Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1906-12-28

Steamer Senator Cordill with others
who were on the Scovell. The remains
of Leval Yerger were brought here
and will be sent to ackson, Miss, for
interment.
No other bodies were brought here
as they could not be found, there be-
ing, according to Wilkerson's state
ment, about fifteen dead in all.
He says that the boat blew up
while landed at Gold Dust gin, about
noon. He was sleeping at the time
in the rear of the upper cabin, and
when he woke he found the boat blew
in half and his end sinking.
He hurried out, and reached the
bank, found the body of Laval Yer
ger under log, where also lay the
body of negro named Williams Hall,
who had been making a cotton-seed
deal with Mr.. Yerger when the explo-
sion occurred.
Senator Cordill 10 Rescue.
Wilkinson says Dougherty, who
was at the wheel, suffered sprained
shoulder and seemed to be in bad
way, but he does not believe he will
die.
A young white boy named Len
Roberts, who was employed as watch
man on the boat, was terribly hurt
internally, and Wilkinson says that
he believe he may die.
Wilkinson states that as soon as he
could realize that had happened ne
sent a negro out to hail the Senator
Cordill, which was near at hand, to
come to the relief of the Scovell. The
Cordill came promptly, and the crew
did what little it could for the wreck
ed steamer. All the cargo was lost,
floating down the river.
Wilkinson says he investigated the
wreck and found that the boiler which
blew up cut through the mastpole,
blowing the entire front Of the boat
off and two hundred yards into field.
The story of the accident as told
by J. I. Bruce, the engineer of the
boat, is as follows:
"We were lying at the Gold Dust
Landing, taking on cargo when l
noticed small quantity of water
oozing through the boiler. 1 suspect
ed that something was wrong and pro-
ceeded to make an examination.
On Top of the Boiler.
"About this time the Seovell broke
her head line and drifted so that /
did not have time 20 make thorough
examination at tha. moment As soon
as | got her back to the bank l crawl
ed on top of the boiler and proceeded
with the investigation. l had just
got down from the boiler when the ex-
plosion occurred. The catastrophe, l
believe, was due to a defective boiler
plate"
When the Cordill arrived at V1cks-
burg, a crowd of several hundred per-
sons met her at the wharf. There
were anxious inquiries for friends and
relatives.
Owing to the heavy loss among the
negroes aboard the landing was crowd
ed with women and children of that
race. The injured were taken to the
various sanitariums and hospitals Of
the city.
Dead Men Well Known.
Capt. Quakenboss was one Of the
oldest and best-known residents Of
this city and was well known to every
man on the Mississippi river.
L. W. Quackenboss, one of the kill
ed, was a citizen of Vicksburg, well
known in military circles throughout
the state. During the Spanish-Ameri-
can war he served as a non-commis-
stoned officer of Company A, First
Mississippi Volunteers. On the re-
organization of the Mississippi Ma
tional Guard after the close of the
war he was appointed captain and
commissary of the Third Regiment
and was later elected Colonel of the
regiment, serving IN that capacity but
short time, when he resigned.
Laval Yerger, another of the vic
Tins, was born and reared in jack
son, and was one of the best-known
young men who ever went out from
that city. He was a son of the late
William Yerger and has number Of
relatives in Jackson, among whom is
the Assistant Secretary Of State,
Henry Yerger, and ex-Attorney ,fen-
eral Frank Johnston. His family
connection is extensive in Mississippi.
Hon. Charles Scott, one Of the candi-
dates for governor, is relation. He
was engaged in the hotel business for
several years in Mississippi and Lou
isiana and made a host Of friends.
The Scovel was built in 1895 at
Je6ersonville. She is 160 feet long,
81 feet wide, 3 feet 7 inches deep.
She was bought at Nashville only a
few months ago by her new owners,
the Vicksburg and Davis Bend Packet
Company. The boat was insured for
! $6000
A denial Of the report that Presi-
I dent Castro Of Venezuela is dying