Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-07-26
$40 BODIES HAVE BEEN REC OVERED

! Investigations TO ueleTIHlle Inc
cause of the accident and punish the
guilty were vigorously pushed during
the day by Coroner Hoffman, States
Attorney Hoyne and United States
District Attorney Charles +. Clyne.
After questioning members OF the
Eastland's s crew and scores of witt
nesses, States Attorney Hoyne and
his assistants expressed the opinion
that the accident was caused by the
overlooking of the boat. United States
District Attorney Clyne, after confer-
ring with Federal steamboat inspec-
tors, said: when the time comes for
us to talk we will have plenty to say
f. II. Avery, in charge of the divers
engaged the rescue work, said that
his men were able to see many bodies
in the hull, which they were unable
to reach. After talking with the men
woIfsing under the water, he formed
his estimate of 200 bodies still in the
boat.
The first funeral services for the
Eastland victims took place today
when more than three hundred cor
teges passed through the streets Of
the city. Arrangements have been
made to hold services for some of the
various victims every day of this
week.
In several instances today thu
same service was said over two or
three victims, members of the same
family.
Behind this disaster" said States
Attorney Hoyne today. "looms the
steamboat inspection service. That
inspection has been rotten, | firmly
believe. As to the identity of the
guilty persons, that Is another thing
| don't know who the guilty person
Is But do know or at least ! ar,
satisfied that this tragedy would not
have occurred If the federal steam
boat inspection service on the Great
Lakes was what 1t should be-"
Six separate Investigations began
today. They were headed respective-
ly by States Attorney MacLay
Hoyne, Coroner Hoffman, Federal
District Attorney Charles Clyne, Of
ficials of the mayors office, Federal
steamboat inspectors and Chief or
Police Healey.
The chief questions these officials
hoped to have answered were:
Questions to Be Answered.
Did the Eastland have on board
more passengers than were permitted
by the Federal license?
Why was the Eastland granted
capacity so great that, even when II
was not exceeded, a rush OF only =
part of the passengers to one sido
caused it to topp1e?
Was the Eastland's water ballast
out of adjustment? If so, who was
the Federal inspector who did not
know of it, or who permitted the
boat to take on a capacity load in the
face of such knowledge?
Was the capacity of the EastlaHd
overrated by federal inspectors? Was
it done deliberately? Did anyone gain
thereby?
One of the first matters District-At
torney Hoyne went into today was to
nquiro into the issuance by Robert
Reid, federal inspector of hulls, of per
mission to the Eastland owners to
engage in passenger traffic on Laks
Michigan. Reid's son-in-law, j. M.
.rickson, it was learned today, was
chief engineer, q high salaried posi-
ton, on the boat that gradually
dipped and toppled over, carrying 30
many to their deaths in the shadow OF
great Office buildings and within the
rattle and roar of the city AS chief
engineer Erickson was in charge OF
the ships water ballast machinery.
The license that gave owners of the
Eastland federal permission to carry
$500 passengers was signed by Reid
at st. Joseph, Mich, on May y 1913
That license reads that the Eastland
was a seaworthy craft.
The crux of the two chief issues OF
where lay the blame and how many
lost their lives centered on the single
issue of how many were on board tine
Eastland Officials of the indiana
Transportation Company. which char
tered the boat from the st. Joseph
Chicago Steamship Company and was
in charge of the excursion for the
Western Electric Company. reiterated
today that the boats capacity of 2,4so.
Continued on Page 1, Colasa. ~