The Oskaloosa herald., 1915-07-29
WILSON'S AID TO
HAVE CHARGE OF
.. 'EAsTLAND QUIZ
Secretary RedfieId Goes to Chi
Cago at'President's Suggestion.
SWEEPING INQUIRY ORDERED
Chief Executive at Helm Demanded
Facts and Got Thsm-Government
viii Place Blame for Horror,
Says Federal Officer.

liam c. Redfield of the department or
commerce arrived in Chicago today
and will take charge of the inquiry
which his department is making into
the Eastland disaster. He came to
Chicago upon suggestion of President
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 7. Chamberlain, commissioner
OF navigation of the commerce depart.
ment may also come to Chicago.
There will be no withdrawing 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. 1t was made in
1906 by George j. Schmitt when the
Eastland was running between Chi
cago and South Haven. .-
Wilson Orders inquiry.
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
g. 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 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
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"
Il can't say anything" echoed States
Attorney Hoyne, 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 himself.
Bulletins to Wilson.
Z 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
B 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 conversation lasting an
hour with Acting Secretary Of Com
merce and Labor Edwin F. Sweet, Su-
pervising Inspector 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.
AS the investigation progressed,
headed by officials of the city, state
and federal governments, divers, fire.
men and policemen continued their
sorry task of removing bodies from
the sunken hull of the death ship.
1t was believed that between 1000
and 1900 persons lost their lives.
Coroner Hoffman declared, however,
that,with more, than 500 dead already
accounted .sfor, there are still 700
bodies trapped in the hull and caught
in the life nets stretched across the
Chicago river at frequent intervals
for a distance of nearly two miles.
Overlooking 10 the Main Fact.
The statement OF Assistant States
Attorney Racer discussing the results
Of the investigation said
"All our testimony points to the fact
that the boat was overloaded. There
are other considerations, but the main
fact is that overlooking caused the
tragedy.
-They had too many persons too
high on the ship, The question Of