The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-06-23


10 that roll. thus leaving the total of
missing something more than 300.
4 life saver, graphing from a raft,
brought mp a woman of 80 and a girl
OF II years. locked in each others
arms. 4 few minutes later he brought
Up the bodies of a boy years old and
q girl of 6. apparently brother and sis
ter Clinging tightly 10 each other.
Divers who went to the wreck found
the bodies of a woman a girl and a boy
and brought them TO the surface. They
were burned beyond recognition. The
divers said there are more bodies in
the wreck thus bearing out the state
ment made a day or two ago. after il
was thought the wreck had been clear
cd. that many bodies remained under
the ENHANCEMENT of timbers and ma
chincry.
One body was found floating in the
river near Rikers Island by the crew
of n four-oared barge of the Metropol-
itan rowing club. while 10 were brought
up from the bottom along the beach
running from the island down tc the
channel in the river. Three men work
ing with an improyised grapple, con
sisting OF a block Of wood 10 which
many bluefsh hooks were attached
drew up the section of the rail of the
upper deck of the Slocum about 30 feet
in length. The bodies Of four women
we're clinging TO the rail. the fingers
gripping the interlaced wire roping.
This is part Of the rail which gave way
Just before the steamer was beached.
Drecipitatinc 100 persons into the wa
ter. While the rail was being brought
ashore two Of the bodies broke away
from IT, but were secured Immediately.
The other two were still ciinging to
the rail when it was landed.
The funerals of nearly 100 victims
Of the disaster were held yesterday
In many instances two caskets were
carried in the same hearse and in some
cases two and even three hearses bore
away the dead Of a single family.
Department officials, for the purpose
Of obtaining evidence, went over the
exact course taken by the General Slo-
cum on Wednesday last the day OF the
disaster On the police boat Patrol.
which made the trip, was Police In
spector Albertson. Coroners O'Gorman
and Berry. Captain Glider chief of the
pilot service of the New Haven Steam
ship line, and Edwin n. Weaver. who
was assistant pilot on the Slocum on
the day of the disaster.
Pilot Weaver told of an incident he
noted after the Slocum caught fire.
The first notification Of the fire was
received from Mate Flanagan through
the speaking tube into the pilot house.
at a point about 100 feet south of the
Bronx Kills, which is in the vicinity
Of 129th street. Capt Glider was asked
by the coroner where. if he had been
in charge OF the boat he would have
beached her. Captain Glider replied
without hesitation at the foot of East
10th street. which could be made in
a few moments.
Coroner Berry said that he was en-
tirely satisfied with the results of the
trip. He explained that Captain Van
Schaik and Chief Pilot Van Wart
we're both too i'll to be taken along.
Weaver. who had not handled the
wheel at any time during the Slocums
run to North Brother Island, and who
therefore was less interested in the
result of the Investigation than Van
Schaik or Van WaTt, was expected
Coroner Berry said, TO give more ac-
curate information as TO the exact hap
penings on that fateful day.
Coroner Berry said also that he had
issued an order for the detention OF
the captain, pilots, engineers and crew
of the Slocum.
81 learned" said he. that they were
trying to escape. and asked the police
to detain everybody who was employed
on the boat, as witnesses. Some OF
them have escaped, and we may never
be able to get them. But we are after
them and will leave no stone unturned
to get them within our jurisdiction.