The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-30
Bearing the Rescued Bodies OF
the Titanic's Victims.
WOMAN THE FIRST MOURNER
Many UncOffined Dead Lay on
the Forward Deck.
Work of Removal to MOrgue Is
Quickly Begun.

Halifax. April 30.-One hundred anu
ninety bodies, among them those OIL
Col. John Jacob Astor and Isador
Straus were brought to Halifax today
on the cable ship Mackay-Bennett
which had been searching an area OIL
more than 80 square miles near where
the great White Star liner Titanic
sank after striking an iceberg
George B. Widener's body, although
previously reported as recovered was
not among those on the ship, and her
commander explained that a body, at
first thought to have been that of MI
Widener was buried as that OF MS
valet.
All told 3Oe dead were found and
1l6 were consigned to the sea.
Col. Astor's body was brought off the
ship and taken with others to the
morgue.
Captain Lardner said the total num-
Der of bodies found was 306. OF these
I16 most of the members Of the Titan
les crew and unidentified were con-
signed to the sea and the remaining
19G brought to Halifax.
Only IS bodies of women were found
alioat. The exact numb of identified
among the 1870 brought here, Captain
I.ardner preferred to leave to a state
ment to be issued by the White Star
authorities.
Not one name of a prominent person
missing was added to the list of re-
covered dead by the Mackay- Benefits
arrival. Sailors worked four hours
unloading her and the dead were ia
ken to an imprOvised morgue in a
curling rink where relatives will have
an opportunity to claim them.
The captain told of the finding OF
the body thought to be that of Mr.
Widener. George Widener, jr., feels
sure it was the body of Edward keat-
ing. MIR. Widener's valet. There were
letters in the pocket addressed 10
on an overcoat We're e. X" and the
quality of the underclothing was not
similar to that Mr.. Widener wore.
Many Relics seen.
Relics of the great Titanic dotted |
the sea over an area 80 miles square
Captain Lardner said. Doors, windows
and chairs by the score were found
floating, but to none of them were
bodies lashed. In several instances
there were groups OF floating podles
were lashed together. Colonel Astor
was found standing almost erect on
his lifebelt.
Mackay- Bennett whenever a group of
bodies was sighted and into these the
dead were piled three or four at a
time. Hauled on board the cable
shin each was numbered with a large
canvas tag and the valuables and pa
pers We're placed in a canvas sack sim
ilarly numbered.
canon Kohind Of All Saints cathe
dral here, conducted the services in
connection with the burial at sea. On
three separate occasions services were
held.
we buried so many at sea- said
Captain Lardner, simply because we
could not accommodate them. We
had limited embalming supplies and
it was absolutely necessary to consign
many to the deep. None, if any pas
sengers I believe were buried except
perhaps in the case of Mr.. Widener'sI
valet. The majority of those sunk
were unidentified. We had instructions
when we left here to pick up all the
TitaniC's dead we found but under
the conditions it was impossible to
carry out these Instructions
Church Bells Toll.
Halifax, April 3O.-While the city's
church bells tolled and British flags
fluttered at half mast the cable ship
Mackay- Bennett steamed slowly into
Halifax harbor this morning bearing
the dead picked up from the scene
where the White Star liner Titanic
sank She reached her dock in the
navy yard shortly after $3.50 o'clock. !
As soon as the ship was sighted
down the harbOr the canvas curtains
shielding the cOffins and embalmers' ]
tents on the pier were lowered and
twenty sailors from the Canadian !
cruiser NiObe. in the yard for repairs, {
lined up as guard patrol boat {
was stationed in front of the pier to
prevent any craft docking in the vi
cinity.
A woman was the first mourner to
arrive on the pier. She was Miss Eliza
Lurette. a maid for Mrs. Augustus
spencer of New York. Mr.. and Mrs
spencer We're on the Titanic Mr.
Spencer went down: Mrs. Spencer was
saved. The maid hopes to find her
iate employers body. although it had
rot been reported among those on the
Mackay-Benne {
}. A Kenyon of Southington, Conn,
arrived shortly afterwards, hoping to +
Identify the body of his brother. F. r. :
Kenyon of Pittsburg :
Her Flag at Half Mast. Y
Her own flag at half mast the death l
snip cooked slowly. Her crew manned {
me rails with barred heads, and on the t
~ ueck We're stacked the coffins with {
me dead Members of the crew. talk I
ing over the side, said that every bodv I
picked up had been in a life helt ana i
1teTe were no bullet holes in any. Manv t
- me uncofhned dead lay on the for
" ara ueck. covered with tarpaulins As
me uhuertakers came aboard it was do
rlued 20 take off these bodies firsts Col
Jonn Jacob AstOr's BODY. If - f
, StIu, was somewhere in the nile of /
.o4gn cofflns at the stern
nIte % star line officials had boardat7 f
- mp Gown the harbor and theI- /
,7o.T-i.--' H.Su the arrangements for c
locking All told there were not -, ~ t
than half dozen rnourners ~ .toie r
representatives at the nier 81 tner 9
dreaded the sight and 11roeo.-- - Siey ;
await the work of identff3ca+i.sIiet t ca 10
Inorgue. iiiea tloh at the