Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1915-08-03
PRESIDENT At HELM
WILSON SENDS SECRETARY RED
FIELD TO CHICAGO TO DIRECT
EASTLAND QUIZ.
PROBE WILL BE THOROUGH
Tremendous Activity Shown on the
Part of Steamboat Inspection De-
partment and the Department of
Justice-President Getting Facts.

Justice-President Getting Facts.
Chicago, July 28.-Secretary Will
liam c. Redfield of the department of
commerce arrived in Chicago Tues
day and will take charge Of the In
quiry which his department is making
into the Eastland disaster. He came
to Chicago upon suggestion of Presi-
dent Wilson.
President Wilson's keen personal IN
terest in the inquiry is indicated in
the sending Of cabinet officer to take
charge. The president has ordered
sweeping investigation.
Albert L. Thurman, solicitor general
Of the department, is also here. He
will assist in the taking of testimony.
Eugene T. Chamberlain, commissioner
of navigation of the commerce depart
ment, may also come to Chicago.
There will be no whitewashing In
this inquiry" said federal official.
president Wilson Is at the helm in
personal and particular way. The
president has demanded facts, and he
is getting them"
Solicitor Thurman brought with him
to Chicago the only protest ever filed
with the department against the
steamer Eastland. It was made in
1906 by George J. Schmitt when the
Eastland was running between Chi
cago and South Haven.
Following an interview with Presi-
dent Wilson by telephone, Attorney
General Gregory communicated by
long distance with District Attorney
c. F. Clyne and with Acting Super
vising Inspector General of Steam
ships Dickerson N. Hoover. The long
distance conference Is said to have
lasted % minutes.
Immediately after talking with the
Washington authorities, Mr.. Clyne
called a conference In his Office IN the
federal building, both Ira B. Mansfield
and William Nicholas, local inspectors.
being summoned
For more than an hour Inspector
Mansfield was excluded from the con-
ference after both inspectors had been
questioned.
The July grand jury, under Foreman
George A. Hughes, visited the wreck
of the Eastland and made a thorough
inspection of the hull. The jury
seemed particularly impressed with
the fact that bow and stern lines,
which had moored the craft to its
wharf, were still attached.
There is nothing that the grand
jury can say at this stage" said Mr..
Hughes. We are just looking around
and getting our bearings"
81 can't say anything" echoed
States Attorney Hoyne, a moment
later. 1--WE are going after this right.
Give us time"
The orders which resulted in ire
mendous activity on the part of the
steamboat inspection department and
the department of justice. came
straight from the president him
self.
A private bulletin service is declared
to have been ordered by the president,
covering all the essential facts with
relation to the disaster, and this is
said to have been in operation for
nearly forty-eight hours.
'The president knows all that any
body can know, aside from those who
will be summoned as witnesses" said
a government official This is a mat
ter that will not be allowed to rest.
We are going to cover the whole STU
alton thoroughly"
Captain Mansfield. who is said to
have been asked to leave the room
while his associate, Nicholas, was I'M
der questioning, stated a belief that
the result of thorough inquiry would
be exculpation of all local inspection
officials.
Following a conversation lasting an
hour with Acting Secretary of Com
MERGE and Labor Edwin F. Sweet, Su-
pervising Architect Hoover made the
announcement that he will hold an in
dependent investigation covering the
entire matter of the Eastland and will
summon from so to 100 witnesses.