New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-08-09
THE HENRY CLAY CATASTROPHE
Letter from the Coroner.

Letter from the Coroner.
WIN. II. LAWRENCE, Esq, the Coroner
Of the late Inquest the bodies of the victims lost by
the burning OF the Henry Clay has published letter,
In which he says:
Ny duties have, indeed, been of a most painful and
srduous nature and trust in God that long time may
espse before sha be necessary for any Coroner TO IN
ouTe into the circumstances attending similar calamity
Ia justice to my soanse VIM. w. Scrughsm, Esq, of
this place, date District Attorney feel incumbent
upon me 10 say, that the investigation was conducted
strictly In dance with his directions and the examl
nations of all the Witnesses made by him for me,
and in my presence and any cred. Is due for the
proper OF the Gaze, ne alone 10 entitled 10
II ciay he laid aside all other business ~
that This inquest should be properly aud thoroughly
made The verdict CT the Jury was by their direction
put In pro per form by him but from the laeness of the
hour at which It signed the reporters enabled
get only imperfect sketch o! IL and as that sketch
is pub bed In many OF the papers, az being the whole
formal inq silion may lead persons to Imagine that
the inQuison was very carelessly drawn aud 10 re.
thst impression send you correct copy of the
paper, and beg that Ia justice to Mr.. Scrusham you will
publish such notice that one Of the papers CEN
for not Issuing warrants for the arrest OF the
accused persons, and attributes my not having imme.
ciately done disposition 10 avoid the trouble at
ten6ant upon their examination. am quite certain that
who was present during the late investigation
can believe this charge The Statute II is true gives
the Coroner pOeT issue these warrants, but It does
not make II incumbent upon him 10 do so and the rea
4
might be advised by the District Attorney, whether hs
desires the accu,d to be brought before or before
the County Judge officer equally authorized % Issue
the warrants, of cher judicial character than the
Coroner and much more competent 10 take toe cXaml
nations.
Notice of the inquest has been given to the District
Attorney and he prefers that the warrants be issued
by me, they will certainly be delivered to the proper
officers INN e0tateiy.
one of the bodies buried at Yonkers Cha, numbered
"2" Of BODIES unclsmedD was yesterday identified as
that of WIN. McCuskey, and another, No g. that OF
Miss Smith, sister Of Mrs. Hill, of Philadelphia, who
with her In company with J. J. Spee1 Es
rumor prevails that number OF bodies were buried
here, OF which description has been given which Ia
entirely without truth, as no unclaimed bodies were
turied at Yonkers, but those numbered :, 3, %,
ard & which full descHpons have been given In al
most every paper In Ne~.Iork | cannot give too
credit the Jurors for the patience exhibited in
the performance OF their exceedingly unpleasant duty,
nor h. Met,rs Lawrence Post Jr Joseph Moore, John
Kuifrn and others Of Yonkers for the assistance they
rendered me in graphing for and recovering numerous
bodies from the water. To James r. Whiting, ESD,
am also under much obligation for his assistance aud
advice the empsnne ling Of the Jury and throughout
the Inquest and for the liberal pecuniary aid hs
ceTed TO such Of the friends OF the deceased As were Ia
INDECENT eli cumstances.
An OFFICIAL Cory or TIC VERDICT rendered BY he
C0rOnu's jury Of UtStchGster County, on the Vicns
Of The Disaster 10 The Henry Cay:
STATE or NEWYORK, COUNTY or WEsTcHESrER. IS.
An iuquton inoen ed and taken for the people of the
ate Of New York stbe town of onkers Ia said CDun'
thteth and Thirty first days Of July, ID 1882, and on
the first second, snd third days OF August ID. 1882
before me- William H. Lawrence, one of the COronsrs
IN sud for saio County upon the view of the bodies OF
Elizabeth Hilman Harriet f. Colby, Emilia c. Bar
IT. John Hoser Maria Bailey, Maria W. Bailey, Mary
Thompson, wi liam ~. Ray, Abby Ann Ray. Caro-.
line G. Ray. Elizabeth Pearsa, July Hoy, Andrew j.
Downing Adeiine NJ Holmes, Cornelii Whitlock, Geo
f. Wh1ock, Sarah DeDnisoD, Mary Cooper, Jhn H. 81
mons, Geo X Msrcher JoannB NJ. Hauford, Mary Ann
Robinson Isabella Robinson, Matthew Crsnnel, (3i
X
Charlotte johnson, Jane Murray Christopher B. Ill.,
Eugene Thompson, Phebe Ann Jordan, jacob schoon-
maker, Abraham Crist, Katrina Chstilon Joseph j.
Speed, Elizabeth McAnay, Eliza Shankey, Stephen
Allen Joann B. NJ Hsnford, cd Isaac D. Sands, Jennie
b Thompson Lucy b. McDanels, Anna b. Marcher
Henritta More Maria l. Hawthorne, Elizabeth d.
Ledybrd, Harriet T. kinsley, Ann Hill and also upon
the view Of the bodies of five women unknown, and Of
two men unkEow and numbered for the purposes of
this II quest, numbers , g. 4, ., G. aud :, OF IN
claimed bosies all Of whi,h bodies a. well those
known as those unknown-wcre then and there lying
dead, upon the Osths OF George T. Coddington, William
G.. AckeImsn, James l.. Valentine. John Ii. Williams,
Abraham Knight Jr George B. Rock well, Lewis Cos
tgsn, Isssc II. Post Augustus ". Doren, Thomas
1Owndrow, Edward lie Fort and Henry Coates, good
ard lawful men Of the said County, who, being duly
sworn inquire into all the circumstances attending
the deaths Of the said several persons above named ss
then and there lying dead and of the said several per-
sons aforementioned as being unknown, and as then
ADD there living dead, and by whom the
duced suo in what manner; and when and where the |
aid several persCnS above named, as then and there
lYiDC dead ana the SAID Several prItous
toned, being uDknowo. ano then and there lying /
dead came their deaths respectively; do say upon
their oalhs as Aforesaid, that all the said persons as
we'll those known as those unknown were, on tne /
Nv enty eighth day Of July, D. l-52, passengers on
beard OF certain steamboat, navigating tue Hudson
River within the jurisdiction OF this state USED t1r ice
Conveyance Of passengers and known As tns iTuiy |
Clay ard that the said twenty eighth day oil Juy'
u 1852 at about iiteen minutes aiter three clDcA
in the afternoon Of that day. and while the SAID seVefsl
persons passengers on board o. the sad stean-
boat the said steamboat called the Henry Cisy, TOOK
FIRE and vac directed to and run upon the eastern
sbo,e of the ,aid Hudson River In the u ion.
kerr and was there consumed by re and thA me s4o
John h. simmons was by the said nre burled AI1
wounded that the said John h simmons Oh Toe saAo
burns and wounds then and there immedii ely cle1-
spd that ali Of the said persons vel those named as
those unknown, excepting only the SAID nm n gun
mons were BY Of the shock occAspnel oy tue
collision Of the said steamboat with the said sn' nen
spn there cast and thrown did tsen and mere ~
th,r eA1rts 10 ssve themselves from destruction oy
are cast md thros themselves into the SAID hgiso9
River situate IN the Town OF lonsers, Aiores-li mo
thar the ard there each Of the said persons a, "eu
thoss above psfd As those above described as oeng
unknown leNcrDiing only the said John n summons
was suocsred and drowned IN the water OF tae sAid
river Of which su;iocsng and drowning tne 'siu nLA
L,,h Unlmsp. Harriet g. Colby, Enshs c. Bancroft,
John Heller Maria Bailey, Maria w. Bailey. Mary /
II mpsor Will-m NJ Ray, Abby Ann Kay SsroAnS
C. Ray Elizabeth PesrIall, JulA Hoy, Aaare" D. /
Downing, AZ, line NJ. Holmes, COrneis Whi1OoA'
C.orp. Whiilcck Sarah Dsunlson Mary Co 'per, |
George h Marcher JOann B. NJ HsntOTc' Mary Aoh |
RobinsoD. Isabella Robinson. Mathew crane -
Margaret Chsilon George Tnulman, X S.nds, Ouh.
loits Johnson. Jane Murray Christopher hhl EuIene
ThomIsoo, Phebe Ann Jordan, Jacob ;. ScaOonn"e,'
Ahishsm Crist Katrina Chailon Joseph !. speed
Eizsheh McAnsy, Eliza Shankey, stephen A'so'
Josnn B NJ Hsniord. (2d9 Isaac D. sanes, !ehnis o.
Thompson, Lucy Med 4nlels, Anna b Marcner, hen
iitts Moore Maria l.. HsSthorne, Elizabeth D. Lsd-
yard, Hsrrie, I. Kinsley and Anns Hail. aud also the
said I'VE women unknown, and the sail swo msn un'