New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-19


/ praservers are examined on the boats it is seen
thet they have been stamped Passed by the fac
! tory inspectors and if they have defects in the
covers the covers are ordered replaced
so careful are the inspectors against commit
ting themselves that Inspector Rode and the
! others would net even ;eu when the investiga-
! ton would begin. Several persons who have
stated their desire to testify at the investigation
| nave been told TO report at the office Of the in
spectors I'm the whitehall Building tomorrow
morning So far as could be learned. little was
/ done yesterday by the inspectors.
/ Inspector Rode said that he had not been in
conference with Inspector General Uhler. Col
lector Stranahan any Of the other inspectors.
Henry Lundberg, who inspected the life pre-
servers Of the Slocum. said that he had been
! ordered not TO talk
Supervising Inspector James A. Dumont' also
said that he had been ordered TO say nothing
about the disaster or the forthcoming lnvestisa-
1 tion.
At the offices Of the KnickerbOcker Steamboat
! Company none OF the officials could be seen
throughout the day.
Frank A. Barnaby, president of the company
accompanied by his attorney. ex-Judge Often
( hoefer. called at the District Attorneys office
/ at 11:15 a. m. yesterday and was at once admit
ted to the office of Assistant District Attorney
| Caravan.
/ AT its close Mr.. Dittenhoefer said that the Dis
! trict Attorney wanted the Knickerbocker Steam
! boat Company to grant to the authorities per-
! mission TO blow up or raise the wreck, but he
/ said that the companys contention was that it
J had no rights in the case whatever; that the
! wreck was the property of the fire under
J writers and that if the steamboat company au-
thorized anything in connection with the wreck
! il might have the effect OF releasing the fire
/ sl,aS- Tna hos he
said, was insured for about $4,000 and this
/ amount would constitute q fund which could be
! attached by those who might bring civil actions
! against the company. He wished to do nothing
that might interfere with such rights TO the
| sufferers.
Mr.. Caravan said that the District Attorney s
| office was well satisfied with the attitude Of
! Mr.. Barnaby and the other members of the
company that they had already furnished
all the information that had been asked Of Them
| and had promised 10 produce any books. papers,
! etc.
Foreman J. G. O'Keefe of the grand jury said
! that the District Attorneys Office daily
| gathering evidence and watching all develop
ments, and If 1t found that the disaster
| came within its Jurisdiction the matter would
be laid before the grand jury at an early day.
| L S. DISTRICT ATTORNEY TO INQUIRE.
Coroner Berry received word yesterday from
| the United States District Attorney that he had
begun an investigation into the catastrophe. He
| asker the Coroner's cooperation.
About two hundred subp9nas issued by
| Coroner Berry. The inquest on the Slocum dis
aster will begin at the armory of the ID Bat
1 terry at II a. N. tomorrow, and probably will
| last a week.
Coroner Berry has in the neighborhood of one
| thousand packages of jewelry. clothing. etc.
| r-hi~ ba
| OF the total number which have come into his
possession only twenty have been claimed. ana
those claimed were not of large value. The
coroner still has in his possession packages con-
| tanning money and jewelry valued at upward q
| $4,000
a man who said he was F. c. FroellcN q
druggist OF Sixty-seventh-st. and Third-ave.
| called at the Office OF Coroner Berry yesterday
! and said that he a passenger board TIE
| ferryboat Bronx on the day that the ca tas-
trophe occurred. In explanation OF the fact that
the Bronx did not render any assistance to the
burning vessel, he stated that he had a talk
with the captain Of the Bronx at that time and
was informed that the captail wanted TO give
aid, but that the ferryboat was between rocks
and in narrow channel and If he had at
| tempted TO render any assistance. II would
merely have meant that two vessels would have
! been wrecked instead Of one.
The coroner said his wish was to give to the
| jury an intelligent idea of how. where and why
! the fire started, SO that he might fix the blame
for the disaster absolutely and finally. He con-
tinued
/ have asked Mr.. Rode. OF the Steamboat In
spection Service. TO be present at the inquest on
Monday but ne has informed me that the Depart
yestigauon of It's own. and for that reason II viii
be Impossible for him 10 be present He asked
nesses, and that have already done, so far as l
nave the names. and II have any others Will
Assistant District Attorney Garvan will be pres
ent at the inquest on Monday. 1t is than
likely that practically the entire week will be con-
suEned ~ the proceedings Of the inquest. 1t viii
DC expected as much possible, but nothing that
| can throw any light on the matter will DO slurred
have thought it best TO have Coroner O'Gor-
man present at the Inquest witness because
the disaster ever since II occurred He will also
sit with me on the bench There is no truth IA re-
| ports OF friction between
Among the witnesses whom Coroner Berry ex-
| amined yesterday William A. Ortman. who
had charge Of the ice cream booth. He said that
/ ne was near the wheelhouse at the time the fire
| became known. He saw several of the crew
trying TO faSten the hose to the standppe. After
much difficulty they succeeded in doing So but
the threads on the hose worn that when
| the water was turned on the hose at once fell
on L saw that the boat was doomed" he
added Il noticed a policeman standing on the
ieogo which runs around the Wheelhouse and l
| got out there with him. A woman was stand
| Ing beside the policeman. Finally the policeman
/ jumped, but made effort to save the woman
/ did not dare to do so, because 1 could not
swim. L finally jumped off and managed to
keep my head above water until l was picked up
| by tug"
Coroner Berry said that he had learned that
| at the time OF the accident two New-York New
/ Haven and Hartford tugs were lying off the
| Mott Haven yards with two large hatboats tied
| on either side. They cut the hatboats loose
and did what they could TO rescue the people
struggling in the water. Had the men in charge