Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-20
FOUR DIVERS At WORK
More Victims OfSlocum Dis
aster Found Today.
635 BODIES UP TO DATE
OVER 200 WITNESSES SUMMONED
FOR THE INQUEST.
Evidence That Ring Life PreserverS
Sunk With Bodies Like Lead
Timbers Rotten.
635 BODIES UP TO DATE

NEW YORK, June 20.-AI along the East
| river from North Brother Island down to
| what are known as the Sunken Meadows
search was made today for bodies of un-
| fortunates who lost their lives in the dis
aster to the excursion steamer General Sio-
cum 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 were of the opinion that be-
fore the day ended the list of missing would
be considerably decreased. They believe
| 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 Slocum today
encountered new difficulties. They were at
work about the hull of the sunken steam
er when they found that instead OF the
hull resting in mud as they thought. that IL
rested on rocks which were never known
to exist. This, they say, will delay work
somewhat.
Several more bodies were recovered dur
ing the forenoon some of them in the
vicinity of the wreck of the Slocum
There were four divers at work near
North Brother Island today searching for
bodies A diver reports that at depth OF
95 feet he has discovered a large hollow, In
which he says there are great many
bodies.
Coroner's Inquest Today.
More than 200 witnesses had been sum-
moned 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 stenogra pher with instructions from
the DeposSaent of Justice to take down all
the testimony C0sred. As fast as the notes
are Transcribed the evidence will be eX-
amined by United States District Attorney
Burnett, who will in turn forward the evil
dence together with his own opinion there
on. to the department.
IF the evidence warrants It," said Cen
eral Burnett today. Il 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
Secretary Cortelyou Advised.
In addition to the interest which the De-
partment of Justice was taking In the in
quest, H. K Smith, the legal representa-
tive of Secretary Cortelyou of the Depart
ment of Commerce and Labor was under
Instructions to keep that department thor
oughly advised as the inquest progresses.
1t was expected that striking facts would
be adduced at the inquest for. in addi-
ton to the proof that the life preservers
were rotten, that the fire hose burst, that
fhe lifeboat davits would not work and
that the life RATS were so fastened to the
decks that they could not be moved, Coro-
ner Berry was said to have evidence that
many of the ring preservers were so heavy
that they sank like lead.
Bodies Found With Life Preservers.
Two bodies found the bottom
of the river with these ring preservers
around them. Another charge which the
coroner was to investigate was 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 yesterday rotten and worm
eaten.
resident of Jersey City named Work
man, who lost two daughters and a son
in the disaster, returned home last night
after having visited the scene OF the wreck
and after attending memorial services dur
ing the day, and blew his brains out with
a revolver.
Coroner's Jury Secured.
NEW YORK, June 2O.-The coroner's
jury was quickly secured. President Barn.
ably of the Knickerbocker Steamboat Com
pany. owner of the General Slocum was
the first witness and from him 1t was learn
ed that the actual operation of the steamer
was under Capt. Van Schaick. who received
his instructions from Capt. Pease. On ap-
plication of the latter, he said, an inspec-
tion of the Slocum was made by the United
States authorities before she was put In
commission this year, saying: 1T was re-
ported t. us that the Slocum was In thor
would show what supplies went to the So
Had Not Inspected Boat.
He had not personally inspected the boat.
but said he had examined the reports OF
the ce,npany's inspection and Of that by the
United States inspection officers. He pre-
sented reports of the expenditures on the
s,ocum for life preservers in 1902, 1903 and
1904 and explained that the books. which
were offered for inspection, would snow
for which vessel they were INTENDED.
The certificate Of United States inspection
was placed in evidence. 1t certhed that on
Nav Z 1904 the General Slocum was In
good condition to carry 200 passengers,
and that it had aboard $50 life preservers.
Dates Of Life Preserver Purchases.
The bills for life preservers. which were
dated in different months in 1902, 1903 ana
1904, upon examination. proved to have
originally borne the name Grand Repub-
Uc." This name had been scratched out
and the name General Slocum' substi-
tuted When this fact called to Mr..
Barnabys attention he was unable to ex-
plain why anything of this kind had been
done.
The books of the company. however,
would show what supplies went to the Slo-
cum and what to the Grand Republic.
Asked IL the ledgers would not show how
many life preservers were bought for the
SIocum since she was built in 1891, Mr..
Barnaby said he was not sure that all the
ledgers could be found.