Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-07-06
THE TESTIMONY
As Taken BY Coroner shannon From
the Principal Eye Witnesses.

As Taken BY Coroner Shannon From
the Principal Eye witnesses.
Coroner Shannon, OF Steubenville, and
his deputy, w. Z. Campbell, were engaged
during the entire day in experimenting
\ the removal of the bodies from the river to
a farmhouse near by, assisting in the ident-
ification of them, and taking testimony
from eye witnesses OF the terrible disaster,
Among the chief witnesses of the scene
were Fred Hoffman, Walter App, William
Henry, John Zimmerman, Joseph Davis,
John Miller, James Stephenson,
William McCreif, John Flohr, Thomas
Mcdonald, Arthur McNally and John
Peak. These parties were mostly fisher
men, wbo.were encamped along the river
bank, and who hailed from SteubenvilIe
and WellSville.
The FIRST Witness
John Miller who was sworn before Coroner
Lhannon testified as follows:
"This disaster occurred between half-past
eight and nine o'clock. My attention was
first attracted by two whistles from the
Scioto. She was coming up stream. When
she.whistled the second time we run down.
l don't know whether | heard any whistle
from the other boat. When | first
saw the Scioto she was going right straight
up the river. first saw the other boat was
right. i heard the crash then heard the
screams OF the people. The Scioto sank
right away. | think the Lomas appeared
to he on the Ohio side, but / did not see
them strike. After she sunl, the Lomas
came in on this side and landed her passen-
GERS. She then went out and got some
more and brought them to this 1.-THE Ohio
shore. | don't know how many trips she
made. | saw
The Captain Sitting Around
here last night crying, hut did not hear
him saw snything about this. I didn't see
any of the other officers Of the boat. The
Scioto seemed TO be crowded. l did not
take notice how the Lomas was. | think
Thomas was the name of the Scioto's cap
| tain. could not state as to the speed OF
| the boats nor can't say whether they had
steam up when they struck"
James Stephenson.
of Steubenville, then testified. He said
IL first saw the Scioto between and
O'Clock last night. There was a crowd be-
| low hallowing at her. | heard her whistle
once and then she gave two whistles. That's
a boat signal heard the J ohm LOmas whistle
then. didn' notice that the SCioto whistled
again. This boat whistled first and then
the Lomas. Icouldn't say how far apart
| they were. AS soon as the Lomas whistled
went down. | heard the crash, but did
not see them strike. The Lomas when they
struck pulled out from tine Scioto and she
| went down. She struck the Scioto on the
Next the Fore Bow.
| The Lomas did not seem to have much
| of a load on but the other
| was loaded pretty heavy. The Scioto was
heading to the West Virginia side when
| she was struck. She was going up the river.
| The Lomas then landed her passengers on
this side and made four or five trips bring
| ing in people. As soon as | could | went
| out in skiff myself When | went out the
| other boats kept me back some. Then there
was a woman and two men standing on the
| bow, and brought them of. There was
quite q number got out on this shore. There
was great deal of screaming and confusion.
/ saw the captain of the Scioto around here
| last night; he was hunting his boy and
| crying. did not hear him say anything
| about the accident
william FiOhr
| testified as follows: Il saw this boat about
nine o'clock Yesterday morning. She was
very heavy loaded On this side she was
rubbing the water When the pilot started
| further out he started out straight, then
| towards the warehouse and the boat go to
| surgng around. We all said she was hard
| to pilot or he didn't know much about it.
| didn't see the collision"
John Zimmerman
| said: 81 first saw the Scioto going down
| in the morning about 10 O'Clock. She had
| a pretty good crowd and not running very
| fast She seemed backing with one wheel,
| and running with the other. We were sit
| ting here about half-past eight and saw her
going up the river. She was then running
very fast. She still appeared to have a
| good load. There were good many on the
| guards and good man on the top, too. L
was in a skiff on the rlver little piece be-
low the Scio.o. heard the boats
| whistle. but could not say which boat
| wbistled first The boat that whistled first
| | think gave one whistle. The two poats
whistled close together. was behind the
Scioto and could not tell the distance apart
| Of the boats
| when They whistled.
| heard the crash as they run together.
| The Iomas, I think, struck on the Nlr-
ginia side Of the Scioto; then | think she
9ulled back. The Scioto sank Immediately.
| She went down very quick. / cont thinkit
was three minutes. There was great deal
screaming and confusion. We got seven
ont of the river. JOS Davis was in with
me- me- 1 don't know the name Of any one
we got out of the river or where they were
from. The depth of the river there l can't
tell. She has now sunk aoout two feet and
a half since. l expect there was about
eighteen or twenty feet OF water there last
night. When the Lomas struck her, she
landed her passengers and
| Went to the Rescue.
| of the other boat / think she made four
trips and brought, suppose, about hun
.dred each trip. II wasn't very dark at
| that time We could see the other shore.
don't think the moon was up at that
| time. We could see the Scioto plainly for
a mile down. don't belieyethat sawthe
Iomas until she struck, as | was behind the
Scioto.
Pred Hoffman. Of SteuheuSille.
said: saw the Scioto go down IN the
morning. / didn't think she was over
loaded. she was only running one wheel
going past here. The people all appeared
TO be on the left-hand side, l next saw
her about half-past eight in the evening,
She was about three quarters OF q mile or
mile down. could see her plain about q
half an hour before it was dark, but il had
cleared up then aud was tolerably light I
| heard the upper bsa: iIomsal drsa ssa