Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1925-05-10
CONTINUE HUNT
FOR BODIES in
RIVER DISASTER
Cause Of Boat Capsizing
Will Be Determined,
Official Rescued From
Sinking Boat Says
(By The Associated Press.)


MEMPHIS, Tenn, May 9.-The Miss
lsslppi river for many miles below
Coahoma Landing, Miss. tonight was
plcketed by river men watching out for
the twenty -one unfound victims of the
capsizing of the steamer M. E. Nor
man. The swift current that races
around Coahoma bend and on toward
Helena, Ark. was expected to carry any
bodies not caught in the superstruc-
ture of the Inflated craft downstream
perhaps for many miles.
While the pickets kept watch. govern,
ment steamers from the United States
amy engineer corps fleet here were
searching and watching the vicinity
of the district which cost the lives
of % persons. 18 of them members q.
a party of engineert and their families
out for ar afternoon on the river in
connection with the convention here ot
the Mid-South Association of Engineers
The, other five were members of the
crew. The steamer Chisea arriving here
at noon today after searching all Of
last night and this morning, reportet
that no bodies had been found and nc
living person located.
To Probe Cause of Wreck
Two expert divers were ordered hero
from st, Louis. They will arrive to-
morrow morning. They are to go down
and attempt to penetrate the cabin Of
the Norman in the hope that thew can
recover bodies of any persons VINO ma
have been caught in the sudden over
turning of the steamer 1fter her wilc
and drunken staggering just before the
end. Meanwhile derrick boats were dis
patched to jose Harry Island, on tn.
end of whic, the Norman is lodged. to
endeavor to hook onto the cabin and
tear away enough of the superstructure
to release any captive bodies. Divers
from the government fleet planned to
cutl hole in the steel hull, two fee.
under water.
Investigation of the causes of the ac.
cident will be started at once by steam
boat inspectors and officers of the arm,
engineering corps. Major D. H. Con-
molly, in charge of the work out
Memphis. said today "We are going
to find out what caused te boat to roll
over" he said.
Major Connolly who was in charge of
the party that so gaily went down the
river to Cow Island at noon yesterday,
but which was suddenly and dramatical-
ly broken-ap at $40 o'clock yesterday
afternoon, has been working unremit-
tingly since he was pulled out of the
stream after the accident. He remained
at the scene all of last night and up un-
til almost noon today. Coming to Mem
nb, L. aha Il Lea
for Coahoma bend at ] p. m.
Death List Fixed
Stories of heroism involving virtually
every member of the party that was
hurled into the water in one Of the
swiftest stretches of the lower Missis-
sippi continued to be heard today. How
men placed life preservers on women,
neglecting themselves, and how other.
worked to save persons of lesser
strength until they themselves were
overcome, were frequently told.
The death list was fixed at % today
when Mayor Rowlette Paine announced
that careful check by city officials
and members of the MidSouth associa-
tion Of Engineers had established the
fate of the list given out. Among them
was Professor R. NJ, McNeelly of the
Vanderbilt university. Nashville, who
last night was reported saved; Profess
sor and Mrs. Walter G.. Kirkpatrick of
Oxford, Miss; T. Waters Fox, Padu-
cah KY, transportation engineer; Paul
Norcross, Atlanta consulting engineer;
C. H. Hitler, Little Rock, Ark; Mr.. and
Mrs. Ralph Bosard of Memphis and
their son, Edgar; E. H. Browser; c. E.
Shearer; G. L. Anderson; Major William
Gardner md Mrs. Lonnie Caldwell OF
Memphis and Mrs. J. F. Dorroh of Ok
ford, Miss. Five members of the crew
also were listed as dead.
Announcement had not been made late
today as to when the body of Prot.
Kirkpatrick. which was recovered. would
be taken to Oxford, nor when that o.
Edgar Bosard would be buried. These
were the only two bodies recovered
Professor Kirkpatrick having been pull
ed out Of the river just as he succumb-
ed and the boy dying as he reached a
hospital here.