The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-25
MANY INQUIRIES
TO FIX THE BLAME


-
Jury. as is provided by law Judge
Lands said. ~ mo say what action
may be expected from the Grand Jury.
as that In a matter for the Grand Jurors
themselves to decide"
The investigation will he thorough"
United States Attorney C1yne said. and
will leave no stone untutned in fxins
responsibility for the accident which has
taken so many lives"
Coroner Peter Hoffman directed the
activities Of the police. making imme-
diate arrests OF witnessed. survivors and
officials who might give important testi-
mouy. lie started In the afternoon to
select the jury which is TO sit in judy
nlent and fix the responsibility for the
disaster.
Wet with rain the Coroner stood on
The north bank OF the river and sus.
geated the names OF the prospective
Jurors. Assistants hurried TO telephones
and asked the men II they would under
take the task Of finding the responsible
persons.
Tho first man selected by Coroner
HOFFMAN was James Simpson. general
manager OF Marshall Field 4 Co. An
assistant called MIR. Simpson on the tele-
phone and told OF the Coroner's desire.
II will serve" Mr.. Simpson said.
Col. Henry A. Allen, City Engineer.
was next called. The Coroner. as he
directed the placing OF the bodies. said
that Col. Allen would accept the place.
DIR. W. A Evans. former city Health
Commissioners. was next selected by
Coroner Hoffman. lie accepted imtnedi-
ately. Stanley Field. a nephew OF the
late Marshall Field, and George r. Cole.
the stationer and president OF tho citi-
fens' association. was selected as another
member.
The FIRST meeting Of the Jury was held
At 8 o'clock and the preliminary work
OF arranging the bodies for idcntihca-
ton was started. II was decided to
send as many bodies as possible to the
Second Regiment armory'at Curtis street
and Washington Boulevard. This loca-
ton was chosen because II Is near to
the section OF the city Ia which most OF
the relatives OF the dead live.
Deputy Coroner Webster was placed
In charge OF the bodies and the identi-
ncation work at this place. Arrange
ments were made to send the other
bodies TO The Coliseum annex and the
First Cavalry armory at 1880 North
Clark street.
r.. T. Bicknell. superintendent OF the
American Red Cross. offered the services
Of that organization
IT am going to the bottom Of this
catastrophe Some one liz responsible
said States Attorney Hoyne. Every
detective, investigator and Assistant
states Attorney is busy getting the
stories Of witnesses. This evidence viii
be laid before q Grand Jury on Mnoday.
The persons in control OF the boat. II
they are found responsible, will be prose
cuted TO the limit. ! am cooperating
with Coroner Hoffman"
Mr.. Hoyne. In cooperation with the
Coroner. began obtaining the stories OF
hundreds OF survivors In the Office OF
the States Attorney Assistants case.
Raber and Fleming examined more than
100 witnesses during the day.
That the disaster nay have been
caused by the failure OF the captain OF
the Eas;land 10 order the ropes cast IN
while a tug was pulling on the ZANE
was "A theory that arose through the
statement OF William FlanniGan to AS
sistant states Attorney Case. Ills
statement. however, was ~coptradic'ed by
the chief engineer OF the tug Flanni-
gan was the llueman on the steamer.
His duty was to throw the towing Ines
to the tugs.
81 was in the line room forward when
| got the signal to cast the line to the
tug Kenoeha," he told Mr.. Ease. Il did
40. and the tug began 10 pull Then
| discovered that the lines attached t.
posts on the dock had not been cas-, off.
The tug was pulling hard AL the time
Then the steward rusned III ana 'r'td
The lines have not been cast on
Then the boat suddenly listed and
We jumped into the water together
do you think the captains failure
to order the lines cast of and the sudden
jerk when the ropes broke caused the
overturning Of the boat asked Mr..
Case.
Flanagan would not answer this.
Whose duty was 1t to order the lines
cast on
THE captains"
This testimony was contradicted by
that OF Arthur Mcdonald. 1889 Hudson
avenue. chief engineer Of the tug,
THE tug had not begun to tow the
steamer when II overturned" he said
Fifteen minutes before the accident we
on the tug had noticed it was listing
and discussed e."
1T she lists much more she'll go
down. remarked to my mate. w
were still waiting for The tow line to
be thrown to us when the boat went
over"