Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-05-11
GRUES0ME SIGHT.
The Thirteen Victims of the
Steamer leona Fire
Hauled Away in Cheap Pine Boxes to
the New York City Morgue.
Those Who Cannot Be Identified Will Go 10
the Poiter's Field.

New York, May lot was a grue-
some sight on the deck of the Inflated
Mallory line steamer Leona, early this
morning, IL dead bodies charred and
baked lying in the steamers steerage,
and men and women were on the deck
looking as if they had passed through
an awful siege.
Coroner Hoeber arrived about 220
O'Clock this morning. at the pier and
found Charles +. Mallory, one of the
owners of the vessel, in conversation
with Captain Wilder in the latter's
cabin. Accompanied by Mr.. Mallory
and the captain, Coroner Hoeber went
to the Storage and viewed the CARED
be dies. Then he gave permission for
their removal. The coroner told Cap
tain Wilder that as a matter of form he
would he compelled to have him placed
under arrest
He was Immediately paroled in the
custody of Mr.. Mallory. who was in
structed to produce the captain when
the inquest is held. The witnesses
were told to be at the coroners office
at noon, today
AT $50 o'clock. this morning, two
dead wagons drove on the pier and
threw aboard the steamer II pine boxes.
in which the bodies of the victims We're
to be removed. The members of the
crew refused to touch the bodies. and
the work had to be performed by the
wagon attendants.
The IL bodies We're placed in nine Of
the pine boxes, some of the bodies be-
ing those of children ana others eharred
and burned to about one-half their
natural size. The bodies were taken TO
the morgue, where they Will remain to
await identification by their friends.
Those who cannot be identified will be
buried in the potters field.
At 3 A. NJ, when the reporters Were
permitted to board the steamer the
forward deck presented a sorry specta-
Gle. The smell of burned flesh still per-
vaded the ship. The smoke stacks We're
toppled over and charred and the steer
age apartments below entirely Quilted.
The flames had eaten their way all
around the pilot house, but had left the
house itself untouched. Below the deck
in the steerage were burned and charred
packages OF cotton, and broken and
bent pipes everywhere, hanging down
from the top and sides.
f. B. Woodruff, a cabin passenger in
the Leona, who travels for a cutlery
house in this city. said: We all
thought we were doomed to go to the
bottom. Fierce flames shot up as far
as the masthead. The dense volumes
of black smoke rolling up from the
bales of cotton batting choked us and
the suffering of men. v0men and child
rem from this was pitiable. A lookout
first smelled smoke and hurrying below
saw flames. From a manhole on the
forward deck. beside the pilot house
the crew began to fight the flames
The crew and Captain Wilder did
nobly. The hatchways below in the
steerage were in place and prevented
the flames from eating their way below
to the hold.
1T was about l o'clock when ! was
aroused. We We're then off the Della
ware Capes. Dense volumes of smoke
poured out from the steerage. Sailors
tried to save their effects but many
things were lost. l begged for a life
saving craft to be lowered and really
believed that we were lost"
Charles c. Mallory said: II do not
attach blame to the captain of the
Leona, as his verbal report to me was
entirely satisfactory. He tells me that
the greatest credit is due to the officers
and crew. He says that every effort
was made to awaken the passengers
and such of the crew as had turned
in by the usual fire alarm signals con-
sisting of bells and whistles"
Following is a revised list of the
dead passengers: Bridget Sullivan, b.
children Mrs. C. Guzza and daughter,
Joseph Solomonson's sister, one daugh
ter of J. Vlacikek. Sophie Schmaiz.
Crew: Alfred Lang, waiter; c. Hart
man, butcher; II. Harvey, waiter.