The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-08-18
SHIPS OFFICERS INDICTED
FOR DEATHS ON EASTLAND
Chicago Grand jury Charges Map
slaughter and Criminal
CareleSSneSs.

Indictments charging manslaugh-
ter and criminal carelessness were
returned in the criminal court at Chi
cago Wednesday in connection with
the Eastland disater.
The captain and engineer and four
officers of the st. Joseph-Ch'cago
Steamship company, owners of the
boat, are named as follows:
George T. Arnold, president.
Willitm H. Hull, vice-president and
general manager.
W. C.. Steele, secretary-treasurer
Ray W. Davis, assistant secretary
treasurer.
Harry Peterson, captain Of the
Eastland.
Joseph NJ. Erickson, engineer.
Bonds were fixed at twenty thou
sand dollars each for officials and
ten thousand dollars each for Pedei'-
son and Erickson. The two last:nam.
ed are charged with criminal care
lessness and the officials with man
slaughter.
The bill against the officials chars-
ed:
"That they knew the Eastland was
unseaworthy and had no stability.
THAT they permitted twenty-five
hundred passengers aboard the YES
sci, which is more than it's carrying
capacity.
"That they were negligent in hir-:
ing an incompetent engineer, who,
because of his lack Of skill, was un-
able to control the boat properly.
"That the crew did not number
enough hands to manage and control
the Eastland properly.
1.-The ballast tasks were allowed to
be out of repair and were not filed.
Against Captain Peterson these
charges were brought:
"That he permitted aboard the
boat a larger number of passengers
than she could safely carry.
"That he neglected to warn the
passengers to leave the Eastland
when it became apparent to him that
she was about to oyerturn.
"That ne was negligent in not see
ing that the ballast tanks were in re-
pair and were properly filled.
"That he was negligent in not see
ing that the chalk-holes and gang
ways were closed when the ship was
loaded"
Counts against Erickson are SINH
lar.
The report Of the grand jurySnds
that the disaster was caused by in
stability under conditions Of load
ing" and states that the instability
was due to lone of three main causes,
| OF any two Of all them," as follows:
The overlooking of the vessel with
passengers.
The mishandling of water ballast.
The construction Of the vessel.
The report says that Eastland be-
gan loading passengers without water
ballast and belated efforts to fill the
tanks failed.
t"That the instability Of the boat
was not corrected years before, we
regard as indicating criminal care
lessness or incompetency on the part
of all persons connected with the de-
sign, construction, control, operation
and inspection of the boat, says the
report. It points out that federal in
spectors had the right to refuse per-
NIT to the boat; but that they are
generally not trained men and failed
to make stability tests.
"The handling of the ballast by
the officers. of the boat indicates ar
entire lack of understanding of the
proper uses of water ballast and az
absolute disregard Of safety after re.
peated warnings and frequent indica-
tions of extreme instability" con-
tinues the report.
The jury recommends that expert
! federaI. approval be required for the
| construction of steam vessels, and
constant inspection and supervision.