Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1917-05-09
THOMAS FIRST LIEUTENANT
TO Lose Life in War Being Waged for
democracy.

all hope for the safety'of Lieut.. Clar-
cncc c. Thomas, commander Of the
naval guard aboard the American
steamer Vacuum when the ship was
destroyed By a German submarine.
The message said 1t had been estab-
lishcd that the lieutenant lost his life
and indicated also that OF the 12
gunners comprising the naval compile
mcnt, four were dead
Lieut.. Thomas entered the naval
academy l3 years ago, and his career
! had been one Of unusual promise. He
was graduated as an honor man from
Annapolis and afterward took post
! graduate course with distinction at
Columbia University. Then he was
commissioned successfully ensign,
junior grade lieutenant and lieuten-
ant, which rank he bore when, as the
first American naval officer to lose
his life in the European war, he went
down with the Vacuum
The lieutenant was born at Grass
Valley, Cal, in 1856.
Twenty. three Lives Lost.
Liverpool, May 2.-The safety Of
Capt. Harris, five gunners and the
third mate and boatswain Of the
American tank steamship Vacuum,
all Of whom had been given up for
lost, was made known by the acptain
himself In a telegram received here
to-day by the American consul, II. l..
Washington. This telegram reduces
the loss Of life to 23. about 13 of this
number being Americans.
The captains meagre telegram
OF Lieut.. Thomas. United States
Navy, and the death from exposure
Of T.. Fl. Loree, but did not tell how
the survivors reached land. Five
gunners arrived safely with Capt
| Harris. They are Jas. e. Williams, J.
Williams, Geo. w. Parker, o. II.
Lucl1e and II. j. Musshorn. The 9TH
ers In the captains boat who were
landed were e. Hustled and o. Nelson,
the bosun.
Stories of Survivors.
Eighteen survivors of the Vacuum
arrived here early to-day They were
all in one lifcboat which, they said,
was the only one Of the three launch
cd to remain afloat. One boat was
swamped beside the Vacuum just as
the steamer was disappearing. A few
| ;crI
den Of the captains boat by taking
four OF its occupants. thus making
the total number OF men in each boat
is, the survivors saw it capsiZe on a
huge wave about a quarter Of a mile
from them. The seas were too high
to render assistance.
The men who have reached Liver
pool, in relating their experience,
stated that their boat was nearly
! half full OF water all the time and
| that all hands took turns bailing. 4
! sail, which was rugged up, helped the
oarSmen and they reached shore af-
! ter 80 hours. having been adrift from
10 o'clock Saturday morning, when
the Vacuum was torpedocd. until late
Sunday. Fishermen's huts were
thrown open tothem and women pro-
vided food and warm clothing. On
the next day they were taken away
by trawler.
Submarine Breasted Great Seas.
Oscar GALES, the first mate, who
lives near Boston, told the Associated
Press that the most striking fact in
connection with the torpedoing was
the marvellous way in which the sub
marine manocuvered In the great
seas
1T was blowing a gale" he said.
land the seas were coming over the
Vacuum. yet after we were torpedoed.
the submarine, which was very
large one, came to the surface and
circled around the Vacuum several
times with the greatest ease. The
mountainous seas appeared to pre-
| sent no terrors to that submarine"
Joseph Simpson, second engineer
OF the Vacuum, in an affidavit to the
American consul said that presuma-
bly, three Chilean firemen went down
with the ship.
Gunner Wilson said he was beside
his gun at the stern when the torpedo
struck nearly beneath him, throwing
him into the water, from which he
| was picked up by a boat.
81 saw the torpedo coming said
WILSON, "and Yellcd 'unrc She cnmnSlt