The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-05-01
Death List Includes Lieutenant
in Command of Gunners
and Eleven Bluejackets
SKIPPER OF SHIP
IS AMONG DEAD
Lifeboat No. |, With All Its
Occupants, Believed to Have
Found Watery Grave Of.
I Irish Coast

NEW York, April 30.-Thirty-one
: ihericah ives are believed to have
Dsen lost when the armed American
(oi-carrying steamship Vacuum was
tofpedoed and sunk by a German sub
narine of the north coast OF Ireland
- saturday while en- route from a
1feisn to an American port News
paper dispatches from London and
s4nie adviceS 10 the ships owners
- vacuum on company, OF New
iofk. were somewhat conflicting. buA
t&ie tonight II seemed esta blished he
yond doubt that the toll of life in
esnded the Nacuum's skipper. Cap
tain $. 5. Harris, OF New York: TWEEN
" mem hers OF his crew. the COM
mander ~ tho United States naval
xuard aboard tho Vacuum. Lieutenant
llarenee CrVse Thomas. a Californian.
and eleyen, Members eff naval
trea
The Vacuum had two Hfehoats. 10
whieh those aboard TOOK while tire
fessel was sinking Boat No con
satned those believed drowned Boar
No has been landed It contained
the Vacuum chief officer. thirteen
members o. tho ships crew and four
naval epnners
Atogatner eight American lives are
Known 40 be saved II 10 late to-
nigEt the Waahlnst an-stsete- par
snent had not yet received official
word Of the Vacuum sinking Pend
! ine receipt OF deAnlta data. no state
nen' was made and all common, was
1refuaed
First Casualty" List.
The laxG Gf the aa4.7sfea Atff a.
tsesets marks the frs, American
"easgalty list In the war with Ger
manr The gun crew 5 commander
I.icstenan, Thomas. Is the frs, Amer
.ran officer to be killed IN the dis
eharge OF his duty IS armed guardian
81 peaceful American merchant
mar.
The Vacuum was Sent 10 The bo.-
tom ius. nine days after another
Amer3can steamship tine Mongolia.
m the last lap ~ her voyage to
British port hai drawn the frst
hiood IN tho war with Germany. One
ar the Aluneolia's naval gans. oper-
| sf1d by American bIGejacNets. on
Iarru 2 sank German submarine
as Il was about To attack tae mer-
kha ntnpsn
The Vacuum LEFT British port FOR
h. return 10 America last Thur day
Ia week after fhe Nnnsolia's exploit
| She was iu ballast Her implement
Isncladlng Captain Harris was thirty
I Ave Tho naval crew. juclAding Lieu
4Ans -ThnmaS-Ls heiieYeti tc have
mum bered afteep 0f the ships orc w.
afteen wore Americans ard Of these,
50 Tar only four are accounted FOR as
kxafe IN London advices.
Sniled Reluctantly.
lla-r{s N frg~sv
ster. n, Fl n WAS only reluctantly
and under protes; that he assumed
charge of the Vacuum when she left
New York Morch 80 for Birkenhead.
Farland. his friends in shipping cir
Icles here said today. Tho Nacuum's
regular skipper. Captain Walker Nc
|Kavs now believed To be in Maine
had obtained relief for this one trip
.for. a vacation. All through the war
be had taken the Vacuum hack and
forth through the -boat-infested
matters. taking large cargoes of bar
Yrl oil 70 England.
The Vacuum displaced 2551 tons
gross. Her length was 247 feet. with
HE Vacuum Oil company, a Califor-
A,ia concern. The ship was built in
tai2 AZ Ecorse, Mich. Her name was
originally Bayamon- She .was later
k,roueht TO Atlantic waters and con-
kerted into q tank ship.
Message Tells of Tragedy.
Shortly after "A news cable dispatch
hold of the Vacuum's sinking the
karut,fas OIL company gave eet this
message received from London:
vacuum terpedeed 2sth. la miles
Nest OF Rarra; No. lifeboat. with
saptain and others. drowned; No. ..
Al
Layed. simpson and Williams. engi-
beers: Lindgren. carpenter; Lotes,
nnartermaster; witzen and Gisses.
jo,lera: parde, stoker. Ryl, Singros
Snd yimegapham. seamen; Dia and
andrews. stewards; Hatton. wireless:
William Orell and Nicola Hilson and
,asKer. naval
The names of the American citizens
hoard the Vacuum as recorded in
nc once Of the United States ship
,ars' commission are:
1Captain 5. s. Harris, Lempster.
Il II.
Oscar Gales. first officer, New York.
Frank Yerner. second officer, New
ork.
Fork
John kirk, chlei engineer new
Fork.
John simpson. first assistant engi-
Seer New York
Francis Davidson. second engineer,
Milwaukee.
VIM. Crane. steward Brooklyn.
E.Y.
n. Williams. third assistant engi-
eer. Milwaukee
Wilson oiIer- New York
THOMAS Ellis. mess boy. Albany,
T.
~ j. Hatton. wireless operator, Mil
sukee.
Continued on Second PaTe)