The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-05-29
GRAFTERS MAY Be
BLAMED FOR LONG
BEACH DISASTER
Construction Of Pier and Audi.
torium Was Accompanied BY
Charges Of Graft-In-
spectors to Answer.

Los Angeles, CAL May 27.--Coroner
Calvin Hartwell and District Attorney
John ID. Fredericks conferred today
with reference to handling the inquiry
into the pier disaster Saturday at Long
Beach. which cost 36 lives, and 1t was
decided there would be no grand jury
investigation. ,' " 8h4
The coroner 1t was said, was vested
with powers sufficient to cover the
case. and had the right to obtain prose-
~cutions for -manslaughter. If the evil
dence developed at the inquest, which
begins Thursday, warrants such action.
Story OF Graft Charges.
The coroner viii go into all phases
OF the disaster and win delve into the
history Of the municipal pier and the
city auditorium, the construction of
which was accompanied by charges OF
graft. The structures were completed
In 1905 and 1906. r.. g.. Losee, a mem
Der OF the city council at that time,
AND Mayor Emo. were charged with
having accepted brides from the con-
tractor, Losee was the only man
and without going to trial a second
time Losee turned $11 900 into the city
| treasury. T. . sa r. ..s.. ... ,.au .-..
No action was taken against the con-
tractor, John Baird, and Che, structures
as built were accepted.
Probe Inspection System.
The allegation that since the build
ing Of the pier it never has been sys-
tematically inspected will also be
probed by the %coroner's jury. IL.
Experts will be appointed to examine
the damaged pier and report on it's
condition. One expert will be named
by Mayor Hatch, Of Long Beach; an
other by the British societies which
were celebrating Empire day" when
the disaste occurred, and the third
will be selected by Coroner Hartwell
and District Attorney Fredericks'
Long Beach, Cal, May 27.-Evidence
to be presented Thursday at the In
quest over the SO persons who lost their
lives in the collapse Saturday OF a por-
ton OF the municipal pier. will bear
directly upon the question of who was
responsible for the condition OF tho
structure which proved too weak to
| withstand the weight Of several thous-
] Inc men, women and children who had
| gathered to celebrate the birth ami
| versary Of the late Queen Victoria.
Broken timbers, showing evidence of
decay and the corrosive action OF salt
air from the ocean we're under guard
today awaiting the requisition of the
| %coroner's jury. Several construction
| engineers-among them Luther Num-
son and j. p. Kennedy, who were APP
pointed on behalf of the city OF Long
| Beach, began an official inspection and
investigation. .
One of h principal witnesses be-
| fore the coroner's jury win be James
| Twombly, member OF the Long Beach
| board of public works, who, according
to Mayor Hatch and his colleagues on
the board there. was charged With the
II a,N..N - InA-.atfn~ nHthIfn hN1iIHin 90
Coroner Hartwell said that he was
| working in accord with District Attor-
| ney John d. Fredericks, who personally
| inspected the scene Of the disaster yes
terday, and held a conference with
municipal officials.
The construction of tho municipal
| pier and auditorium was accompanied
by charges Of graft and corruption.
Daughters of the Empire and Sons
| of st. George, the two principal or
CARNATIONS which had charge of the
| Empire day celebration, which ended
so tr~agically, started a campaign today
| for the relief of the victims.
While those seriously hurt In the dis
aster numbered not more than 90,
nearly 200 were injured sufficiently to
| partially disable them. n aid VIII De
| given them as well as to their more
unfortunate companions and friends,
Following IL a list OF the dead as sent
| out by the Associated Press:
MISS FRANCES HARRIET NEW
ELL, Kenosha, WIS.
MRS. MoLLIE GATES. Oak Park.
MISS LILLY NJ. HoLME, Denver.
ERNEST G. EALEs, Los Angeles.
MRS. EALES. his wife. o.
MRS. M. p. MCDONALD, Compton.
MRS. FRANK MATTHEWS. Los
DAVID BLACK. aged 7. Long Beach.
MRS. DAN THOMAS, Long Beach.
MRS. L. D. SPARROW. Long Beach
MRS. AUGUST BARTz, Long Beach
MRS. RICHARD GEORGE DOWLE.
MRS, CHESHIRE. Los Angeles.
MRS. ARTHUR c. HELPS. Long
Beach.
FANNIE b. M'FEE, Long Beach.
HAROLD LET'S. 10 years, Glen
MRS MRS. D. S. HOLMES. Long Beach.
MARTHA J. BENNETT, Long
D. M,sPEARS. Long Beach.
MRS. d. ]. TOMAS. Los Angeles.
MRS. D. f. WALLACE. Long Beach.
MRS. c. H. LAWRENCE, Los Ange-
'es MRS. JAMES wYvL. Casa verduso,
MRS. WARREN = LET'S and
daughter DOROTHY. Long Beach.
MRS. e. VALENTINE. Long Beach.
MRS. FRANK SHAW, Los Angeles.
MRS. EMMA pRIGMORE. Long
Beach,
MRS. ELIZABETH HANNAH
RICHARDSON. Orange.
MRS. PAULINE M'GEHEE. Long
Beach.
THOMAS BECK, Long Beach.
MRS. LILY NJ. HOLMES, Denver.
The young son Of II. l.. BAYLIS.
Los Angeles.
MRS. ADA f. INGRAHAM, Pasa-
dena.,
MRS. WILLIAMSON. Los Angeles.
MISS ANNA STONE. Long Beach.
MRS. s. F. pTTYEE. Los Angeles.
MRS. JAMES NICHOLS. Long
Beach.
Prospective damage suits. aEgregat-
ing probably 81 ,N00.0 600 or more as the
immediate outcome of the disaster.
AUTO RUNS AMUCK IN