Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-05-30
3 VERMONTERS IN
M0LOAv|A'S DEAD
Clyde and Erwin Bosley of Jay
and Maurice G.. Sweetland of
Albany on Torpedoed Ship
ALL DRAFTED MEN
Left Vernon. in Mnrcb-8osicy uoys,
believing ship syns Tur.,ins Over

Jay, M,.y &c. Mr. and Mrs. william
Bosey ot ,h:s village received p wire
yesterday noon from the var depart
rsnt telling % tho loss of their two
sons. Clyde and Erwin Posley, on the
Mc!dav!a, a tra0spor. carrying United
STATES troops. torpedoed by the Ger
mans Thursday.
clyde WAS 2! and Erwin l3. and .ncy
were drafted Marsh / ard sent to 6yump
Greens They we're born and brought
up here, ana arc survived besides :he,r
parents by tnree brothers., Walter Jane
and Fred. and :wo heic-broi hers,
FRANK Of this village and George Dos
ley OF Eew?G-t Center Their parents
arc bearing UP t:aveiy under the blow.
MAURICE q. SW EETIAND LOST.
albany. May ?G.---rhc following tele-
Gram wa.s received yesterday by AL
fred Sw.etiapd hnhcunriig tho death
of his son: "Wash.rrtcn, u. c., Mey-
rs. Deeply regret to inform you that
it il reported that Private Maurice G.
Sweetlanc died in ths sinking Of
MoldS.v.a May "a, (Sisned) Mccain"
Young Sweetland IS survived by two
brothers and two sisters, besides his
father. His mother died several years
ago. He had worked in various places
and when he was drafted early in
March was working in Craftsbury
Washington, May 26.-The war depart
ment announces that the number of
American soldiers lost in the Moldavia
sinking Thursday was flfty-three, all
members of Company B. of the 5Sth In
fantry. of the fourth division. which is
one Of the regular army divisions.
Besides giving out the list Of men miss
ing, the war department issued only this
statement:
Besides 90 American soldiers reported
as lost on the Modavia there were AZ
other American soldiers on board a total
of 49,
The American units aboard were part
Of the 5sth Infantry. All those reported
lost were members Of Company B.
London, May 26-Less than a quarter
of an hour after the Moldavia was tor
pedoed Thursday morning of last week.
virtually every man had gone over the
sides Of the vessel into lfeboats.
Erwin and Clyde Bosley of Jay. VT.
leaped from the deck and were drowned.
The two, who were brothers, were on
guard when the ship was hit. There was
a sharp list, and they evidently believed
that she was turning over. so they jumped
into the sea, and were not seen after
ward. All OF the other men lost were
probably killed by the explosion.
Captain Johnson. an American infantry
officer. who was on the Moldavia, gave
a Daily Telegraph representative this ac-
count Of the sinking:
THE ship was struck just forward of
the engines on the port side. All the
troops were in their hunks sleeping In
their uniforms. There was n loud ex-
plosion. and then the ships whistle was
blown. which was a signal for everybody
to come on deck.
THE men had been assigned to partic-
ular boats. and boat drill had been held
every day during the voyage. The men
assembled in perfect order. Their
discipline was splendid; the best I ever
saw
1.-The Moldavia listed to port, but righted
herself and ran on for about fifteen
minutes to avoid being hit again. Then
she began to sink steadily. Orders were
we got off
"Destroyers had been circ,ing around
us all the time, and as soon as the
Moldavia was struck they dropped sev-
eral depth charges. No second torpedo
was Aired. and we saw nothing Of the sub
marine. We remained in the l!fehoats
until the ship sank. when we were taken
on board the destroycrs.
"As soon as the man got aboard the
boats and RATS they began laughing and
singing, and when the ship sank they
gave three cheers
The Moldavia was off tho SOUTHEAST
coast when attacked, acco,>diug 70 the
correspondent of The Daily Man Ae q
southern coast port.