The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-07-16
AFTER The STORM
The Work Of Collecting The Cyclones
Victims Still Continues.
Tales OF the Great Storm Told by
Those Who Experienced Its
Awful Fury-FuIler Paeticu-
lars of the Disaster.

LAKE CITf, July lo.-NotniHR new was
developed along the lake shore, no bodies
having been recovered up to noon, and IL
is probable that no more bodies will he
found for two or three days and the hope
at Lake City is that not more than dozen
bodies are in the lake, but at Red Wing
the number is placed at two or three times
that number. Captain Witheren, who has
been seen here since yesterday napn, told
the people of Red Wing that the number
on board at the time of the disaster would
i'm all probability not exceed 170. Red
Wing man denied the captains figures as
over 10 below the truth, and accused both
the captain and crew of being drunk and
unfit TO have charge of a boat at such
time. There is no proof of such a state
of affairs. There were those on the barge
among the passengers who had been
drinking and whose actions drove the
women and children to the cabin. This fact
may he the ground for the rumors. An
other rumor that caused great indig-
nation accused the captain of ordering
the cabin door locked and keeping peo-
pie inside. Miss Aggie Bartron, of Lake
City, one of those rescued from the barge,
says that all women and children were
ordered into the cabin from the barge. II
would be natural for the captain to do
this ~ il was intensely dark and the rain
and hail made il intensely disagreeable
TO remain on the barge. On the other
hand the engineer says the captain thought
the barge safer than the steamer and
sent orders down to the cabin for the
women and children to go on the barge.
Instead of carrying out the order correctly
the man told them tn stay in the cabin
and lock the door, which they did. Pre-
vious to that most of the women left the
barge for the steamer, telling the cngi-
neer that party of men on the barge
were drunk and had been acting in an OBJ
jectionable manner, and they would not
stay there. Whether these he facts or
not, II is certain the door was shut, il not
locked, when the rescuers reached the
steamer. and everything indicated that
they had been closed throughout the
gale.
Judge Bayrell of Argyle, who was in the
boat gives positive evidence against the
charge of drunkenness. He says the
captain was not only sober hut was fully
conscious of the presence of the storm
although not fully appreciating its
gravity. The captain walked through
the cabin, quietly trying to calm the ex.
cited passengers telling them he did not
| think there was any danger. but il any
wished tn do so, they could put on life
preseryers and prepare for the worst
possibility. A few minutes later he once
more made the same suggestion.
The charge against the crew probably
originated i'm the behavior OF some of the
drunken male passengers OH the barge.
Seeing the severity of the storm, the cap
tain wished those who were on the barge
at the mercy of the wind and rain and
hail, TO seek refuge in the cabin, but later
he considered the barge a safer place,
and ordered the women and children to
remove there. His order uiiscarried, OF
at least such seems 10 have been the case
Lawyer Greer OF Lake City believed that
If the people had known that part of the
lake, many could have escaped, and cites
the experience of Harry Maber. Young
Maber was on board the Red Wing, and
when she drifted around below the point
she grounded for a short time on a bar
Knowing the water there was shallow, he
jumped overheard, and reached land cas-.
lily. From that bar. the steamer drifted
along the shore, keeping about 40 or q
yards out. All along the bottom slopes
very gradually down. so nearly all could
have escaped to the shore had they known
this fact.
This evening coroner's jury assem-
bled and were about 10 begin an inquest
when CoInty Attorney Wilson said the
statutes provide that "a coroner hold an
inquest only where there are marks OF
violence on the body. As there were
none such in the present case no inquest
could be held. He said further he be
lieved, taking into consideration the
frame of mind of the community, ii is adj
visable not to hold an inquest now even
il it could be held. He assured the jury
men as citizens that the matter would be
laid before the grand jury at once, and q
rigid investigation be had. The jury acted
on his opinion and the coroner dismissed
them. This evening one more body was
found. that of Rita Viethes, aged Is.
Captain Wethercn of the ill-fated craft.
went across the river TO his home i'm Dia
mond Bluff. Wis. Ii is reported tonight
he had been placed under arrest at the