Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-06-24

it up as he was coming towards shore.
Mr. Holley found his trunk, hat and boots
on the shore; proved them, took them and
started on the scow for Cleveland, and
thence on his way to Missouri, where his
family reside.
About 3 p. NJ. the body of Daniel Don
o,an or Donhavan, was recovered; on his
person was found one gold hunter watch
and chain, two gold rings, about five dol
lars in specie, and S57i in bank paper. HIS
friends, the mate says, are in Detroit. His
money is in the hands Of George Skiff. of
Willoughby.
The body of J. R. Munson. Gas is sup
posed by the ticket fonnd in his pocket.
had taken from it about one thousand dol
lars, which is now in the hands of the cor
oner.
The body of some person was found on
whose shirt is marked Franklin Ford, or
Franklin Leonard, read differently by diff
ferent persons On his person was found
$25, which is in the hands Of the Coroner.
Several bodies of persons to whose
names no clue conld be obtained, had small
amounts OF money.
send you the evidence before the Cor
oner's Jury, and the Jury's verdict.
Yours &c.
EVIDENCE BEFORE THE CoRoNER's JURY.
SAMUEL McColT, I'd Mate, say 8, the man
at the wheel informed him that the boat
was on fire on the upper deck. We then
examined, and found it to be OH fire on the
under side of the main deck. He called to
the first mate, and they examined and tried
TO put it out. The fire increased so last
we had to desist.
Mr.. EVANS, lst Mate: | was called by
the 81 Mate, saying the boat was on tre.
We found the Fl re was between the pipes
and wafer jackets. | then assisted in trying
to put out the fire, but we soon found it i'm
possible to master it. The boat was then
headed for the shore; it struck the bar
about 20 rods from shore, and the flames
Instantly spread all over the boat. The
fore part of The boat was not on fire before
that. We always supposed the boat to be
well, (or we'll as any boat on the lake,
secured against fire.
d. R. STEBBrNs, 1st Engineer, says:
was on duty. Itwas my watch attending
to the engine. had just oiled it. | did
not discover the fire until the I'd Mate gave
the alarm. then discovered the fire to
be under the deck, (main deck, supposed,
by looking through two auger holes. il
then appeared to be one sheet Of fire on
The under side. We got the hose in oper.
alton in less than three, minutes. 1t did
not seem more than ten minutes before
the fire drove them away. | am part
owner in the boat, and believe that she was
we'll secured from fire. can hardly i'm
agine how she took fire; but it is my i'm.
preston that the fire caught at or near the
bulkhead, near the freight hold. Suppose
that there were $50 passengers and 26
hands. The boats were prepared to
launch, but were not let down while the
boat was in motion, because he thought
they would be swunped and made useless;
but when the time had arrived for lower
ing the boats, the fire had increased so fast
that they could not get to them.
We, the undersigned, jurors impaneled
and sworn on the 18th day Of June, in the
wear 1850, at the township of Willoughby
in the county Of Luke, by Samuel Brown,
Coroner of he aforesaid county, to inquire
and true presentment make, and in wha
manner number Of persons whose bodie:
were found in and on The shore of Lake
county, in the north west corner of the
aforesaid tp., and en- the l7th day of June
1850, came to their deaths; after having
heard the evidence aud examined 81 bodies
we do find that the deceased came to then
death by drowning. by jumping off from
the steamboa, G P Griffith hen on fire.
Given under our hands at the time ano
place OF said inquisition above mentioned
II. A. SHARP,
--- NATHAN CORNING,
CLINTON PARKER,
]. H. BOYCE,-
RANSOM STORM.