Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-04-04
GOLDEN CITY.
Friends Of the Lost Passengers in Town
Doing All in Their Power to
Find the Bodies.
The Attorney-General Reports the Re-
suit of His InvestigatiOn-0ni-
GERS to be Indicted.

The news in the Golden City disaster is OF
the most unsatisfactory and unsubst antial
character. No bodies have as vet been
found. A number of friends of the persons
lost in the fire have been in the city, but
nothing definite as to the bodies has vet been
found out. The only hope of recovering the
bodies lies in the probability that some of
the passengers jumped overheard, preierring
death by water to death by drowning. Among
those who have arrived her for the purpose
OF conducting a search for the bodies are
Captain Noah Scovill, of New Orleans, an
uncle of Captain L. Kouns; Stephen Dillon,
Of Burlington, Ohio, thspncle ofthe late Mrs.
Kouns, and who has son on Kouns' Red
river line of boats, sfving as a clerk and
relative, and Cha1n Crsry, a son and
brother of the late Mrs. and Miss Crary;
also, Mr.. G. L. Monahan, of Jackson, Ohio, a
brother to the late DR.. Isaac L. Monahan.
Captain l.. Kouns came to Memphis from
Shreveport Sunday night, but he was 30 pros
trated and, indeed, out OF his head at the
sad disaster, that it was deemed prudent to
take him TO New Orleans. He consequently
remained in Memphis but short time. The
relatives of the survivors have been printed,
and will be circulated along. the river, offer
ing rewards for the recovery of the bodies.
large quantity of dynamite has also been
secured, to be ignited and exploded along
the river 10 raise the bodies, if possible.
Mr.. Frank Stowe, one of the surviving
passengers, made a foot journey down the
river for several miles for the purpose of
discovering, if possible whether any bodies
had drifted on the Tennessee shore, but be-
sides encountering great many dead bodies
OF animals drowned by the flood failed in
his mission.
The lady whose body was found, but not
identified, was buried in Elmwood cemetery
Sunday, Captain Mcintyre and Mr.. w. f.
Mcintyre paying the expenses.
ATToRNEY-GENERAL's REPORT.
The following is the report Of the attor-
ney general concerning The coroner's inquest:
To Hon. L. B. Horrigan, Judge, Your Honor:
In obedience to your honor's order of
court, directed to me as the attorney general
of said court, etc, carefully and impair
TALLY investigated the burning of the steamer
Golden City, which occurred in front of the
city of Memphis on the morning of the 30th
ultimo. | have tried to find out the precise
causes OF the fire that destroyed the boat
and proved SO destructive to human life.
submit to your honor the following as my
report:
FTst-The boat was in part loaded with
certain barrels, certain bales of jute and GER
tain bales of junk, which were of Pc
culiarly inhammable character. said articles
being stored in the deck of said steamer
Golden City.
.Second.-That said inhammable freight
was not safely covered, and, in fact much of
it was not covered at all, but was fully ex-
posed.
TAiyd-The iute and Junk bales consti-
tuted the bedding of a number of deck pas
sengers.
FotTh.-There were no orders, general or
special, as to the carrying or handling of
lamps in that part of the boat in which this /.
infammable freight was stored, as testified
to by the mate of said boat.
Fifi.-Said boat was fired from a lamp
carried and used by the captain of the boats
watch, Wash Smith.
Sirth-That said lamp was carried and
handled by said Wash Smith in that part of
the boat where the inhammsble freight was
stored, in most reckless and careless way.
SerenM.-That if said iphammable freight
had been stored and covered and protected
with ordinary care, said fire could net have
at the time and in the way it did.
Eighth-That it was the duty of the mates
Of said boat to load and so cover the iDham-
mable freight as to protect it from fire, and
the facts in this case show conclusively that
the mate of the Golden City was recklessly
careless of his duty, and that he did not look
after the running of said boat during his
watch in precautionary manner, but sub
mittsd the discharge of his duties in most
no responsibility.
Ninh.-I conclude by saying that / regard
the burning of the Golden City as the result
Of a most positive disregard of duty on the
part Of the mate, and the consequent care
less and reckless conduct of the watchman,
Wash Smith, who was unrestraIned by any |
order and description.
ORDER OF THE COURT.
1t appearing TO the Court, from the coro-
ner's inquest held over the body of one of the |
victims in the steamboat disaster, the Golden |
City, and that said calamity took place |
within the county of Shelby, together with |
an official report of the Encouragement of |
this court, based upon the testimony of wit
nesses examined under oath, that some of the |
employees OF said boat, and especially the |
mates, were guilty OF gross and criminal |
negligence and carelessness and that by rea- |
son of said carelessness and negligence said |
steamboat was destroyed by fire, and that a !
arge number Of persons then aboard of said |
boat we re killed by reason Of said fire; it is
therefore ordered that the attorney general,
without delay, prefer bills OF Indictment |
against all persons accused in said inquest |
and report of criminal negligence.
TRIP IN THE AFTERNOON.
Yesterday ats rnoon trip down the river |
was made by the tug G. B. Bryan, with Cap
ain S. c. Mcintyre and Clerk w. +. McIn- |
yre, Captain Scoville and Mr.. Wilder, rela-
ives of Mrs. Kouus and children, who were |
ost, DIR. Monahan, brother of the DIR. |
Monahan who was lost, Mr.. Hasen, a relative
If Mrs. Crary. The party went alongside |
If the wreck of the Golden City and sounded |
he water and found thirty feet and very
witt current; indeed too swift to do any
hing. Mr.. Moore, the diver, was along.
The party looked along the shore as they
;ame back, but could not find anything ex-
,ept part of bale of cotton.