The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-21

THE CORONER'S INVESTIGATION.
A Boston Engineer Condemns the
Williamsburg Dam.
"sucH WORK AS THIS IS HOMICIDE"

Five sad and mournful days have now elapsed
since the great calamity Of the age. True. the
have become accustomed TO the shock
ing and sickening scenes attending the discovery
and burial OF the unfortunate victims, but still
each daythere are multitude OF distressing sights
and circumstances which possess narrowing and
painful interest that Is utterly impossible to de-
scribe. To-day there has been the most vigorous
search for bodies OF any day since the terrible visit
tation. Not less than 200 men came In at early
morning from the surrounding country, armed
with shovels, axes, picks. crowDars and other
implements adapted to the sad work
which they had volunteered to perform. They
would divide into squads Of about 100 each, aud
under the direction of chosen commander
most thorough search was commenced. The
scene all up anc down this valley OF death was
one OF terrible ana melancholy interest. Prob
ably no such spectacle was ever before wit
messed. Among the humane throng were men
representing all the various walks In life-the
merchant, the manufacturer, the farmer. the la
borer, the student and all the classes that 60 to
make up an industrious and thrifty community.
There was no shirkng, but every man worked
with an interest and energy that showed plainly
that the best part Of human nature had been
brought out BY the afilicting catastrophe.
NINE MORE BODIES FOUND.
Up to evening, when your correspondent left
the scene Of disinterment. nine additional bodies
had been recovered, making thirty-two in
all, which have been found among the debris
during the past twenty-rour hours All Of
them were very muoa decomposed and many were
so shockingly manged and mutiated that posi-
tive identification Is impossible Among those
found and recognized was an infant child, the
last of the entire family OF Edward Harmon.
Also Mrs. Jerome Hillman, OF Williamsburg; Mr..
Edward Mokler, OF Haydensville an infant child OF
Patrick Sculy, Of Williamsburg, and Engineer
Roberts, OF the New Haven and Northampton Rail-
road.
Connected with every recovery OF body are
noticed or remembered things which give deeper
shade to the picture OF death. A mere LAD went
roaming about among the workmen during the
afternoon on the Warner meadows, and HIS great
desire was to ind an alder tree from which to cut
walking stick. He found the looked for limb; but
as he was cutting 1t he noticed an object
which frightened hum most terribly. A hand
that OF man-was sticking out Of the closely
matted debris about the fallen tree, and only that
part OF human being could be seen. 1t was i'm
possible to recognize the remains when dug out.
Had 1t not been for this accidental OF the youth
the body would doubtless have been buried by the
Hood rather than by Christian forms. Mrs. Jerome
Hillman was found IN q lot OF wrecks below the
site OF the old stone bridge at this
place. She It was VINO was taken rom her
children while neelng from the house to the hill.
One o! the unknown found in the sand heaps on
the Florence meadows was . woman about fifty
years or age. She was horribly mangled and
bruised, and from the fact that every vestige or
clothing had disappeared 1t is probable that she
was sleeping when the sweeping deluge came
upon her dwelling.
PAINFUL RECoGNIrI0Ns.
At the village Hall in Haydensville, this even
ing, q young Irish lad, who alone Of the whole
family escaped from the torrent, found among the
bodies which were waiting Identification
that OF his mother. He looked silent
ly ana coldy upon the distorted features
but said not word until ordered to stand back by
the undertaken IN charge OF the remains. ''Thats
my mother" he then s0bbed, and but for the
tender interference OF the bystanders he would
have thrown himself upon the tnanimate form.
Upon inquiry 1t was learned that the lad was the
only one saved OF the family, and that since the
disaster he had slept In an old barn and almost
persisted from hunger. he was kindly cared for
BY the Relief Committee.
scene which must have shocked every person
of sensibiiry who witnessed II occurred at the
charnel house just beyond Florence yesterday
afternoon. The bodies OF three little children, with
their faces already blackened with decay, had been
brought in and one OF the dozen photographers
who are industriously ut work through the valley
begged and secured the privilege OF picturing
the sickening sight. Even while he was doing 80
the crowd parted to give place to q woman who,
with streaming eyes, recognized one OF the chill
dren as her own.
ANOTHER REVOLVING INCIDENT
is related to the enect that Haydensville doctor
uuan droao ha vun ns1o NJ
who had nearly cut on couple or his fingers in
searching FOR the dead until the injured man had
paid or secured him IS in advance.
very cruel thing was perpetrated by some one
at this village or Haydensvie this afternoon, and
that was the starting or the story that one Of the
men still reported missing had been found In an
out Of the way place, with life lingering In
him. This was very improbable rumor.
but in the present state OF afairs all who had
relations or friends In the small number grasped
at the straw to receive only most terrible disap-
pointment when the truth was known. The story
late In the day assumed the appearance OF actual
fact.
BURIAL OF CATHOLIC CITIZENS.
This morning, ct ten O'CLOCK, at the Catholic
church 1t Haydensvlle. funeral was held over the
nan, both Of williamsburg and the remains were
inferred In the Catholic cemetery at Northampton,
She and her husband had lived at Whsteey,
and moved to Williamsburg only q fort
night before the Hood and took up their
abode ON that Inflated street. the very
existence Of which IL now only
matter Of memory. Her remains were found on
the road from Williamsburg depot to Conway,
where the backwster Of the mood carried several
bodies, one Of which was discovered by the Rev.
Mr.. Gleason.
ANOTHER HERALD OF THE DISASTER
Among the heroes Of that memorable Saturday
should be counted Jerome Htllman, who, as usual
had been down to Haydensville for the mail for the
Skinnervile neighborhood and on returning
heard the Williamsburg church bells ring three
miles away. Thinking there was fre, he hurried
on to Leeds, but soon the roar OF the torrent fell
on his ear and he caught sight Of Its rushing
waters IN the distance. Turning his horse he new
hack to HavdAnavtllo and told NJ tho cornin0 fate