jacob Jones picked
yNup in the darkness 305 of the ATS per
sons board. The other vessels
standing by rescued the remainder
The Jacob Joness peace time com
plement was five officers, five petty
officers and 81 men. She was one OF
the newest and largest of American
destroyers, with a displacement OF
1150 tons and a length of $40 fee
over all She was completed in 191t
at the plant of the New York ship,
building company. Camden, n. j. She
burned oil and was driven by turbine
engines and had speed of 295i
knots an hour.