The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1915-08-05
u. S. INSPECTORS
! [ PUT IN IRONS
Washington Agent Angry at East
land Inquiry.
REDFIELD ORDERS ACTION
Secretary of Commerce Continues
Probe Despite Protests Made
Against Him by Mayor Thomp-
son and Others.

Chicago, Aug. 3.-Threats of bodily
violence to Secretary William c. Red
field of the department of commerce
as a result of the bitterness aroused
by his method of inquiring into the
Eastland horror were received by that
official. They came in the form OF an
onymous letters.
Captain Peterson c, the Eastland
was released from Jail on $lO.Ooo
sond.
Three Bodies Recovered.
Following the recovery or three
additional bodies from the steamship
Eastland, which divers believe, has
cleared the hull Of teh steamer OF
victims, the federal and state grand
juries and the commission presided
over by Secretary Of Commerce Will
liam c. Rerfield resumed their inqulr-
les into the cause Of the disaster.
The identified dead number 1888. the
unidentified and the list OF missing
compiled by the Western Electric
company number 142, total OF 9S2.
The bodies were Of two young women
and one man.
The Redfield inquiry was resumed
in the face of much opposition which
developed through the week and cul-
minated in the sending of protests
from several organizations to Presi-
dent Wilson.
Labor Federation Protests.
One of the strongest protests was
sent President Wilson by the Chi
cago Federation of Labor. The fedora
ton demanded that the secretary OF
commerce be recalled from Chicago
and his investigation of the steamboat
inspection service terminated.
Secretary Redfield called a meeting
of the commission to consider the ad-
dition of a representative of the Fed
Grafton of Labor to the civilian COM
mittee which is sitting with the COM
mission, and to lay plans to broaden
the scope of the investigation.
Others who have demanded that the
"self-investigation" be supplanted by
an investigation of special commits
sion of marine experts were Mayor
Thompson and the city council COM
mittee. the Woman's City club, mem
bers of the coroner's jury, several
Polish fraternal societies and numer-
GUS relatives of victims of the East
land.
Secretary Redfield and Albert l..
Thurman. solicitor for the commerce
department, probably will be called
| before the federal grand jury. They
will be asked to explain the purpose
and workings of the steamboat inspec-
ton service.
8Iames inspection Service.
Victor A Olander, secretary OF the
Lake Seamen's union, told United
States District Attorney Clyne that
the steamboat inspection service not
only made possible the Eastland dis
aster, but made such a catastrophe in.
evitable.
Clash Over ManaeIed U. S. Men.
A clash between state and federal
governments, with threat by the lat.
| er to take Steamboat Inspectors Reid
| and Eckliff from the custody of the
| state, occurred when the federal Off.
GERS under arrest in the Eastland in
vestigation were brought into the
| building haRdcuffed.
The men had been sent for to ap-
pear before the Redfield Investigating
board. When they arrived in response
to a request from the states attorney
the two inspectors were handcuffed to-
gether like ordinary criminals.
Solicitor General A. l.. Thurman of
the department of commerce and labor
was astcunded at the indignity. He
met the men in the corridor just out
side the hearing-room and noticed the
manacles on their wrists.
Thurman Is Indignant.
What does this mean?" he de-
manded.
The deputy sheriff in charge ex.
planned that all prisoners are treated
alike and the inspectors were under.
going the common experience.
"I'll see about this" Indignantly de.
clared Mr.. Thurman. 'I'll put a stop
70 cuob ~ fboeo ,