The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-06-21
Examination Begun by
Coroner's Jury.
ARE THESE THINGS so?
1t is Said Thatin Addition to Life Pre-
servers Being Rotten, Ring Preselv-
ers Were So Heavy as
to Sink Like
Lead.
(By the Associated Press.)

L
East River from North Brother Island
down to what are known as the Sunk
en- Meadows, search was made today
for bodies of unfortunates who lost
their lives in the disaster to the eXcur-
sion steamer General Slocum last
Wednesday. Although more than $50
bodies had been recovered last night,
reports from the first few minutes of
work today added five more to the
total. These were found at widely
separated points, and the searcherS
We're of the opinion that before the
day ended the list of missing would
be considerably decreased. They be-
lieve that the big steamers and other
craft will so stir up the water as to
cause bodies lying along the bed of
the river to rise to the surface.
Wreckers at work on the wreck of
the Slocum today encountered new
difficulties. They were at work about
the hull of the sunken steamer when
they found that instead of the hull
resting in mud as they thought, it
rested on rocks which were never
know to exist. This they say, will de-
| lay the work somewhat.
Several more bodies were recovered
during the forenoon, some of them in
the vicinity of the wreck of the Slo-
cum.
Another Cavern of Dead
Four divers Mere at work near
North Brother Island today search
ing for bodies. A diver reports that
at a depth of 95 feet he has discover
ed IL large hollow in which he says
there are great many bodies.
More than 200 witnesses had been
summoned to appear at the inquest
which was scheduled to begin before
Coroner Berry today. 1t also was
planned to have present an assistant
United States District Attorney and a
stenographer with instructions from
the Department of Justice to take
down all the testimony offered. AS
fast as the notes are transcribed the
evidence will be examined by United
States District Attorney Burnett, who
will in turn forward the evidence, to-
gether with his opinion thereon, to
the Department.
IF the evidence warrants it," said
General Burnett today, Il shall not
wait until the end of the inquest be-
fore moving in the matter. Ii the evil
dence is strong enough the Federal
grand jury will be considering certain
phases of the case long before the IN
quest has closed"
some IerFlDlc Evidence.
In addition to the interest which the
Department of Justice was taking in
the inquest II. X. Smith, the legal rep
resentatives of Secretary CortelyOu, of
the Department of Commerce and La
Dor, was under instructions to keep
that Department thoroughly advised
as the inquest progresses.
1t was expected that striking facts
would be adduced at the inquest, for,
in addition to the proof that the life
preSerVers We're rotten; that the fire
hose burst, that the life boat davits
would not work and that the life RATS
were SO fastened to the decks that
they could not be moved Coroner Ber-
ry was said to have evidence that
many of the ring preServers were so
heavy that they sank like lead.
Two bodies were found on the bot
tom of the river with these ring pre-
servers around them. Another charge
which the coroner was to investigate
was one to the effect that a portion
OF the guard rail to which four bodies
We're found clinging when it was rails
ed from the bottom of the river yes
terday, was rotten and Worm-eaten.
A resident of Jersey City, named
Workman, who lost two daughters and
a son in the disaster, returned home
last night after having visited the
scene of the wreck and after attend
ing memorial services during the day,
and blew his brains out with a re-
volVer
Before The Coroner's Jury.
The coroner's jury was quickly Sc
cured. President Barnaby, of the
Knickerbocker Steamboat Company,
owner of the General Slocum, was the
first witness, and from him it was
learned that the actual operation of
the steamer was under Captain Van
Schaick, who received his instructions
from Captain Pease. On application
of the latter, he said, an inspection of
the SlOcum was made by the United
States officers before she was put in
commission this year, adding: 1T was
reported to us that the Slocum was in
thorough good order and working
condition.
He had not personally inspected the
boat but said he had examined the re-
ports of the company's inspection and
of that by United States inspection
officers.
The certificate of United States in
spection was placed in evidence. 1t
certified that on May T. 1904. the Gen
eral Slocum was in good condition. to
carry $500 passengers, and that it
had abroad 1850 life preservers.
Queer Thing About Those Life Pre-
servers.
The bills for life preservers, pre-
sented by Mr. Barnaby, which We're
dated in different months in 1902, 1903