The leader., 1904-06-25
QUEST FOR BODIES
STILL CONTINUES
The East River stin Giving Up
Bodies Of Siocum Victims.
A SEARCHING INQUEST is ON
Az Fast as Important Evidence -
Adduced 1t VIII be Laid Be-
fore the Federal Grand
Jury.

New York, June 21-All along the
East river from North Brothers is
land down to what are known as the
Sunken Meadows, search Is being made
for bodies of unfortunates who lost
their lives in the disaster 10 the excur-
sion steamer General Slocum, last
Wednesday Although more than $50
bodies had been recovered up to Sun
day night, reports from the first few
minutes of work, Monday morning,
added five more to the total. These
were found at widely-separated points,
and the searchers were of the opinion
that before the day ended the list Of
missing would be greatly decreased.
They believe that the big steamers and
other craft will so stir up the water so
as to cause the bodies lying at the bot
tom of the river to rise to the surface.
EncOuntering New Difficulties.
Wreckers at work on the wreck of
the Slocum encountered new Difficult
ties They were at work about the hull
of the sunkeE steamer when they found
that instead of the hull resting in mud,
as they thought, that it rested on rocks,
which were never known 10 exist. This
they say, will delay the work some
what
Several more bodies were recovered
during the day, some of them in the
vicinity of the wreck of the Slocum.
There are four divers at work near
North Brothers island reaching for
bodies. One diver reports that, at
depth Of s. feet, he has discovered a
large hollow in which he says there
are large number of bodies,
Host of Witnesses.
More than 200 witnesses have been
summoned to appear at the inquest
which was scheduled to begin before
Coroner Berry. 1t also was planned to
have present an assistant United States
district attorney and sterographer,
with instructions from the department
of justice to take down all testimony
offered. AS fast as the notes are trans
cribed the evidence will be examined
by United States District Attorney
Burnett, who will, in turn, forward the
evidence, together with his opinion
thereon, to the department.
Federal Grand Jury Will Act.
eff the evidence warrants it," said
Gen. Burnett, 81 shall not wait until
the end of the inquest before moving in
the matter. If the evidence is strong
enough the federal grand jury will be
considering certain phases of the case
long before the inquest has closed.
In addition to the interest which the
department of justice is taking in the
inquest, H. X. Smith, the legal repre-
sentative of Secretary Cortelyou of the
department of commerce and labor.
was Under instructions to keep that de-
partment thoroughly advised as the in
quest progressed.
Some Striking Evidence Expected.
1t is expected that striking facts will
be adduced at the inquest for an addi-
ton to the proof that the life preserv-
ers we're rotten, that the fire hose
burst, that the lifeboat davits would
not work and that the life RATS we're
so fastened to the decks that they
could not be moved, Coroner Berry is
said to have evidence that many of the
ring preservers were so heavy that they
sang like lead. Two bodies were
found on the bottom of the river with
these ring preseryers around them.
Another Charge to Investigate.
Another charge which the coroner is
to Investigate is one to the effect that
portion of the guard rail TO which four
bodies were found clinging when it was
raised from the bottom of the river,
was lotion and worm-eaten.
A resident of Jersey City, named
Workman, who lost two daughters and
u son in the disaster, returned home
last night after having visited the
scene Of the wreck and after attending
memorial services during the day, and
blew out his brains with a revolver.