The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-25


Barns Miss Kate Colbert Miss Laura Swear
er, Maggie Thompson, Maggie Burns, Will
helmina, William and Agnes Fehn, Mary
Newman, Mary McGahan, Mary Spiess
eighteen; Rosa Mcbride, Maggie Lynch, ten
Mary Lynch, twenty; Mary and Jennie
Carey, sisters, twenty and twenty-five; Min
ME Klindnest, eleven.
THE coRoNERs INQUEST.
At o'clock this evening Coroner Morfit
began an inquest, at which Father Starr,
pastor of the Church of Corpus Christi, was
present. Jacob Bonnell testified that he
is special officer at Tivoli.
He locked the gates on the wharf
about in the evening, by order of the pro-
prietor of the place, to keep the people from
getting on the wharf; refused some young g
ladies who wished to return to the yroun ds
through the first gate because he feared the
others would get alarmed. The boat reached
the wharf between 10 and II. Witness then
opened the gates, and the people rushed
through. He begged them to keep back, as
the wharf was not of the best. Soon after
he heard crash, ran back and saw a num-
Der of people in the water, and pulled off
his clothes and went into the water
and rescued ten or twelve persons,
also recovered three dead bodies. Did not
consider the wharf secure with such crowds.
There were about 700 people on the wharf
wien IL lcil, anu oOO were III tDe water.
Had seen larger crowds on the wharf. The
flooring had been repaired this season. The
break occurred between the two gates, and
not where the boat lands Examined the
place where the break occurred, and found
the timbers pretty rotten. There were six to
eight lights on the wharf, and they
burned brightly. Remembers only one
pile standing when the wharf broke.
Rev. w. E. Starr was on the pier before
the accident, and sent a messenger to h ave
the gates closed. The lamps on the pier
head gave ample light, but the pier was
badly lighted; the moon also gave good light;
did not think more than $50 people could
stand on the space where the break occurred;
had full view of the accident and saw the
people struggling in the water. Had there
been rush of people many more would
have been thrown into the water;
thought it fair estimate to say there
were thirteen handred people on the
excursion. The pier is mass of patching
from one end to the other. After the crash
found the outer gate open; thought it was
closed five minutes before.
John Conner, special officer at Tivoli was
at the pier head an hour before the arrival
of the barge, and found about 200 people
there; told them they would have to go On
shore, but they didn't go. Then went toward
the inner gate, closed it, and warned the
people if they did not go back when the boat
arrived there would be a rush and many of
them would surely go overheard. Called on
the committee for assistance to keep the
gate closed, but did not get it,
Was at the gate when the crash occurred
Thought there were about $50 to 200 on the
pier when the break took place. The timber
OF the pier appeared to be pretty good; there
was some dry rot Thought there were no
lights except at the pier head. Has seen
larger crowds on the wharf, but they were
more easily controlled. Did not think the
barge struck the pier when it came along
side, but did not see any piles left when the
wharf broke
James GoonelI, on the excursion ex-
amined the wharf at the break and took
piece of the timber of which the wharf was
b-ilt. Part of one of the jolsts supporting
u q toor piece was shown and it was entirely
| rotten. Was about forty feet from the
break when it occurred. There were about
100 people between witness and the outer
gate, the greater portion of whom were on
the space that fell through Did not at any
time hear the people warned to keep back
Frank Debilens, proprietor of the Tivoli,
the 2 o'clock boat. The pier is
1,10O feet long The break was
about twenty or thirty feet. There are three
piles IN the break and they are all there and
in good condition, none of them rotton. The
piles are ten feet apart. The barge did not
| strike the wharf when she reached it. Lamps
are not used when the moon shines as last
night. The lamps were turned up so high
by some of the committee OF the excursion
lists that they smoked and gave no light at
all.
The investigation was proceeding at mid
night with no probability of concluding for
several hours The testimony OF the wit
nesSes already given will doubtless cover all
facts that may be brought to light.