Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-16
DIVERS BEGIN SEARCH.
217 Bodies Taken From the Wreck in
Few Hours.

217 Bodies Taken From the Wreck in
a Few Hours
As the General Slocum slid Off the beach
at North Brother Island there was not
a vestige of life aboard her. But around
her. in her paddle wheels and upon her
upper deck were a number of bodies how
many will not be known until the charred
and twisted hulk which now lies upon the
bottom OF the river Off Hunts Point is
pulled to pieces by wreckers. At least
seventy people are believed to have been
caught when the hurricane deck fell like
a great lid upon the frantic people crowd
ing the deck below.
AS the vessels stern swung clear Of the
rocks and mud of the beach dozen tugs
fastened their lines to her and began tow
Ing her into the channel. There was no
attempt to take her to a berth, but she was
dragged along crab-fashion, sometimes
stern-on and sometimes bow-on, as she was
hurried up the river toward Ricker's Island
off which 1t was determined to beach her.
Her port paddle box was ablaze. her upper
decks supports were line of fire, while
smoke and flames belched from every win
dow and opening along her Sides
The Hulk lowed Away.
With her CHASTITY freight, the Slocum was
pulled slowly and carefully to a place where
she would sink and where she could be
thoroughly searched. The almost number
less streams of water that had been
poured into her hold made her stagger like
a waterlogged hulk. and she reeled along in
the wake of her towing tugs. settling all
the time.
1t was seen that she would not stay
afloat much longer and the plan to beach
her Off Riker's Island was abandoned. The
course of the tugs was changed and the
Slocum was headed for Hunts Point where
there are few buildings and where a good
bottom could be found. Within about two
hundred and fifty feet of the shore the ves-
sci, which was then little more than shell
above the water, lurched heavily forward,
then careened on her port side, settling
slowly under water. The brace-rod, which
runs from stem to stern, her smoke stacks
her starboard paddle box and a few bits
Of her hurricane deck protrude from the
water at high tide.
She had hardly touched the bottom, her
two stacks at an angle Of forty-fve degrees
pointing down the channel. when the work
Of searching for the dead on board of her
began The Merritt & Chapman wrecking
tug William E. Chapman had assisted in
towing the Slocum to the place where she
sank. and they had a crew aboard Of the
wreck almost as soon the eddies had fin
fshed circling about 1t.
Capt. Burfeind had a force of men on
the scene. and the auxiliary yacht owned
by the department was anchored close by
to render any assistance possible. One of
the assistants Of Father Haas in a steam
launch. with dozen nurses were also at
the side of the wreck. The reverend gem
tleman stood at the bow of the boat with
a boat hook in his hand to take a practi-
cal part in the work Of rescue IL any should
be alive.
Bodies Wedged in Paddle Box.
The Slocum sank at 1920 and by 1 O'clock
several bodies had been taken from her.
These were found In the starboard paddle
box. the only place where the rescuers
could work until the divers could go below
tc tear off the hurricane deck The bodies
that were recovered from the paddle box
were wedged into the paddles OF the great
wheel. Some Of them were burned beyond
recognition and some Of them were crushed
AS far as could be determined the bodies
were those Of women. One poor remnant
of humanity. twisted beyond all semblance
of recognition. had a wedding ring on her
finger. and strange to say, this was the
only finger on that hand that had not been
burned to a small blackened stump.
At nightfall enough OF the side supports
OF the paddle box had been torn away to
disclose five other bodies wedged in close
to its curving top
Diver John Rice, who figured in the Boon
ton catastrophe. in which Diver Oleson lost
his life, and three other divers employed by
the city arrived at the scene on the naval
reserve launch Oneida at o'clock.
They went at once to the wreck and be-
gan the work of disengaging the bodies en-
tangled in the wreckage. AS the bodies
were brought to the surface they were ia
ken by men waiting in boats and carried to
tugs, from which they were put on shore
at North Brother Island.
Roundsmen Klute and Gloon and Police