The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-07-09
RlESER VERS
ON SL0CUAI ROTTEN

otherwise.
Van Schaick Still Sick.
Captaip X. H Van Schaick, Of the
S1ocun,. vas too sick to appear at Cen
era, D;;;nont's investigation yesterday,
according to DR.. Frank S. Senior, OF
NO. 24S Arlington avenue. East Ne"
York, so he was excused. The cap
tain. who is Mrs. Seniors uncle, is at
the Senior residence.
Unable to dispute the established
fact that there were rotten life pre-
servers on board. Chief Engineer 3. F.
Conklin made a remarkable statement
to account for them.
did you have any bad life preserV-
ers on board?" General Dumont ask
ed.
Yes, a lot" he answered, but they
had been sent down to the fire room
to be burned"
No Recent Fire Drills.
what did you do when you heard
the alarm OF fire."
81 turned the valve on the fire
pumps SO as to send the water into
the stand pipes"
connected?''
mo, but suppose it was, from the
pressure on the pumps.
"Do you know of any fire drills on
board the Slocum?'
None this year, but there were four
last year"
Edward Van Wart, pilot of the Slo-
cum. said the lifeboats were in fine
condition The last time they were
swung out was in May. Van Schaick
had charge of the life preservers and
other equipment.
John Montforte, captain of the fer
ryboat The Branx, plying between one
Hundred and Thirty-fourth street and
North Beach, who it was said, did not
exert himself to help the people on
the Slocum, testified that when he
crossed the bow Of the Slocum he saw
no fire. After he passed her he saw
her in flames. He could not then ma
noeuvre his boat quick enough to do
any good, as he was surrounded by
rocks.
Harry Heller, diver, said none OF
the bodies he found had life preservers
on.
Edward Flanagan, mate OF the Slo-
cum, said the hose was all llinked.
When the pressure was put on it
burst and the coupling came off.
Did you help anyone ashore?'
No There were about fifty life
preservers around where they had
been pulled down. ! didn't help any
one
The commission. OF which l am
member, viii meet after this inFesti-
CATION is through, and the federal
grand jury has finished its inquiry,
said Commander Winslcw. Z. S. n.
Il shall so aboard some Of the steam
ers while they are being reinspected,
and see how things ara handed"
The hearing will be resumed at
1890 this morning.
Grand Jury Resumes.
The Federal Grand Jury yesterday
resumed its slocum investigation.
With the. exception OF MIS-, Hattie
Walker. Of the Nursing establishment
at North Brother island, and Airs. An
njstin Wei#er, OF Brooklyn, who was
knocked ltawn bv one OF the crew OF
The General SIooum. all the witnesses
had been heard ~ the coroner's
ju-y.
Marshal HenEels subpoena servers
have anl found Miss l., c. Hall. the
missing bookleeper OF the IlnickeE-
booker Steamship Company. Mr..
Wise said the search for her will be
maintained. The jury also want to
hear from Captain Pease, the conmo-
dore Of the knicEerbocker fleet. and
from Captain Van Schack. the S0curl
commander.
Terence J. McManus, counsel for
the company, said he would advise
them, as he advised James X. Atlln-
son. the conlpany'e secretary, not to
answer any questions except under
the stipulation that they Will not be
indicted.
Assistant United States Attorney
Wise said after adjournment that by
the end of the session to be held to-
day he will have presented all the
evidence. He said there is no likeli-
hood Of any indictments this week.
Thanks of Pastor Haas.
The Rev. George c. f. Haas, pastor
OF ST. Marks Lutheran Church, whose
wife and children We're drowned yes
n-f1n nl- LODI