The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-07-29
SIX MEN BLAMED
FOR LOSS OF LIFE
CoronerS Jury Recommends That They Be Indicted
tor ManSlaughter in Connection with the East
land Disaster Federal Grand Jury to Inquire
as to Crews Competency

CHICAGO, III, July Governmental
efforts to place the responsibility for the
capsizing Of the steamship Eastland in the
Chicago river Saturday got under way to-
day with the convening OF the federal
grand jury and the opening Of the investi-
CATION by the steamboat inspection ser
vice under the. direction of Secretary Of
Commerce Redfeid
Plans for both of these inquiries were
completed at conferences which lasted
nearly all night
United States District Attorney Cline
expects that among the first witnesses be-
fore the grand jury viii be William II.
tinll, general manager of the company
owning the Eastland One of the points
to be laid before the grand Jury Is the
competency of the crew of the Eastland,
reports of investigators Indicating that
many members of the crew were unfamil-
lar with nautical work
Evidence supporting the charge of neg
ligence also will be presented to the grand
Jury.
The county grand jury, which was adj
journed yesterday following a conference
| between Secretary Redfeld and States
| Attorney Hoyne, was reconvened today
and the reports of the coroncr-s jury rec
| nmmending that six persons be held was
| laid before it
| charge OF manslaughter was recon-
oended by the coroners jury early today
against William II. Hull, general manager
Of the company owning the Eastland; !;
Harry Petersen, captain, and Joseph \.
Erickson, chief engineer of the Eastland
Walter Is. Greenebaum, general manager
ct the Indiana Transportation company
which chartered the Eastland: and Rob
ert Reid and Charles c. Eckliffe, steam
boat inspectors at Grand Haven, Mich
An investigation of the circumstances OF
the construction of the boat was recon
mended TO ascertain if there can b,
found legal methods by which those re
Sponsible for its defect in construction car
be held accountable
States Attorney Hoyne will decide how
tar the county grand jury can proceed il
view OF Secretary Redfeld's representa-
tion yesterday that the state lacks iuris
diction over federal inspectors located il
another state
Examination of witnesses in the inquiry
Of the United States department. of com
merce into the cause of the Eastland dis
aster began here today under persona
supervision Of Secretary Redfeld
Witnesses, including the officers an,
crew OF the steamer, and long list o
survivors were summoned to the fedora
building to tell their version of the catas
trophe
While this inquiry was progressing Unit
ed States District Attorney Cline pre-
! pared to empanel a federal grand jury t
investigate the question of criminal re
sponsibility for the accident
In the states attorneys office effort
were directed to determine the extent c
the jurisdiction Of the state grand iur
T. over the persons held by coroner's jur
for grand jury action
Doubt was expressed over the iurisdi,
: ton of the state over federal officials
Funeral services for the last of the ideI
Z tilted dead were held today. All but fou
+ OF the So bodies recovered have bee
Q identified
d In addition to the victims whose bodi,
G have been recovered 800 persons are sti
q listed as missing.