White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1915-08-15
INDICTMENTS IN EAsTLAND CASE

indictments mdnoidu6heOi
and criminal carelessness in connec-
ton with the Eastland disaster were
voted in Chicago Tuesday by the state
grand jury against six men, owners
and officials of the boat. Those NAM
ed in the true bill are:
George T. Arnold, president of the
st. Joseph-Chicago Steamship lines;
owners of the steamer.
Walter H. Hull, vice president and
general manager.
Walter C. Steele, secretary-treas-
urer.
Ray w. Davis, assistant secretary
treasurer. t~~~s
Harry Petersen, captain of the ves-
sci.
Joseph NJ. Erickson, engineer Of the
ship.
1t was upon the testimony of more
than 200 witnesses, who described the
instability of the Eastland and de-
fects in the engine plant, particular
ly In the water ballast system hat
the Jurors thus answered the ques-
ton: who is to blame?'
Additional indictments, based upon
sensational testimony and positive
evidence showing ticket juggling and
proving that the Eastland was over
crowded when it capsized, will be
dra Hn up by the grand jury within a
few days.
Just at the time when the grand
jurors were preparing to wind up
their investigation there was present
ed to them documentary evidence and
afidavits proving beyond the slight
est doubt that there we're at least
1000 passengers on the boat, 500
more than its license allowed and
the tickets collected were juggled in
the hope of covering up the fact. This
evidence, it was said, is not only suf-
ficient to indict three others, but to
convict them as well.
The new evidence consists of the
batch of tickets which were hastily
confiscated on the morning of the dis
aster by Walter X. G~reenbaugh, gen.
eral manager of the Indiana Transpor-
tation company. which chartered the
boat for the excursion, another batch
of several hundred of the return cou-
pom which were turned over to
States Attorney Toyne, and $50 af-
fidavits. A comparison of the re-
turn coupons with the tickets collect
ed at the boat has already disclosed
that 159 tickets have m~ysteriously
vanished.
Because of this new information,
Luman Lobdell and Curtis Oakley.
government inspectors at the boat,
and Greenbaum, face grand jury ac-
ton. Although these inspectors are
in the federal service, the states at
torney feels certain they can be held
for criminal carelessness. Green
baum, it is said, may be charged with
conspiracy to defeat justice.
The charge of manslaughter, as
contained in the joint indictment
againse our officials of the company
carries with 1t punishment provided
by statute, of Imprisonment of from
one year to life. The penalty for
criminal carelessness, as charged in
the Indictment against the captain
and engineer, is Imprisonment not to
exceed three years or a fine not to ex-
ceed $4,000.
The report of the grand jury finds
that the disaster was caused by in
stability under conditions of loading"
and states that the instability was
due to lone of three main causes, or
any two, or all of them" as follows:
1. The overlooking of the vessel
with passengers.
Q. The mishandling of water bal
last.
3. The construction of the vessel.
The report says that the Eastland
began loading passengers without wa
Ter ballast and belated efforts to fill
the tanks failed of success.
That instability of the boat was not
corrected years age and I'VE regard
as criminal carelessness, or incom-
petence, on the part of all persons
connected with the design, ccnstruc-
iion, control, operation and inspection
of the boat" says the report.
1t points out that federal inspectors
had the rigth to refuse a permit to
the boat, but they are not generally
trained men and failed to make sta
bility tests.
THE handling of the ballasts by
the officers of the boat indicates an
entire misunderstanding of the ma
ture and proper uses of water ballast,
and an abso1ute disregard of safafv