Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-30
EASTLAND SEIZED
BY GOVERNMENT
Continued from Page One

Continued from Page One
gressman A. j.. SABBATH before Secretary
Redheld's inquiry board began it's ses-
sions today.
The inquest which the Department Of
Commerce head is conducting is only
technical investigation" as he himself
calls II, for, under the rules of the de-
partment, no member may be placed on
trial in the manner which Secretary Red
field has adopted. But the secretary has
power to untangle the entire situation
IL II 10 at ali possible, and, unless he does
this the United States will take official
action in an unprecedented way. Other
things have been investigated by Con.
gress, but never a shipwreck in internal
waters.
While the work of clearing away the
wreckage to permit divers to retrieve
newly found bodies was on, the Federal
Grand Jury opened it's inquiry into the
cause Of the overturning Of the boat.
Chief among, the Witnesses at the first
session OF the jury was Captain Adam
Weckler, Harbor Master at chicago
Weckler put the blame for the disaster
up to Captain Peterson. He saia ne
noticed the Eastland listing long before
the vessel went over, and that he had
shouted a warning to Peterson. who was
on the bridge OF the Eastland, telling him
he would not open the Clark street
bridge for him until the vessel had
righted herseH.
Weckler said that II minutes elapsed
from the time the ship began to careen
before she went over II was his opin-
ion, Weckler said. that Captain Peder-
son could have unloaded all his passen-
gers
william II. Hull. vice president and
general manager OF the st. Joseph Chi
cago Steamship Company owner of the
Eastland, and Walter c. Steele secre-
tary-treasurer OF the company. viii not
be allowed to testify before the special
Federal Grand Jury This was said to-
day by United States District Attorney
Cline. Their testimony before the Fed
eral inquisitors in case they were per-
mitted to give it, would automatically
render them immune from indictment by
this Grand Jury.
More bodies of victims were diseov-
cred today In the hull OF the Eastland,
far down In the engine room. How many
corpAes lie there has not been ascertained,
for they are huddled into a tangled mass
OF watersoaked flesh and bones. There
may be only 10 and there may be as many
as co. Divers came upon the. new death
chamber while trying to learn what -
the best way to raise the wreck OF the
"crazy ship"
The bodies are wedged tightly together
between the machinery of the vessel anu
the boilers. How they got there Is
mystery. me body OF young "pheN
was the hrat OF this new group TO De
lifted out. Her blonde hair was singed'
and her hand bore marks OF burns when
six days in the water had failed TO
erase.
omcial figures OF the dead and missing
were unchanged today, except for the
new find. To date. ss4 bodies have been
Identified. and more than 800 are still
missing. fUntil the divers are able 70
recover all the dead women. children ana
men In the engine room, the exact num-
Der OF missing and unidentified cannot Do
known However. the total death list re-
mains at 1883.
Body NO sss. that OF the little feller
which lay so long unclaimed In the
morgue. was Identified this morning as
| that OF Willie Novotny, s years old. His
/ father and mother also went down with
the Eastland but their bodies have not
been recovered. The Identification was
made by two playmates OF the lad. who
heard OF the unknown boys body. VIII
| lies grandmother Mrs. Agnes Martenek,
| later confirmed the Identification
Despite this. Willie's body will os
buried with the military honors plannsa
and authorised yesterday. Every troop
OF Boy Scouts IN the city will be repre-
santed IN the cortege that follows NO
$50 70 his last resting place