The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-07-06
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(Continued From Page One.1

down into the Sunken steamer TO
bring up bodies of the 100 or more
victims Of the disaster believed to be
between the crushed decks of the
boat. One Of the underwater men
was George Holverson, who recovered
many bodies from the Eastland when
that boat capsized in the Chicago river
in 1915.
Almost at the same hour hearses
began arriving from Pekin from the
scene of the disaster bringing the first
of the bodies Of the victims. Soldiers
detailed from camps Bradley and Her
ring were in Pekin early to preserve
order
Coroner E. L. Clary, of Tazewell
county, early this morning swore in a
jury and left with the members for
the scene
At that time 10 bodies had been
identified and seven injured persons
were in hospitals. All known victims
were residents of Pekin or neighbour
ing villages.
Tells Story Of Disaster.
August Mehl, brother of Captain H.
F. Mehl, and purser of the boat. who
lost his wife made the following state
THE whole thing was over in an
instant, I was in the cafe of the boat
when the shock came. knew that we
had struck a submerged log, and l
heard my brother, the captain, cry
out Everybody up stairs. The crowd
rushed for the upper decks. l rushed
to the engine room to notify the en-
sineers On my return l saw my wife
running ahead Of me up the compan-
ion way l followed and just as l
got to the second deck the boat listed
to the lee side and sank quickly.
saw my wife thrown overheard into
the water. I grabbed at her skirt, but
1t slipped from my fingers. Then the
boat was plunged in total darkness.
ran for a life preserver and got to the
upper deck in time to help the women
and children escape in the life boats.
"At that time the water was up to
the state rooms Immediately below
he pilot house on one side and UP to
the base of the pilot house on the
listed side
Pilot and Wife Saved.
Dell Sivley, the pilot off watch at
the time of the accident was asleep
in his stateroom. His wife, in charge
Of the lunch counter, rushed to her
husbands room and awakened him.
They reached the deck, grabbed life
preservers, jumped overheard and
were saved.
Mrs. Herman Meal, wife of the cap
tain, was bleeding from a wound on
the side of the head, when she told her
story of the accident.
81 was on the dance floor deck at
the time" she said. ut was all over
before you could say skat. When the
boat listed something must have
struck me on the head. l came to in
the water and grabbed a hand rail on
the boat. l just had sense enough to
pull myself in and get life preserver
Holding on with one hand to the boat
and the other to the preserver | kept
afloat until some men pulled me in"
Asks for Diver.
Dr. L. r. Clarey, coroner of Taze-
we'll county, sent the following tele-
gram to the chief of police at Chicago:
please send at once professional
dfver with complete outfit to recover
from sunken steamer large number of
uncovered bodies. Answer at Pel1in. -
There are at least 100 bodies down
below" Captain Meal, of the steamer
Columbia, told Coroner Clarey when
he returned from an inspection of the
sunken boat.
Shortly afterward, Coroner Clarey
returned to Pekin to begin making
arrangements for the inquest. Bodies
of the victims were taken to Pekin.