New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-29

likely TO be returned would be allowed
to testify. lie did not want any '"-
munity baths. he said,
Among those who were not ptescht
IN testify. in spite Of the fact that they
arc supposed TO know as unuch ABOUT
the disaster as asy one living. were'
Ira Il. Mansfield. inspector OF nuns
and boilers Mt Chicago. who was
quoted after the Eastland had almost
turned over in 1904 as saying that II
was one of the safest boats on the
lake. ,. 81,
Grad Haven. who is said to have
raised the Eastland's carrying capacity
to $500.
Captain Harry Peterson, who man
aged 10 reach safety while more than
a thousand Of his passengers were
drowning all about him.
J. NJ. Erickson. chief engineer. wno'
after trying for seventeen minutes 10
right the boat. had plenty OF time TO
come up from the engine room ana
save himself, though the passengers
were not warned of their danger
William II. Hull, vice-presldent ana
general manager Of the Chicago-St. DO
seph Steamship Company, which owned
and operated the vesse as an excur-
sion steamer. despite the fact that "
was generally known as "the crank OF
the lakes"
Several May BE Extradited.
One reason for the grand jury's
haste in preparing the indictments is
said to be that several Of those who
may be involved are out of the juris-
diction Of the court and cannot be ex-
tradicted until after indictments have
been handed down They are now in
Michigan, it is said, and have shown
no intention of coming to Chicago to
take part personally in the inquiry into
the causes of the disaster.
There are state statutes providing
for the punishment of those response
Bile through carelessness or otherwise.
for the loss Of lives on steamboats,, but
these are considered by States Attor-
ney Maclay Hoyne as totally made
quate. The most severe punishment
provided is maximum of three years
in the pententiary. For this reason
indictments on the manslaughter charge
are being sought.
After leaving the jury room and be-
fore starting for the county building,
where he attended the sessions Of the
inquest before the coroner's jury, Mr..
Hoyne said:
THE States Attorneys office is work
ing on the theory that some one IS
guilty Of manslaughter. In spite of the
fact that the city Police Department
turned all it's evidence over to the Fed
eral authorities, we have all the docu-
mentary evidence we need. Employees
Of the States Attorneys Office got back
l.. 49, hA lay y
with documentary evidence regarding
the previous inspections Of the boat,
and and all that sort Of thing"
Record of Former Danger.
Mr.. Hoyne presented to the grand
Jury a newspaper clipping dated July
II, 1904, telling how the Eastland
careened in the lake while five miles
out of South Haven.
Federal Investigators to-day found
that the last thorough inspection Of the
steamer Eastland by Captain Mansfield
was made on May IL, 1906. He spent
six hours on the vessel, according to
his records, and made a detailed ex-
animation OF I'll lifesaving equipment.
The maximum number of passengers
recorded at any time by government
license was in the entry of this inspec-
tion. II authorized 5l7 regular pas
sengers, crew of 90 and 1890 excur-
sionists "A total Of 5000.
Members Of the crew Of the Eastland
knew that the boat was going 10 tip
over, according to Fred G.. Snow, Sec
ond assistant engineer, on the witness
stand at the coroner's inquest. made
quate machinery 70 fill and empty the
water ballast tanks and a woful ig-
norance of the machinery OF the vessel
were two other points brought out in
Shows testimony under n fire OF ques-
tons from Assistant States Attorney
Michael Sullivan, States Attorney
HOyne and members of the jury.
For seventeen minutes before the
vessel finally got beyond their control
the men in the engine room working
under the direction of Erickson sought
to right tho vessel. Then, realizing
their danger, they fled and all escaped
with their lives. When Snow left the
engine room no one else was in sight,
he said.
Mayor Returns from Fair.
Mayor William Hale Thompson, for
mer commodore of the Columbia Yacht
Club and a well known expert on lake
boats, returned from the San Francisco
fair during the day, and Immediately
visited the capsized Eastland. After a
hurried examination of the boat the
Mayor said:
From what I can learn, the ballast
was pumped out of the vessel before
the boat entered the river. If the boat
was not safe in the river il was not