Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1918-05-30
SHIP CARRYING
SOLDIERS sunk
British Vessel Torpedoed by Sub.
marine Had American Troops
on Board.
.FIF7Y-SIx men LOST
London Admiralty Statement Says
Americans Missing Were Probably
Killed in One Compartment
at Time Of Explosion.


at Time of Explosion.
Washington, May 27.-The Red
department has given out the
names Of So members Of Company
B, 5sth United States infantry,
Fourth Division, missing from tho
torpedoed British steamer Mol
davia. The MoIdav.a carried $50
American soldiers.
Included in the list are the fol.
lowing from the northwest: Pri-
Yates Geo. D. BoosaIis, Fargo, N.
D.; Leslie c. Bracken, Loyalton,
Mimi; Walter G. Bracken, North
st. Cloud, Mimi; Geo. N. Buchan-
an, Marrette, Wis.,; Jos. p. calIan,
Milwaukee, Wis; Edw. L. Claus
Ing, Grafton, Wis; VIM. G. croatt,
Port Washington De Pere, Wis.,;
Conrad EckeI, West AlIis, Wis;
Edw. l.. Geri, Manitowoc, Wis.,;
RedwaId Gutenberg, Pigeon Falls,
Wis; Isador N. kniepp, st. Paul,
e Mimi; John kohus, South Mil
waukee; Rudolph Mike, De Pere,
Wis; Emil J. Bosh, Lankin, S.
D.; Frank Roux, Rice Lake, Wis;
Joseph Sherman, Fort Totten, N.
D.; Lewis P. Spies, Nelson, Wis.,;
Willow Trap, Arbor Vitae, Wis.,;
Edward N. Weber, TolIey, N. D.
london, May 27.-The Admiralty an
nounces that the British armed mer-
chant troopship Moldavia, with AM
erican troops on board, has been tor
pedoed and sunk.
The text Of the Admiralty state
ment follows:
"The armed mercantile cruiser Mol
davia was torpedoed and sunk Thurs.
day morning.
"There were no casualties among
the crew, but of the American troops
on board Sc have up to the present
not been accounted for. It is feared
they were killed in one compartment
by the explosion"
The Moldavia was torpedoed with
out warning. 1t was a moonlight
night and although a good lookout
was kept the attacking submarine was
not sighted before the torpedo struck.
Most Of Men Caught In Hammocks.
Most of the men aboard were in
their hammocks when the explosion
occurred amidships. The sailors and
soldiers alike showed no panic, al
though many were injured.
They fell calmly into line and await
ed orders. When 1t was seen that the
Moldavia was settling down, all on
board were taken off by the escort
Ing ships.
The men lost all Of their belong
ings, but were supplied with new
clothing at the different naval ports
where they were taken.
overtaken by thrush Of Water.
It is believed that the American sol.
diers missing from the Moldavia were
sleeping on the bottom deck and
were overtaken by the great thrush
Of water, after the explosion, when
they were trying to reach the main
deck. It also is presumed that some
of the ladders were destroyed.
The vessel was struck below the
bridge. She steamed ahead for some
time after being struck and at first
It was hoped that the water-tight COM
partments would enable her to reach
port.
The Moldavia is of $500 tons gross
and owned by the Peninsular and
Oriental Steam Navigation company.
She was built at Greenock in 1903 and
IL $40 feet long.
| No Doubt About Submarine.
Survivors agree that the Moldayia
was torpedoed and not mined. One
seaman said:
1--WE were proceeding up the chan
mel bound for an English port early
Thursday morning. The weather was
fine and there was a bright moon
light. We felt an explosion amidships.
The ship had been struck just below
the bridge, but we could see no sub.
marine.
"There were some destroyers con.
voying us and they at once scattered
around in search of the submarine
Only one torpedo was fired. When II
was realized that we should have ia
abandon the vessel the destroyers
came alongside to take off the troops
Two Hanged at Dallas, Tex.
Dallas, Texas, May 81. - Leonard
Dodd and Walter Stevenson were
hanged in the county Jail yard fol
their assault on young woman ir
June, 1917.
as... ~. e,..