The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-08-14
Vol. XII No. 81.
CHARGE LAvs<0 SIX MEN.
GRAND JUR = CHICAGO TAKES
ACTION : 4 CONNECTION
W ~ EAsTLAND
: HORROR.
Four ials of Company Owning
Boa. Accused of MansIaughter-
Engineer and Captain Charged with
Criminal Carclcssncss-Carcfu In
spcctiOn OF ''csscls Urged.


Chicago, Aug. 11.-Indictments
charging manslaughter and criminal
carelessness We're returned in the
criminal court today in connection
with the Eastland disaster.
The captain and engineer and four
officers of the st. Joseph Chicago
steamship company, owners of the
boat, are named as follows: George
L. Arnold, president; William H. Hull,
vice president and general manager;
w. c. Steele, secretary treasurer; Ray
w. Davis, assistant secretary-treas-
urer; Harry Peterson, captain of the
Eastland; Joseph NJ. Erickson, en-
gineer.
|onds were fixed at $4,000 each
for officials and $4,000 each for Pc
derson and Erickson. The two last
named are charged with criminal
Icarelessness and the officials with
manslaughter.
The bill against the officials
charged:
That they knew the Eastland was
unseaworthy and had no stability.
That they permitted $500 passen-
gers aboard the vessel which is more
than its carrying capacity.
THAT they We're negligent in hiring
an incompetent engineer, who because
of his lack of skill, was unable to
control the boat properly.
That the crew did not number
enough hands to manage and control
the Eastland properly.
THE ballast tanks were allowed to
be out of repair and were not filled"
| Against Capt. Peterson these
charges were brought:
THAT he permitted aboard the boat
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 overturn.
That he was negligent in not see
ing that the ballast tanks were in
repair and were properly filled.
That he was negligent in not see
ing that the chalk-holes and gangways
were closed when the ship was
loaded"
Counts against Erickson are SINH
lar.
The report of the grand jury finds
that the disaster was caused by lin
stability under conditions of loading"
and states that the instability was due
to "one of three main causes, or 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 beiated efforts to fill the
tanks failed.
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. 1t points out that federal in
spectors had the right to refuse a.
permit 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 an en-
tire lack of understanding of the
proper uses of water ballast and an
absolute disregard for safety after re-
peated warnings and frequent indica-
tions of extreme instability" con-
tinues the report
The jury recommends that expert
federal approval be required for the
construction of steam vessels, and con-
slant inspection and supervision.