Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-15
RESULT Of ACCIDENT
Drowningof T. Herbert Coates
Unavoidable.
INQUEST BY CORONER
DISASTER OF SATURDAY ON RE
aATTA COURSE
Testimony Given by the Owners Of tho
Launch Recreation and
Others.
INQUEST BY CORONER

| Six men WHO COWpOScU q Jul "a @AA4NS~'
summoned to hear testimony and pass upon
the accident on the river Saturday AFTER
noon when the ten lives were lost from the
launch Recreation, assembled at the morsue
this morning. They were g. T. Greenlaw.
Harry Dorsey, J. P. Mcnamara, Frederick
Gieseking A. H. Betz and F. Deneale. AZ
ter they had heard the statements OF sew
| eral witnesses they returned verdict set
| ting forth that the boat had c,psized, and
| that Mr. T. Herbert Coates of this city.
who had temporarily resided at McKees-
| port. Pa had been drowned or Cissels
(, wharf.
In our Judgment" the jurors added. 1.-THE
said capszing was unavoidable and was ac-
| cidental"
The inquest was held at the morgue on
the river front. and the men who were res
'ued from the river when the boat over
| turned were upon the scene early this
morning. A number of Shriners who are
connected with Almas Temple with which
! organizatio Mr.. Coates had been assoc
cated before he went to McKeesport. were
also present at the morgue Included IN
| the party Of witnesses and friends were
| Drs. Stewart and Wagner who were part
| owners of the boat. and William Lederer
and J. Allen Woulfe who were also res
cued Saturday. and score Of others. The
members of the quartet mentioned met a
number Of their friends for the first time
since the catastrophe of Saturday and
were congratulated upon having been
| spared.
| Acting Coroner Glazebrook had charge Of
| the inquest in the absence of Coroner New
| lit, who is away on his vacation, and con-
| Quoted the jurors to the operating room On
! the second floor, where they were sworn.
| Since Saturday afternoon the body had
! rested in one of the compartments at the
mOrgue. The remains were taken this
| morning, however, to the upper room or
| hall orI0r hot md II.
taker Wright's assistants might finish the
| work of embalming at an early hour 1t
| was in this room that DR.. Baker, the act
| ing deputy coroner, examined the body TO
| determine If death had been caused by
| drowning. in order that he might give the
| jury the desired information. The inquest
was held only in the case of Mr.. Coates,
but the facts were the same in all the
cases. When the inquest had been con-
! cluded the body was taken from the
| morgue to be shipped to Baltimore for in
| terment
| Dr.. Wagner's Testimony.
| DR.. Charles w. Wagner. the first witness
examined, gave his address as 1105 9Th
| street northwest. He said he was part
owner Of the boat. the other owners being
| Dr. Stewart and Mr.. Conradis. The doctor
said he had held share in the ownership
| OF the craft for more than two years.
Did you consider the boat Seaworthy!
| the witness was asked.
VERY much So" was his response.
Witness said there had been many as
| sixteen passengers on the boat at one time
| On some trips there had also been large
| quantities of provisions carried on the boat
| Saturday about noon said Dr.. Wagner.
| they started from .Reagan's boat house, al
the foot of 18th street. with the boat. ME-.
| J. Allan Woulfe was with him. Witness
| said the boat went to CumberfandS boat
| house. where several men game aboard
| He told of the movement of the craft on
| IT., IN init n
| Then the boat came along near where tlS
| accident afterward occurred. Mr.. Smith
| recognized some ladies on the shore Wy no
waved at him. Mr.. Smith asked if there
| was any objection to the ladies coming
| aboard and witness said:
You may bring them aboardsif you care
| to-" !..i
Witness turned to Mr.. Woulfe and said:
| Let's go back. a5s p
| What was Mr. Woulfe doing?" the cor
| oner asked
He was steering" was the response Of
| witness
| Dr. Wagner told of the ladies coming
aboard over the bow. and said the boat was
| close to the shore that he was afraid TO
start the engines until IL had drifted out q
| short distance. 80. .''
How far out of the water were The gum
| waleS?' the doctor was asked. ,t-
| Not Overladen. ~. a..
| About nine inches he replied. -.
! He added that the boat at that time
was perfectly seaworthy and was not dam
| gerously laden. Witness then related his
| exciting experience during the time after
the accident occurred. The first he knew
| of anything unusual happening was when
| water splashed over the bow of the boat
| This frightened the ladies and some of
| them screamed. The ladies left their Seats
| and the boat then careened toward the city
| side of the river. Witness said his first
| thought to get on the other side OF
the boat to trim it. but before he could re-
| gain his feet he was thrown out. He
| splashed about in the river. and remem-
| bered seeing some Of the others in the wa
| ter He also heard a crash, as If caused
| by the breaking of the WOODWORK or the
| boat
| DIR. Wagner told of the effort he made to
| save himself and to look after the others,
and said DIR. Stewart pushed board to-
| ward him, and he was finally rescued.
! There were fourteen persons aboard the
! boat, he said. All the men in the party.
| with the exception of DIR. Blumer got On
| the boat at Cumberlands yard. The latter
| bearded the craft at the Potomac boat
| house.
Boat Believed to Be Well Balanced.
| Mr. j. Allan Woulfe, WHO was next ex-
| am;ned said the people on the boat were
on the two sides and that the boat was
| well balanced Witness said that nothing
| unusual happened until after the ladies
| were taken aboard.
Some of the men in the boat recog-
nized Them" he said. land they were in
| vited aboard"
Witness said he had been a passenger
| on the boat several times and was of the
! opinion that IT was perfectly safe with
| eighteen or twenty passengers aboard.
when the water from the chute struck
the boat" the witness said. the ladies
| became excited and started to run to the
other side.
All the passengers on the boat. he said.
were seated. with the exception of DIR.
Stewart, who was astern. Witness told
I'of the overturning of the boat which re-
| suited in the drowning of ten persons.
Dr. Stewards Statement.
DR. c. A. Stewart was told of the testi-
| mony of the first witness so far as the
| movement OF the boat was concerned up
! to the time of the accident. and he said
| he had no corrections to make.
Il was on the stern Of the craft watch.
| ing a man fishing from a small boat when
| l realized that there was some commotion
| aboard the launch. and the first thing I
| knew 1 was thrown into the water
| The doctor said the boat was seaworthy
| and was not overcrowded. Witness then
stated that all the persons on the launch
| with the exception Of himself were seated.
I,o ;,,t..