Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-06-01
Two Official Inquiries Are
Under Way by Canadian
Authorities.
IDENTIFYING C0RPSES
MANY of Those Recovered Badly
GaShed. Wounds Received
in the Collision.

Quebec. June Identification OF
the dead taken from the scene of the
wreck Of the Empress of Ireland is
progressing rapidly. yearly one hun
5rad of ISS bodies brought here yes
terday by the tender Lady Grey have
bAan thus far recognized by friends
and relatives, in addition TO Is identi-
@ed claimed al Rimouski Among the
identified dead are Sir Henry Seaton
Karr. the big game hunter: DR.. E A
Barlow, leading geolOgist OF Canada,
and nearly a score of members OF the
salvation Army. Several of the re-
covered bodies were badly gashed,
probably killed in their beds by the
force OF the Storstad's bow as she
crashed into the Irelands side. while
nearly ali we're bruised and battered
from contact with debris. Additional
bodies are being recovered but slowly.
There is no change in the official
lists of dead and saved. which show
S6s killed OF drowned. and AS es-
capped Prompt investigation is prom
ised on all sides and a royal commits
sion has been named TO make a search
ing inquiry. The commission is COM
posed OF one member OF British Board
Of trade. named by the British govern
ment. and two judges of the Canadian
admiralty court
Anderson Denies Responsibility.
Meantime a preliminary investiga-
ton is in progress, conducted by
captain LiSAssy-uDsEeei<- commissioner
Of Canada Surviving passengers and
all officers and members of the crews
involved will be examined, Captain
Kendall Of the Ireland and Captain
Anderson Of the Storstad, who are
now in Montreal. being the first heard |
Captain Anderson denies he was re-
sponsible for the disaster. He claims
he had the right of way and that when |
he lost sight of the Empress of Ireland |
in the fog the latter's course had been !
set so the vessels would pass each |
other safely. The Stors:ad's course !
remained unaltered, the statement al !
leges. but when the Empress was next |
seen she was close at hand. making |
considerable headway. II is declared !
the Storstad's engines were reversed |
In moment and were nearly checked /
when the vessels coIlided. Anderson
claims he remained near the scene of |
the collision and points TO the fact
that his ship saved $50 persons as
proof of his assertion. The statement
declares not true the charge that the
Stortad backed out of the hole she had
torn in the Ireland. Her engines were
ordered ahead to hold her against the
liners side, but that the headway the
liner was under twisted the Golfers
bow out Of the cash.
Inc Storstad was arrested on her
arrival az Montreal on a $4,000, 900
cain OF loss against her owners By
the Canadian Pacific Railway com
pany. owners of the lost Empress.
Among the identified dead are Ed
ward Hannussen Of Negaunee, Mich.
May Use Divers.
Commander Tweedle of his majes- !
tys ship Essex. which has been aiding |
in the search for bodies. expressed a {
belief that it would be Impossible 10 !
salvage the Empress Of ireland and
mat the hull would have 10 be blown /
oy dynamite 20 prevent il becoming a J
menace 70 navigation. Divers may be z
used in an effort 10 recover the val
aaoie cargo and the bodies of some
hundreds Of persons believed locked 2
n the sunken hull. )
Blood on Anchor Point. y
Montreal. June I.-The sharp point
the anchor projecting from the
Nisted bow OF the Norwegian collier =
'torstad may explain why that vessel :
"a such terrible execution when she :
ahmed the Empress of Ireland. Ex-
Hination Of the colIier's shattered
'1Ies revealed the anchor jammed in G
position where IL could have ripped
trough the hull of the Empress ike
Ie@t can opener. The anchor point
10 portions OF shattered steel sur ID
'unoing II bore stains OF blood. >;
Preparations have begun today for d,
Inquiry into the disaster. which
81 at present reckoning 969 lives. n
ae Inquiry will be conducted by a Y
iht commission Of Canadian and Brit: y
. shipping experts. Pilot Nault. who
l"sated the Storstad up the st. Law
nee from Quebec. said today that
-ptain Anderson told him that Ander-
a. MS first officer and pilot Lechance,
70 brought the Storstad from Faith f.,
foint 10 Quebec. were on the bridge 1s
The time Of the accident 70
No Water in Hold. an
On the way up the river" continued be
Iut, an examination sad found two do