The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-10
LA 7 TES' I
GRUEsOME
Spectacle atDOck
of the LeOna.
Thirteen Charred Bodies
Viewed by Coroner.
Stories of the Surviving
Steerage Passengers.
One Charges That Crew Failed "a
Render Assistance.
Stories of the Surviving
Steerage Passengers.
One Charges That Crew Failed Ia
Render Assistance.
Another Says Crew Worked Like
Beavers to Subdue Fire In Hold.

New York, May 10.-It was a gruesome
sight on the deck of the ilI-fated Mallory
line steamer Leona, early this morning
to see thirteen dead bodies charred and
black. Men and women were on the deck
looking as If they had passed through an
awful siege. Coroner Hoeber arrived
about 2.30 this morning at the pier and
found Charles Ii. 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 the coroner went To the steerage
and viewed the charred bodies. Then he
gave permisson for their removal. The
coroner told Captain Wilder that as a
matter of form he would be compelled to
have him placed under arrest.
He was Immediately paroled in the Gus
tody Of Mr.. Mallory, who was instructed
TO produce the captain when the inquest
is held. The witnesses were told to be az
the coroner's Office ut noon today.
Coroner Hoeber found steerage pas
senger whom he ordered detained until
after tho inquest. This mans name is
Thomas Doyle. He is 81 years old and
lives at Paterson, n. j. He was on his
aunt. Doyle Is q veteran of the late war.
He was taken Co the old slip station
where he will be detained until the in
quest is held Doyle said he was among
the steerage passen GERS and that two other
men whose names he did not know were
the only ones that could speak English
with the'exception of young irish girl
named Sullivan who was on her way TO
Los Angeles, Cal, to go TO work. she
was about IL years of age and pretty.
Awakened by Feeling of Suffocation.
Doyle said that he had not made the
acquaintance of any of the other passen-
gers. He stated that he was lying asleep
in his bunk early on Sunday morning.
when he was awakened by a suffocating
feeling. His first thought was that
someone was smoking cheroot, but when
he opened his ewes ana saw the apartment
filed with smoke he jumped from his
bunk and made for the companionway,
leading TO the upper deck. This was only
a short distance from where hes slept At
the entrance of the conipanionway he
met the steward who was shouting,
Fire" as loudly as he could. He
started up the companionwav and found
that two men had preceded him.
On reaching the deck his first thought
was of the safety of Lizzie Sullivan, and
he started down into the women's side Of
the steerage to rescue her. but he was
pulled back by the members of the crew.
The moon was shining brightly at the
time and it was scarcely any time from
the forward portion Of the steamer was
not enshrouded in smoke. The crew
worked like beavers 10 put out the flames.
The matches, burlap and sewing machines,
which caught fire were stored only
short distance away from the steerage
apartments and when the fire broke out
its course must have necessarily sbeen
toward where the steerage passengers
were sleeping.
Pine Boxes for the Victims.
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 were 20 be re-
ceived. The members of the crew refused
To touch the bodies. The l3 bodies were
placed i'm nine of the pine boxes, some of
the bodies being those Of children and
others charred and burnt TO half their
natural size. The bodies were taken TO the
morgue, where they will remain TO await
identification 10y their friends. Those
who cannot be identified will DO buried
in Potter's field.
Captain Wilder stated that later the
purscr will have a list of the people who
lost their lives and other information
which will be made public.
lie Lost His AL
Samuel Schillicheraut, one of the pas
sengers in the stccrage, was on his way to
Columbus, Texas. lie had $3.50 with him
with which he was going TO start in n
small business at Columbus and then
send for his family He lost everything
no had. both money and clothing.
Through an interpreter ne told this story
1.-THE fire occurred between and o'clock
this morning. The first sensation l had
was one Of choking ana l scrair blcd out
of bed and rushed for the upper deck.
There were ten other passengers in the
compartment with me, one Of whom was
smothered; the others got out in safety.
There was the widest excitement among
the passengers and the stcerage was filed
with smoke. | CROPPED my way to the lad
der leading 90 the deck and found that
there were a mum Ter of people ahead Of
me scrambling up tho ladder. The
screams " the women and children wero
frightful 20 hear
Crew Gave No Assistance.
"The crew made no effort 90 help the
passengers and none OF MS were awakened
by them. They simply took care OF
themselves and left US 60 our fate. a
great many lives might have been saved
III the crew had done anything 20 help tho
smothering passengers When VIC gathered
on deck we found some life preservers
andlnearly all Of us put them on. Then
the crew assured us that there was no
danger and the excitement was s0mowhat
allaycd. y
Mr. Schiliicheraut said that tho general
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