Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-07-30
BOAT DISASTER
ON CREATLAKE
INVESTIGATED

CHICAGO. July 90, (Pl-A four-ply
investigation of yesterdays excursion
boat disaster in which twenty-seven
persons. mostly women and children,
lost their lives today revealed no evil
dence of negligence or carelessness on
the part of crew or owner.
None now is reported missing and
authorities believe that all of the other
forty-nine on the 'F'avorite" were saw
ed.
According to the best check up OBJ
tainable today, there were seventy-one
passengers and five Of the crew aboard
the ship when it foundered.
instead of culpability, inquiries in
dicated that the boat had been pro-
nounced seaworthy as late as July II
last, and that the skipper tried val
iantly to save his boat when the sud-
den off-shore squall struck it,
Fred j. Memo, district steamboat
insnector from Detroit, asserted the
s'F'avorite" carried twice as many
life preservers as would have been re-
quired for yesterdays passenger list.
Had there been any question OF the
boats stability, federal headquarters of
steamboat inspection, would have Or
dered a stability test, Memo said.
On the other hand Coroner Wolff
said he found that straps on few
preseryers were rotten and that many
of them were inaccessible. PreserVers
designated for Children were in some
instances too high to reach, he be-
lieyed. The coroner's observations, now
ever were made informally, and were
not made a part Of his inquest.
The coroner selected a jury from
men interested in seamansEip. These
included Commodore Sheldon Clark,
former conlodore of the Chicago yacht
club: Isaac M. hamilton, president Of
the federal life insurance company;
Edward Buker, president OF the coach
and car equipment company; l.. G.
Wilson sales manager Of the Byrd
Archre Chemical company and, Clark
G. Wright, executive of an architect
ural firm.
The disaster was "an act Of God, .
asserted William A. Rittenhouse, as
sistant states attorney, who was di-
recting the Investigation for that Of
flee.
The fourth inquiry was started by
Michael Hughes, chief of police who
ordered five members Of the crew
held. Memo has asked that survivors
testify at his investigation which was
given added impetus by word from
Dickerson Hoover, chief OF the federal
steamboat inspection, that Memo go
thoroughly into the disaster.
Although there is no official list of
missing divers ana coast guards search
ed the lake in the vicinity of the disas-
ter for bodies. High' waves finally
forced them to abandon their work.
In bold relief. against background
of gallant actions stands the rescue
efforts of William a Hofnauer, mil
lionaire yachtsman, and four compan-
ions, who, first to reach the founder
ing ''Favorite" saved more than a
score. Chief OF Police Hughes has re-
commended that they be awarded
Carnegie hero medals.
'"ThoSe men undoubtedly prevented
the loss of life from being twice as
large as it Was," Hughes asserted.
Hofnauer before the states attor-
neys Investigators defended Captain
Olson, whom, he said should be ''prais-
ed for his heroism instead of censured.
A new version to the foundering of
the "Favorite" was presented today
by Hofnauer and Leo Sobota, master
Of another excursion boat, who was
aboard the Inflated craft. Both con-
tend the boat did not capsize, but
sunk from the weight of water raised
by the force of the wind to a high
wave, that engulfed the vessel.