Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-16
Instances of Indifference.

ing craft.
Instances of Indifference.
Cne man AYERS that a big white yacht
passed the Slocum when the bodies of wom-
en- and children were going overheard and
did not even slacken speed. According to
this man the yacht flew the pennant of the
New York Yacht Club. but not the owners
pernant, which always signifies that he Is
aboard, and after passing the Slocum she
steered over to the western shore and hove
to. while on her bridge man In uniform
with binoculars to his eyes watched the
vessel burn.
Even more horrible than this and similar
acts of incredible callousnesS is the story or
Miss Martha Weirk. who says that While
she struggled In the water boat drew
alongside of her and the men In 1t after
stripping her of her rings and other jewelry
pushed her back into the water. The body
OF the steward had been rifed when found,
and of several hundred dollars he was sup
posed to have in his pockets, not cent
was found.
There is open criticism OF the failure of
the Slocum's officers and crew to meet the
emergency, but yet no formal acton
has been taken by either the municipal or
federal authorities. Capt Van Schaick and
the two pilots are under arrest, but are
held only as witnesses.
Failed to Meet Responsibilities.
That there was terrible failure to meet
the responsibilities Is undoubted- NO ef-
fort as far as can be learned, was made
to launch the life RATS or boats, and no
concerted attempt made toward equpping
the helpless women and children with. life
preservers. But few of those rescued ana
few of the bodies recovered from the river
had on life preservers. and. according TO
several statements. most OF these supposed
instruments of safety were practically
worthless either coming apart when at
tempt was made to use them or not pos
sessing the buoyancy they are supposed 10
have.
There Is very general criticism of the
captain and pilots for their failure to turn
the vessel ashore the moment they We're
Informed that the fire had gained head
way. Capt Van Schaick has made several
statements varying in detail, but none OF
them is considered as satisfactory.
Pilot Van Wart. however. today said that
he could not dock the vessel because all OF
her rawsers were burned. His statement
follows:
.'Wben 7 first discovered the presence of
fire on the steamer | decided TO MAKE TOT
the first dock that I could find. but In
moment | was informed that all the ropes
by which we usually tied up had been
burned. I then decided to make Tor the
first point of land where there were no
rocxs and beach the vessel, and this did.
The presence of rocks all along the shore
made it impossible for me to beach the
vessel any sooner than did
Scenes at Morgue.
From midnight until long after sunrise
TO-DAY the work of arranging the hundreds
Of unidentified bodies which we're peing
brought down from North Brother lsiand
all night progressed uninterruptediy. Inc
sleepless eyes of stricken men ana women
IN the dock at the foot of East 26th street
watched every move of the city offlclals.
The scenes about the morgue and at the
docks where the relief boats came In laoen
with their CHASTITY freight were nea aascriu-
ing and beyond any posslDlilty VI uessi ~ ~
tion Men and women who hao Wa!teu ioi
hours. swaying between fear ana 1ope,
gave way to bitter grief when at ias s ,ns
Sodfas Of their loved ones were fo'in1
ounne the niles of burned and mang;ad
dead. - .o ,yoran who
dia5 cIasping their infant babies IN their
80, nafhetic figure among the searcn-
ers and watchers was slxteen-yeaI.o ,u
Fred Hartung the sole survivor OF IAN
lily of six who went on the Iii- aisters have
not heen heard from since the Slocum went
down of North Brother Island The boy
saved himself by jumping to tug
Pathetic Scenes at Church.
The scenes at the bureau of information
which has been established In st. Marx
Lutheran Church today were patheuc IN
the extreme. There Is constant stream
of people, and now and again, as some one
ts informed that the loved one for whom
he or she Is seeking Is among the oeao' q
cry of grief is heard. ,
6rn Young man called at the church to-
day and was informed that his mother ana
four sisters for whom he was looking hau
not been found. He had been TO the morgue
and To all the hospitals. and this was his
last hope Satisfied that his loved ones
were dead, he tainted. and 1t was some
time before he could be resuScltated-
heavy pail of sorrow hung today over
the public school on 9Th street near LIST ave-
nue., which is the center of the residence
district most affected by the slocum dis
aster
MANY Relatives of Victims.
Of the 600 pupils of the school large
portion were relatives of the excursionists.
and nearly 800 of the regular attendants
did not appear in their classes today. or
this number 10 had obtained permission on
Tuesday to be absent yesterday for the
purpose OF going the excursion. Just
how many lost their lives or we're injured
has not yet been learned. but the principal
Is engaged in canvass or the homes LOT
the purpose of learning their fate.
Scores of boys and girls, their eyes red
with weeping. today asked to be excused be-
cause a brother sister or an aunt or
other relative had been lost in the holo-
cauSt.
In every room there were vacant seats
that mad been occupied by those known to
have some on the excursion. many or them
known TO be dead; others missing. Study
was almost out of the question.
The school flag hung at half mast and
there a
games that precede the opening of school.
Latest Report of Loss.
At noon. according to the best obtainable
informat!on about 40 persons are reported
as missing. The coroner's office, the chief
of the fire department and the police agree
In the estimate that the total loss of life
will closely approximate 1.oOO.
Albright Search.
After an all-night search with the aid of
professional divers at North Brother Island
for victims of the Inflated Gen Slocum.
which was burned yesterday, 1853 bodies
had been recovered up to o'clock to-
day Of this number 1l6 had been Identified.
During, the day yesterday BOB people were
taken TO hospitals. After treatment 1t was
found in many cases. thai the injuries were
not serious enough to prevent their going
home and they were allowed to depart.
Some OF those who remain In hospitals.
however are still In a critical condition All
night long crowds OF people visited the
morgue with entreaties for a chance to try
and make identifications.
Some Estimate Loss Over 200.
The estimates of the number of dead Civ
en- by officials vary exceedingly. DIR. OAR
l,ngton. the president of the board OF
pal NJ Prot hAr