Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1918-02-14
WILLIAM |. DROOCS
LISTED AMONG
MISSING
COUNTY MAN WHO ENLIST
ED IN OCTOBER Is THOUGHT
TO BE DEAD.
LEAVES THREE CHILDREN
Family Has About Given Up Hopes
That Droogs Is Alive-No En-
coursging Word.

William l. Droogs of Mount Idaho,
one of the Idaho county soldiers aboard
the torpedoed transport Tuscania, is
still listed among the missing, and it is
believed here that he persisted when the
vessel was sunk. If Droogs lost his life
with the sinking of the vessel, he is no
doubt the first Idaho county soldier to
make the supreme sacrifice in the war
against Germany.
Several Idaho county men were
aboard the Tuscania, but, with the ex-
ception of Droogs, all except one have
been reported as rescued. They are:
Idaho County Men Aboard
Richard r. Vineyard, Grangeville.
He is son of Judge l.. Vineyard.
Willard J. Griffith, Kooskia.
Delmar j. Hockersmith. 15Sth
aero squadron; j. w. Hockersmith,
father, Cottonwood
Rex C. Oser; Mrs. E. P. Oser,
mother, Kooskia.
Jack A. Parshall; Mrs. S. L.
Schofield mother, Kooskia
Forest Turner, Koosloia-
No report has been received from
a
department records list his nearest rela
tive as his mother, Mrs +. w. Watkins
Kooskia.
Droogs Enlists on October &c.
Droogs,. who was SO years old, was
well and favOrably known in Grange
vile and vicinity. He enlisted in
foresters regiment on Oct. %, 1917, and
for some time thereafter was in train
ing in Washington. L. c. He was wild
over, and leaves three children, aged s,
TO and ~ years, respectively. Tho
children are being cared for by Droogs
mother Mrs. George Watkins, of Mount
Idaho.
Louis P. Leonard of Harpster, and a
close friend of Droogs, was not on the
Inflated Tuscania, according TO belief
Of acquaintance of Leonard here
Leonard was on the boat ready to sail
when he was taken i'll with humps, and
Just before departure of the boat from
m Atlantic port, Leonard was removed
and was placed in st. Mary's hospital.
n. J. A letter. written in
the hospital on January 16 by Leonard,
to Warren Smith of Grangeville tells
Of Leonard S illness. However. he said
that within a day or so from the time
the letter was written he expected to
be out of the hospital
My company now is in France,
said Leonard in the letter
Droogs Also Has Mumps
Droogs also had been suffering from
and did not sail with his com
oany for France. his friends here have
been advised However he had suffi
GENTLY recovered TO be able to start
On the overseas trip on the Tuscania
On January 10 Droogs wrote to his
mother that he had been out Of the
hospital for n week and was feeling
finely.
The general belief here that Droogs
net his death in the sinking of the
transport by a German submarine has
'aused pail to fall over the entire com
nunity, and while hope is expressed
hat the man may yet be alive and
merely has not been reported as rescued,
t is generally felt by his family that
le persisted
159 Americans Are Lost.
The American dead as the result OF
he sinking of the Tuseania have rearh
ID at least 159, late reports Indicate
Thus far l45 bodies have been buried
long the shores of Scotland, and four
cen additional bodies have been dis
overed.
Many Of the men on board the ship
we're from idaho, Washington, Oregon
nd Montana.