Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-30
Testify at Inquiry They Think
Capsizing Due to Improper
Manipulation of Tanks.
FEDERAL GRAND JURY
BEGINS ITS INVESTIGATION
States Attorney Hoyne Expects In.
dictments to Be Returned To.
day in County Probe.

CHICAGO, July 3o.-Federal
and state grand juries and the
board representing the steamboat
inspection service resumed their
inquiries today into the response
bility for the capsizing OF the
steamship Eastland last Saturday.
Launches dragged the river and
ten divers continued their search
for bodies OF e-ictims. The body
of woman was taken from a
cabin of the boat early in the day.
This mornings figures on the
loss OF lie showed the identified
dead, 833; unidentified dead, 2;
Western Electric Company's list
OF missing, 23o; total, 1,o7I.
In the inquiry conducted by Secre-
tary Redfield inspectors and others ex-
pressed the opinion that under ballast
ing or improper manipulation of the
water ballast tanks had upset the ship
Robert Reid of Grand Haven, Mich,
the federal inspector who, July .. grant
ed the Eastland permission to increase
its passenger capacity from 1900 to
$500. testified that he had inspected the
Eastland ballast tanks. although not
| required to do so, and had had no fear
of the ships sinking, his son-in-law, J.
NJ. Erickson, being chief engineer of the
craft
Expects Indictments.
States Attorney Hoyne intimated at
| noon today that number of indict-
ments, charging manslaughter and
criminal carelessness, might be return
ed before the close of the day against
persons held responsible for the disas-
ter in which more than a thousand lives
| were lost
The July state grand jury must ad-
journ before midnight tomorrow under
the law. and the states attorney is
tanxious to have it conclude it's investi-
cation Of the Eastland horror today If
possible.
Additional witnesses were examined
by the body during the afternoon.
Federal Grand Jury Convenes.
panelled by Judge K. N. Lands to in
vestigate the Eastland began the ex-
animation of witnesses.
I'VE propose to investigate everybody
and every circumstance connected with
the wreck, as directed by the Attorney
General and Judge Landis," said
Charles F. Clyne, United States district
attorney, who has charge of the feder-
al grand jury investigation.
! Adam j. Weckler. city harbormaster.
the first witness called by the federal
grand jury, is said to have repeated the
story he told at the coroners inquest,
when he said the boat was overloaded.
Weckler /saw the Ea stland overturn
and a few minutes before had refused
to let the boat leave the dock until she
was evenly balanced. He shouted to the
captain that the vessel was listing
badly.
TWO witnesses were heard by the fed
eral grand jury besides Harbor Master
Weckler-WiAam Baker. baggage mas
ter on the Ea stand, and Policeman Lee
Jacobson.
william H Hull. vice president and
general manager OF the ST. Joseph-Chl.
cago Steamship Company, owners of
the Eastland, with his counsel, Charles
E Kremer, was in the federal building
this morning. Neither would make any
statement.
Inspector Reid Recalled.
When the inquiry which is being con-
Quoted by Secretary Redfield into the
causes of the Eastland disaster was re-
sumed today Robert Reid. United
States inspector of steamboats,, with
headquarters at Grand Haven. Mich,
was recalled to the stand.
Mr. Reid was one of the six men or
dered held by the coroner's jury to the
state grand jury, and is the father-in-
law of J. NJ. Erickson, chief engineer
of the Eastland, who also was held to
the grand jury. The witness was ex-
amined by A. l.. Thurman, solicitor for
the Department of Commerce.
II first saw the Eastland in the Chi
cago river in June, 1906" said Inspect
or Reid. Il was then an assistant hull
inspector. The boat was then allowed
certificate was in effect only during
the season of 1906.
II made my first inspection of the
Eastland at Grand Haven. Mich, in
June, 1914, just after her return from
Cleveland, where she had been for sew
eral years. At that time l knew no
! members of the owning company ex-
cept George T. Arnold, the president
He was a personal acquaintance. The
boat was taken to Benton Harbor
Mich, and Inspector c. c. EclSliff and
inspected her there June 10. 1914. At
that time 1 found the general condition
of the steamer and her life-saving ap-
paratus good. l gave her capacity
of 2.045.
How Capacitv Is Determined.