The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-05-04
SEEK BODY
Of DROWNED BABY
IN SUNKEN VESSEL
Accident Off Alexandra
May Have Claimed
Other Victims.
Boats Passenger Thinks
Cargo OVerbalanced
Trenton.

With hundreds Of people lining the
surrounding wharves, divers al II
O'Clock today began the search for the
eighteen-mOnths-oId BABY, Stanley 3.
Posey. drowned yesterday when the PO-
tomac river steamer Trenton sank on
Reardon wharf al AIexa ldria-
After remaining under 1he surface OF
the water for more than an hour. Cant.
j. Wanner, having charge OF the diving
force, arose without hay ng located the
body Of the baby Mr.. and Mrs. =.
Maury POsey. parents 81 the known
victim or the disaster. who narrowly
escaped a watery grave. are expected TO
return 10 Alexandra this afternoon
from Prince George county, I'D. and
assist IN the search Tor their child.
Inspectors On. Scene.
Two inspectors from the Off.e Of
Steamboat Inspection. Department OF
Commerce and Labor. today are inves-
usating the disaster.
The inspectors. who LEFT Washington
early this morning 20 vfaw the scene
OF the wreck are Cap. E F. White
and Capt c. W. Wright, who nave
charge Of inspection in the washington
ara Baltimore districts They wfu
make an investigation OF the hull OF
the Trenton and take testimony from
persons aboard the steamer al the time
she sank Both inspectors viii attend
the inquest which viii be held bv the
coroner or Alexandra. and make a re-
pofl 70 General Uhler, chief o. the Ru-
reaU OF Steamboat Inspection.
commodore Sutton, commanding the
ponce beat Visilant said he would send
Jna- vessel and his crew 20 Alexandria
10 render any possible assistance.
May Be Other Victims.
Although IL has been reported thar
Stanley POsey was the only victir.
among the Jhirty-five passengers on
the boat the prediction is made
tooay that when divers enter the
nun OF The boat this afternoon bodies
OF otner perscns who net = similar
fate vii; be found Sat officials ars un-
able 10 explain Just now many passen-
ge-s were aboard az the time. because
there was no passenger list on The
packet, and l. is said that tickets for
passengers going 10 some OF the lower
Ilver landings lad not been collected be-
tCre he steamer reached Alexandra
That the crew Al: did heroic work
IN reScuilg Jle passengers. however. is
N0A44EaaE4 vi L-AA e4lts-4 Laws
Is believed 10 have rescued 81 least ten
passengers r. " HuTlphries. keeper
Of the lighthouse at -iaryland Point,
snatched fo"- women three children
and Two men from the water. while
". W Dancer, the purser. nearly lost
his life IN saving cOlOred woman Who
dragged him beneath the waves
Boat Was Ove1balanced.
Francis A Posep. q passenger going
20 Belle Allen. Nd rescued a man.
woman. and child he gave the fellow
ing account OF the AFFAIR:
The sinking OF the boat came with
out warning, and was accomplished in
about three minutes some passengers
contend that not more than one min
Ute's warning was given 4 was IN Jl5e
ss.OOn Of tie steamer at the time, and
after hearing the CRY, The boat Is sink
ing,' did not have time - gather up
my grips before the inrIzsn OF watsr al
most doOred me- I made my way 10
the outside. and. as the boat $ h sue
ceeded IN era abbing one man, colOred
woman and a baby, whom brought &c
the shore.
account Of the excess loading OF one
side OF the boat with fertilizer The
port holes. I understand, were open.
and as most OF the crew were on shore
at the time. the manner in which the
water gradually swept into the open
port holes rs each additional sack OF
guano was placed aboard. was unnO-
tced- The boats sudden ulIing was the
first warning the passengers had
Mule Scented Danger.
Mr. Posey. confirmed the story thar a
mule consigned 10 him from Washing
ton dealer persistentIy refused TO be
driven aboard the steamer before It left
washington He says he and several
other men worked with the baking mule
for an hour and a hall. Finally, they
gave up the JOB in disgust The mule
was left in Washington. and was saved.
10 was learned today that an old col
ored woman. q passenger on the boat
noticing the mules strange conduct.
turned 20 Mrs POSey. WhuSe baby was
drowned. and remarked. That mules
got sense. Bad luck is cCmIng tc this
boat
Preparations are being made TO raise
the Sunken steamer. The first effort
probably VIII be made when the tide IS
lowest
Expects to Find Body.
Captain Tvanner does not believe that
the body Of the baby las been swept
away He expresses the belief that he
Will locate il dU-ing the afternoon.
withon 100 feet Of the huh Of the
Trenton. In the event the body is
found. Coroner Moore, OF AIexandfia.
will order an inquest Immediately
Mrs. POSey says that she escaped
with her child through a glass win
dow OF the cabin. which was smashed
by Captain Davis. On getting outside
the boat. the suction was so great that
the child was Swept from her arms,
and she. too, would have gone down
had ii not been Tor knOtted rope
thrown her by some men on the shore
Mr.. POSey first saved his aunt Mrs.
Blake Williams, and then returned
after his fOur-year-Cld son. Arthur.
who had been thrown on top OF the
pilot house 10 temporary safety by
one Of the passengers.
". ". Dancer. the purser, while max
Ing his way 10 the vessel 20 rescue some
OF the passengers. was dragged out Of q
row boat by a frantic colored woman.
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