The Portland daily press., 1898-12-02
VEany Who Came Have Gone Away
With Their Mission Unfnlflled-The
Massachusetts, Law a Great Source Of
TrOmble-The Wheel of the Lost
Steamer and How Ef Was FOund-Only
Twenty-One Bodies Have Been Found
So Far.

TO those!who identified the dead as to how
to proceed to take the bodies.
The requirements of the law and the
medical examiner are giving the compa-
nv and the friends of the dead lot of
trouble. Persons who had Identified
bodies today found that before they could
taKe them affidavits made before notary
public were necessary for the purpose of
establishing the identity of those who
claimed the remains. Mr.. Williams in
several cases made the necessary state
ments More than this, ii is difficult to
reach the towns on Cape Cod.
"What are we to do. r. asked one gen.
tleman. 'iMust we come here time after
time as we hear more bodies are recov-
ereds''
The steamship company desires to have
the bodies taken to Boston for the con-
yenience of those seeking them and Mr..
Liscomb VIII consult the state authorities
tomorrow morning to see what, If any,
arrangements can bs made about it, Mr..
Williams returned to the city tonight,
but will be at Orleans again on Satur-
day. Another thing delays the removal
of the bodies which have been identified
This is the lack of cofins. OF course
there was no supply in the small Cape
standstill owing to the washouts on the
railroad, none lsl lcan be obtained. 1t Is
hoped to remedy this by Saturday and 1t
may be possible to remove some bodies
tomorrow.
Up to tonight only 81 bodies had been
recovered all told notwithstanding state
ments that the coast is strewn with them,
etc.
Mr.. G. +. Williams, the Boston agent,
of the Portland Steamship company was
asked by the PRESS correspondent today
what he had to say in reference to the
action of Capt. Blanchard in violation Of
orders directing him. to. stay in port for
time at least. Mr.. Williams said he did
not care to discuss the matter, adding
when his attention was called to Mr.. Lis
combs statement that he had given the
orders in question to Capt. Blanchard
through Mr.. Williams. II can corrobo-
rate and doubly corroborate that. While
I do not like to say SO it is the fact that
Capt. Blanchard was responsible and
solely responsible for taking his vessel to
sea in such a storm. =
The PRESS correspondent is informed
that Mr.. Williams after giving the or
ders to Capt. Blanchard and hearing his
reply, went to the Captain half an hour
later and repeated the instructions. 1t
does not appear that Capt. Blanchard
made any explanation of his course in
putting to sea. He was not man who
talked much about his work and respon-
sibilities, but he did say to the watch
man as the lines were cast of seKeep a
lookout for us, we may be back.
MIR. Fred Hooper, whose struggle to
reach Provinostown and efforts to find
traces of his father and young brother,
have been described in the PRESS. re-
turned to Boston tonight. his place here
being taken by his brother. MIR. Hooper
before leaving, walked 10 miles along the
beach in company swith the life saving
patrol. No bodies were seen, however.
! 1t may be of comfort to the friends of
the victims whose bodies have been re-
covered to know that there is little dis
fpureu,ont under all the circ umstances.
In one or two cages the sand fleas have
marred the faces. and there are some
bruises and discolorations, but that is all.
One man who was at first thought to be
Dillon, one of the oilers, looked as II he
was sleeping. The undertakers here have
partially embalmed the bodies. Mr.. Free
mans face has only few slight soars on
it to show how the body was carried
through the waves A pathetic incident
in the search for the dead was the visit
of two ladies to the temporary rnorgue.
They were gowned In. deep mourning ey1.
IDENTITY new. And they were without male
escort and when thsir turn came the
men withdrew aud left them alone for
a minute with the dead. They did no,