The herald., 1897-05-11
Captain Wilder Placed Under Arrest
Pending Investigation Of the Dis
aster-Details Meager


some sight on the Mallory steamer Le-
ona today. Thirteen bodies, blackened
by fire and smoke, were lying in the
steamers steerage. The men and wo-
men on deck looked as though they had
passed through an awful ordeal No
body was allowed either to leave or
board the vessel until after the Coroner
viewed the bodies and gave permission
for their removal. Coroner Hoeder, as
matter of form, placed Captain Wilder
under arrest. He was paroled in custody
of Mr.. Mallory. Thomas Doyle, aged 81,
OF Patterson, N. j., who was on his way
to Vallejo, California, to see his uncle
and aunt, will be detained until the in
quest. Doyle was among the steerage
passengers who occupied hunks on the
starboard side of the vessel He said
among passengers who could speak
English was young Irish girl, Lizzie
Sullivan, on her way to Los Angeles,
Cal. Doyle stated he was lying asleep
early Sunday morning when awakened
by suffocating feeling. The apartment
was filled with smoke. He made for the
companion way leading to the upper
deck. At the entrance of the compan-
ion way the steward was shouting.
Doyle started up and found two men
had preceded him. He fell back having
lost his balance, and when he started up
again was assisted by some one from
behind, who pushed him up.
NOT BADLY BURNED
NEW YORK, May 10.-An examina.
tion of the steerage compartment of the
steamer Leona, which put back into mort
last night with a fire in her inside, was
made as soon as the ship had cooled Off
sufficiently, and thirteen corpses were
discovered. Their attitudes showed that
they were trying to escape when death
found them. Some lay huddled in a
heap; others were on their knees, with
hands outstretched, as II to grope their
way through the darkness and the blind
Ing smoke. None of them were burned
SO horribly that they were utterly unrec-
ognizable.
The flesh on their features was gone,
and in places the naked bones, charred
and blackened, had been disclosed to
view The butcher and the two walters
were the least burned of any of the
dead, and it was easy to identify them
The dead were not disturbed. They are
still lying where they fell, and will be re-
moved on the order Of the Coroner today.
Part of the Leona's cargo consisted
of matches. which were stored near the
wheelhouse, and it is possible that the
fire was caused by the matches. The
damage to the vessel and cargo is ex-
tensive.
At ! o'clock this morning Charles r.
Mallory of the Mallory line and Coroner
Hoeber boarded the Leona After view
ing the bodies and questioning the Cap-
tain, Mr.. Mallory said to the reporters
presents "There are thirteen dead ON
board; but everybody on the ship is so
excited that I have not yet been able 20
get full report about the fire. When
do will give it out.
"This Is all / have been able to learn so
far: The steamer sailed on Saturday at
8 p. m. She had forty passengers on
board, of whom twenty-three were III
the steerage. AT a. IN. Saturday morn
ing fire was discovered bursting out Of
the forward hatchway. 1t spread very
quickly, and almost as soon as the alarm
sounded the steerage and companionway
were filled with smoke. The cause was
spontaneous combustion among the mis-
cellaneous cargo When the fire had been
tput out it was found that ten of the steer
age passengers, both men and women,
had been suffocated and their bodies
burned. Two OF the steerage walters
were likewise dead, ard butcher"
| Coroner Hoeber asked number of
questions regarding the breaking out If
the fire, the means of egress which pass
engers had, etc. Then he turned to Mr..
Mallory and said. II consider it my duty
to put Captain Wilder under arrest,
pending investigation into this depior-
able accident. But do not wish TO put
him to any unnecessary Inconvenience,
and will accept Mr.. Maliory's assur-
ance that he will not run away" This
being given, the formalities Of the night
were over.
Moro Conductors Coming