Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-06-20
Bodies of Five More SlOcum Vic.
tins Found at Widely Sep
arated Points.
DAMAGING FACTS DEVELOPED.
Life Preservers We're Rotten--TwO
COrpses Found at Bottom OF River
With Them On.

New York, June 2O.-All along the
East river from North Brother Island
down to what are known as the Sunk
en- Meadows search was made today
for bodies OF unfortunates who lost
their lives IN the disaster to the excur-
sion steamer General siocum last We'd
nsday. Although more than $50 bodies
had been recovered last night, reports
from the first few minutes work to-
day added five more to the total. These
were found at widely separated points
and the searchers were II the opinion
that before the day ended the list of
missing would be considerably de-
creased, 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.
HULL RESTS ON ROCKS.
Wreckers at work on the wreck Of
the Slucum today encountered new
diiiicultes They were At work about
the hull OF the sunken steamer when
they found that instead OF the hull
resting In mud as they thought, il rest
ed on rocks which were never known to
exist. This. they say, will delay the
work somewhat.
Several more bodies were recovered
during the day, some of them in the
vicinity Of the wreck OF the Slocum.
There are four divers at work near
North Brother Island today searching
for bodies.
MANY BODIES FOUND.
one diver reports that at depth of
80 feet he has discovered large hollow
where ne says there are great many
bodies.
More than 200 witnesses had been
summoned TO appear at the inquest
which was scheduled to begin before
Coroner Berry today II also was
planned to have present an assistant
United States district attorney and
stenographer with Instructions from the
department Of justice to take down all
testimony offered AS fast as the
notes are transcribed. the evidence will
be examined by United states District
Attorney Burnett, who win in turn for
ward the evidence together with his
opinion thereon. to the department.
III the evidence warrants IT, said
Gen, Burnett today, 81 shall not wait
until the end Of the inquest before NOV
ing 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"
In addition 10 the interest which the
department OF justice was taking I'm the
Inquest, II. * Smith, the legal repre-
sentative OF Secy. Corteyou OF the de-
partment OF commerce and labor, was
under instructions TO keep that depart
ment thoroughly advised as the inquest
progressed.
LIFE PREsERVERs ROTTEN.
II was expected that striking facts
would be adduced at the inquest for an
addition to the proof that the life pre-
servers were rotten, that the fire hose
burst, that the life boat dayits would
not work, and that the life RATS We're
SO fastened TO the decks that they could
not be moved. Coroner Berry was said
to have evidence that many OF the ring
preservers were so heavy that they
sank like lead.
Two bodies were found on 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 q portion of the guard rail to
which four bodies were found clinging
when It was raised from the bottom Of
the river yesterday, was rotten and
worm eaten,
THE FATHER SUICIDES,
A resident Of Jersey City, named
Workman, who lost two daughters anu
a son I'm the disaster, returned home
last night after having visited the scene
of the wreck and after attending MEM
orial services during the day and blew
out his brains with a revolver
The coroner's jury was quickly Sc
cured. President Barnaby, of the
Knickerbocker Steamboat company,
owner of the General Slocum, was
the first witness and from him It was
learned that the actual operation Of
the steamer was under Capt. Van
Schaick, who received his instructions
from Cant. Poase. On application Of
the latter he said an inspection OF the
Slocum was made by the United States
authorities before she was put IN COM
mission this year. saying ut was re-
ported to us that the Suonm was IN
thorough good order and working con-
dition." The certificate OF United
States inspector was placed I'm evil
dence. II certified that May 7, 1904,
the General Slocum was in good con-
dltion to carry $500 passengers and
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