The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-06-17
ADDED HORROR
Is Given the SlOcum Disaster
Every Hour.
A Diver Finds Large Number of
Bodies in Paddle Wheel.
INJURED DOING WELL.
Only 5S Victims Now Remain in
Hospitals.
Measure Taken for Establishing
a Relief Fund.
BURYING THE DEAD.
Thirty-fve COrpses Lie in One
HOuse-I6 in Another.
Three SeDarate Lines of InVesti-
Only 53 Victims Now Remain in
Hospitals.
Measure Taken for Establishing
a Relief Fund.
BURYING THE DEAD.
Thirty-fve COrpses Lie in One
HOuse-I6 in Another.
Three Separate Lines of Investi-
cation Will Be Followed.

New York, June 17.-Every hour adds
sto the horror of the excursion steamer
disaster of Wednesday when the Gen
eraI SIocum was burned to the water s
edge near North Brother island. Divers
had explored the wreck of the steamer
yesterday and repor ed that no more
bodies were to be found there, but to-
day a driver who was at work on the
sunken hull found a large number of
bodies packed tightly inside one of the
paddle wheels Just how many there
were was not known, but it was plann-
ed to remove them as soon as Coroner
O'Gorman reached the scene. The cor
oner had arranged to visit the wreck
today for the purpose of ascertainin8
tf possible what evidence of culpabll1ty
on the part of the Knickerbocker
Steamboat company or of the officials
of the boat if any could be secured to
present to the coroners inqust- There
fore it was determined to take out the
bodies at that time
At various hospitals where the IN
5ured are it was said today their con-
dition was satisfactory. There are now
only SO victims of the disaster in the
hospitals.
Although many of the bodies taken to
the morgue were very ba ~ nutllateo
and the clothing in many cases almost
entirely burned of, Valua8ISS nave DeeA
taken from them and are in the keep
ing of city officials to the extent or
5000, 600 or more Several OF the men
and women had the savings OF a lte-
time on them when they peFlsIleu.
Much 5ewelrys. it is reported to the po-
lice has been lost but an explanation
may develop the fact that 1t was ue-
stroyed by fire rather than stolen py
ghouls.
An Outrageous Blunder.
It developed today that a new hor-
ror had been added to the terrible
conditions resulting from the Slocum
disaster through the Over-oficious-
ness of some person at the morgue-
AS a result some of the bodies of the
dead probably never will be identified
and viii go to a last resting place In
the humble plot furnished by the
citv's charity. When the bodies were
taken by hundreds from the water
and laid in rows on the grass at
North Brother island, each was
tagged with a number. That number
was carefully recorded and the pa
pers, valuabies and trinkets which
would have served to positively iden-
tify the bodies were removed and
placed in separate packages. each
package bearing a number cOrre
spending to the number on the body
from which the articles were taken.
These packages then were placed in
the custody of the coroner. Scores of
or bruised beyond recognition, but it
was hoped that all might be claimed
by friends by means of the papers and
jewelry.
When the bodies were taken to the
morgue they were placed in num-
bered boxes, but in many cases these
numbers did not correspond with
the figures the bodies previously had
borne. AS a result the plans were
completely upset, and the numbered
packages of valuables became prac-
tically worthless as a means of iden-
tifying the unfortunate owners.
A Case in Point.
One case which came to the atten-
tion of the officials today was that
of A. T Hill. of Williamsburg. Mr.
Hill called at the mOrgue yesterday
and identified the bodies of his
brother-in-law, William Richter and
the wife of the latter, and they were
removed to the office of an under
taker. In the afternon the bodies of
Catherine and Lillian Richter, 3 and
4 years old, respectively, also were
identified by him When he called
{ the mOrgue today with an under
taker who was to attend to the burial
of the bodies, they could not be found.
] ne bodies We're numbered 173 and
1f5, respectively, and the authorities
at the morgue have no record of any
Buch bodies having been given to any
one though they had record of
Identification made by Mr.. Hill on
yesterday 1t was thought that some
undertaken was given the bodies in
place of two others which he should
nave taken, through a confusion in
the numbers.