Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-10-09
THE MISSISSIPPI EXPLOSION.
Thirty Deaths Already Reported-The
Coroner's Jury severely C,iticises the
Captain OF the Eagle.

ST. Louis, Oct S.
The total number of deaths up to yesterday
occasioned by the La Msscotte disaster on
the Mississippi is so and George : Davidson,
the boats carpenter is not expected to live
The coroner resumed his Investigation YES
terdsv. Adolph Evelyn, pilot of the Eagle
testified that he noticed the explosion on the
steamer but hearing no signal supposed the
boat was not in distress. When he saw she
WAS on FIRE, however, he ordered the deck
hands to lower skiff and yawl. They did
so and aided in the rescue of passengers and
crew. The captain of the Eagle appeared
on deck about this time and seemed provoked
that he, the pilot, had ordered the boats
lowered. The Eagle than ran ashore and
took on board all of those who had escaped
from the burning boat
Captain Ebrsugh OF the Eagle testified that
he WAS powerless TO render any assistance to
the La Mascotte, for his own boat would GER
tainiy have caught fire if he had attempted to
push the burning boat ashore. The vawl
and skitf had already been lowered when he
came on deck and were rescuing the GROWN.
ing passengers and members of the crew.
He did ali in his power to alleviate the sutf-
erings of the injured, after they had been
brought aboard the Eagle.
Several of the La Mascotte's crew testified
SaPtalI IHuupsbl, lDdetcT VI tlS uOAl,
was the last one to leave and that he did ali
in his power to save the boat and her crew
and passengers. They all agreed that the
Eagle could have pushed the burning steam
er ashore without endangering herself.
Captain Thompson testified that AS soon as
he knew the boat was on fire he searched the
upper and lower decks for his crew and deck
hands, and all but two of them had been too
severely injured to render any assistance
in extinguishing the fire, or had made their
escape. He assisted the ladies to the stage
and supplied them with life preservers. He
theu went back 10 the deck to take a last
look and see if anyone was lett on the boat
and saw two colored men, horribly burned
and scalded, lying on the forecastle, flames
just about to devour them. 1t would have
been impossible to rescue them. He then
jumped overheard, swan ashore, ran down to
where the Eagle had landed, boarded her aud
repeatedly called upon her captain to lower
his life boat. II told him" continued Cap
tain Thompson, "that if he did not do so,
would report him." He replied that he had
no crew. Captain Thompson saw at that
time eight or twelve men on the lower deck.
The captain of the Eagle finally lowered
boat. Some one was in it, but it only had
one oar. 1t went ashore and was afterwsrd
taken back to the boat. When the Eagle
landed there were passengers from the La
Mascotte IN the river, on the stage or cling
ing to a line on the bow of the boat. The
Eagle could have gone close enough and sent
a life boat, even with one oar, 100 or 200
feet and taken some of the passengers of,
but Captain Ebraugh refused to do this.
Captain Thompson said his conduct through
out was heartless, and he seemed totally in
different to the condition of the dying. and
drowning victims. From what Captain
Thompson saw, the captain of the Eagle rem
dered no assistance at all, except to carry the
dead and dying to Cape Gurardeau.
After the evidence was all taken the coro-
ner's jury almost Immediately returned a
verdict exonerating the officers of the La
Mascotte. and severely criticising the captain
of the Eagle and recommending that his
license be revoked.