The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-08-01
THE EMPIRE STATE CALAMITY.

tronhe was continued this morning board the boat
The excitement is now the decrease, but the attention
Of the physicians and to the wounded continues
unabated The mos. respectable, influential and wealthy
ladies in the city continue daily TO minister TO the
Sort Of who stretched upon their beds Of
sickness The death Of James WEIGH, which occurred
about O'clock seemed 10 throw dampening influence
the hopes of the wounded for ultimate good health
From what the physicians say, II feared that none Of
the wounded Moses Benner) viii recover from
the effects Of the fearful injuries.
The following evidence was taken to-day
DR.. jerome Dwelly, being duly sworn, deposed-That
he was practising physician since 1Si7.
q Were you called upon 70 attend the wounded? A.
q. AT what timer A. About O'Clock, Sunday
Q. Please state how you found things on board the
boat7 A. found Or. Davis on board; he the only
o sw an
consultation together he said he had not applied any
local applications but had sent up town after them he
had applied stmulants 10 such Of them weak the
local applications soon arrived and applied went
down into the main cabin, where there two person
injured; ! went then upon the main deck where there
were others lying upon their beds one Of the patients
found injured in the cabin, smith, the colorei
and J. c. Beach.
Q. Have you been rendering the injured professional
service from that time 70 the PRESENT. A. have.
O. Have you attended any persons in particularly No.,
We attended them all generally and In dong 80 agreed
upon general treatment
Q. Since you called, how many Of the wounded
have died A. Twelve, exclusive OF the one who was dead
@ State what you suppose the of those per-
IONS death was oa wne Tns s sea h inss
and had scalded q number Of the passengers When
arrived on boarl, and when examined the patients
found that the injuries were produced by steam or hot
O. Were there any of the patients injured Internally
A. Several of hem showed signs OF inhalation.
Were these scalds burns the cause OF death in the
case Of these patients you examined yourseff A. They
O. Were not those persons treated by you and your
socates TO the best of your ability A. 10 the best Of my
Q. With whom have you consulted A. Drs. Hooper,
Davis, Learned and Hartley.
Q. From what you saw and fro what you know was
not the death Of these persons inevitable from the causes
apparentf A. II was.
Q. How the nursing carried on' A. Under the ex-
element Of the there slight confusion,
but everything done that was necessary, and all
seemed willing 70 aid the sick.
How in regard to the proprietors and agents OF the
boat2 A. They did all in their power 70 minister to the
relief Of the wounded without regard 70 expense or
trouble.
The witness here desired to make explanation in
regard to the local treatment OF the wounded In the
tons had been applied until after the medicines
from Fall River. He made mistake; for all OF the
wounded had -four and oil applied TO the scaded parts
when he arrived on board OF the boat.
Or. Foster Hooper sworn.-I reside at Fall River;
vas called upon on Sunday morning ast 70 attend the
wounded board Of the Empire State, where under
stood there number Of persons lying scaded from
the explosion Of one of the boilers Of the boat
O. Did you proceed Immediately 10 the boat? A. did.
@ State what You did and what you saw when you
rived on board. A. found group Of persons
who sad that the patients had been by physi-
already there was corpse there and
were sme five six persons who were scaldet; hoir
and o. had been applied then into the kitchen,
where found a colored injured; then told that
there two of the wounded in the cabin; en-
tered and found John smith, (coored) and j. c. Beach
Of New York; up into the forward saloon where
found number of Others in whose cases Rour and Gil
taed on board during the day and along with the other
Physicians did what could toward relieving the suf
srers and restoring them TO health since Sunday night
huua haan Hya0 Rash
day had two consultations; question as TO whether
would not be better TO have the wounded removed, was
rraist d, but / opposed u the ground that they
would be better taken care Of where they were !;
since that time the boat was given up 70 our CHARGE and
everything done TO make the wourded as cool and
comfortable possible; suggested that
would be wanted, when Messrs. Norton and Peckham
both experienced men, sent tor, end arrfv,
board before daylight on Sunday morning; there
Also number OF volunteer nurses; there was SUPRA
for the sufferers; the part Of the Physicians ever
used to restore the wounded and TO alevat
ali in their power without regard to expense or trouble
How many persons did you ind injured when 20 /
O. How many Of those have since d.edr A. They have
al died except seven.
O. What was the cause Of deahS a. Scalds and ourns
q From any other causes No.
q What your opinions in regard 10 those who
alive? We have great fears for the recovery of the
majority OF those board; don't think that moro
than three win ultimately recover.
q By a Juror-You said that the deceased died from
hha alton or from external inuries2 A. From both all
Of the deceased internally injured; inhalation Is
the most dangerous injury sight burn internally Will
O. One Of the wounded, Moses Benncr, says that he
covered his head and coat to prevent
inhalation; owing TO thai crcumstarce that he is
now in q fair way o. recovery. A. have heard the
young mans staisneut and frsu what he says am OF
opinion that he did his kfe for he the
boiler any else his hands an the top OF his fore
bead were slightly scaded but otherwise he Is unnjurei
slightly hurt externally. The witness then went on TO
say that those who Aed first badly scaldci inter-
.llus ths-a atua Anns l.A tnfs
y II hot weather more dangerous 10 persons wounded
the deceased were, than cold weather. A. Wounds
nervous System apt 70 suffer from rrtabily In
weather, and hence the patient oen sinks under IT,
j. s. Hill Of Boston, being duly sworn, deposed that be
held the appointment local inspector OF boilers for
district Of Boston and Charlesiown.
O. What the boundaries OF that DISTRICT A. II en-
braces all that country lying between Fall River, Mas
Pofemouih, y. H., 70 the Atlantic Ocean, and the west
ern boundaries Of Massachusetts, ard New Hampshire
q What your dutiesy A. To inspect the boilers Of
an steamboats, carrying psssengers once every year at
Ieast; also examine and license engineers and pilots
we ak pake IL our business Whenever an acclent oc.
ours TO investigate the case, snG cndeavor TO md
cut the cause the i SS. n, r.Dv md
duty revoke the licenses of the parties deln
queut our authority extends no farther.
q in reference 10 the Empire sac, how were the re
qurements Of the Law complied wnhs A The boats Of
the line running between here and New York have al
ways been fully equipped and the regulations compile
with the law in every respect; have looked upon
them model the act for the preservation OF passen
gers lives on board Of STEAMBOATS,, passed in 1852;
found the very best life boats pumps &c board these
boats, bu, knowing that there were other and better
means OF preserving life invented told Mr.. Borden
Thai would be necessary TO have shese improved ar
ticbes board thus done, at several thousand dol
lars expense, and without any gruEsrg when the Me
tropos built, found that she had eight metallic
boats board, although the Law required but six
we also found Ave fire pumps although three only
required by law in making examnsL6rs Of boats
we generally asked by Mr. Borden the officers, III
any thing wanting showing evidently that there
4 disposition 70 do all that required by law
q Are you . practical engineer and Eachnisr A.
have been in the steam engine and boiler making and
~btn.h ,.t fora nj nf ~
q When did you last inspect the boilers CT the stoam
boat Empire Siate9 A. On the 2Tth day q Nay last.
q state the conda On you found sthscanS A. They
were in perfect order.
O, Have you examinsi the boiler that ers.eded' A. 1
have.
q. swheni A. Yesterday
O. How long Dad the SIC am chimneys beer IL use pre-
vous 70 the inrpectonf a. They had been ir sinc
hast winter.
o. What was ele result u your inspectlon2 A. W .