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THE MACON TELEGRAPH
ESTABLISHED in 1823.
FAIR MONDAY, EXCEPT RAIN SOU TH PPORTIONs TUESDAY, RAINj BRISK TO HIGH NORTHEAST WINDS ON THE COAST.
MACON, GA., MONDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 17, 1904*1
DAILY—47.00 A YEAR
OYER 10,000 RUSSIAN
DEAD LEFT ON FIELD
The Total Losses Amount to
Thirty Thousand
FIGHTING YESTERDAY
Aftor Lull in Hostilities Saturday the
Contest Has Again Begun Ten Miles
Southwest of Mukden, Forces of Ku-
ropatkin Attacking General Oyama's
on the Right.
MUKDEN, Oct. 16. (10:25 p. m.)—
Bhakhe Is again in the hands of the
Russians. After the last evacuation of
the village by the Russians the Jap
anese failed in an attempt to re-occupy
it, and now the village is held by Rus
sian infantry. There is every Indica
tion that the Russian right flank is
about to resume the offensive and re
occupy the positions held by them on
October 10 and 11. The Japanese re
sistance is growing weaker, and they
are apparently preparing to evacuate.
Towards the east and center the Jap
anese are more stubborn and are-show
ing more resistance. Some of the po
sitions on the fighting line have al
ready changed hands ten time.
It Is Impossible to say how long the
contest will continue before one side or
the other is worn out
As this dispatch is being finished the
sound of increasing cannonade from
the center indicates that something un
usual is happening. The correspond
ent Is leaving for the front*to ascer
tain the cause.
MUKDEN, Oct. 17.—'The battle was
renewed and continued throughout the
right, being especially heavy at mid
right. The Russians retain their posi
tion along the Shakhe river and have
made frequent attacks upon the Jap
anese, capturing six of the latter’s
guns. The eastern afony is helping the
western forces. There has been very
heavy artillery fire today.’ The fighting
is now centered on the plain.
MUKDEN, Oct. 16.—There was a
lull in the battle yesterday but fighting
was continued today on the right.
The army Is southwest of here, ten
miles.
It is now certain that the army will
be able to extricate itself. The losses
amount to 30,000. It has been a big
ger battle than Liao Yang. The Rus
sians are attacking on the right today.
The Russian Dead.
TOKIO, Oct. 16, 1 p. m.—A report
dealing with the Russian casualties re
ceived here at midnight says that, ac
cording to a report from the center
trmy, 150 prisoners were taken on Oc
tober 13. The Russian dead, under in
vestigation on that day. will reach 500.
On October 14 the enemy’s dead to
talled 1,000. One hundred prisoners
Were taken, together with rifles, guns
and wagons. Under investigation, the
total Russian dead left in front of the
center army are estimated at 2,500.
The enemy’s dead already investigated,
the report totals at 8,550, but the ene
my’s losses during the two days of
fierce engagements on October 14 and
15 are not included in this number.
Moreover, there are some undiscov
ered dead by all of the armies, so that
the enemy's dead left on the field will
reach a total of over 10,000.
The right column which wus com
posed of three corps, advanced against
the Japanese left. Reside these one
corps held in reserve was 'following
the center column.
"The prisoners declared that the war
would continue (or a long time, be
muse the Russians had decided to at
tain a final victory, regardless or the
losses which might be Involved, as oth-
wise a defeat would mean a general re
volution and the disintegration of Rus
Sian territory.
’’During one engagement the 47th di
vision. especially the first brigade, sus
tained extraordinary losses. The first
company of the 145th regiment was
annihilated on Sankualhsl mountain
and many line officers were killed,
wounded or captured. The third Si
berian reserve division sustained the
greatest loss.
“At the beginning of the war the
Russian regiments numbered 4,000
men each. After the battle of Liao
Vang each of the regiments was re
tiuced to a strength of about 2,500
with the exception of the 12th regiment
which os n result of this battle was re
duced to 800. This regiment after the
battle was commanded by a captain,
the battalions being in command of
sub-lieutenants, while oldei private*
directed the operations of its. com
panles.”
j lantly, hurling themselves repeatedly
against impregnable positions.
The heavy storm of October 14 add
ed to the misery of the troops. There
is great depression but stolid tenacity
among the men.. There has been great
sacrifice of officers. The plain occu
pied by the retiring Russians is cov
ered with -bursting shrapnel. The gun
ners shovelled shells Into the breeches
of the guns as stokers shovel coal Into
furnaces. Howitzers are used by the
eastern army. The Russian guns have
superior range and burst shrapnel at
6,000 yards. There is a scarcity of re-
llabel maps.
Heroic Deaths.
Two divisional commanders have lost
their chief staff officers, one of them
being killed, and many commanding
officers have met death heroically,
leading their regiments. Shrapnel fell
near Gen. ICuropatkln. Ho showed
desperate energy nnd even in the dark
est hour remained hopeful. The Jap
anese must feel the strain.
There was a cessation of hostilities
Saturday. Neither side can stand many
such contests, the ferocity of which was
frightful. The Russians are now fight
ing as a matter of pride: Manchuria Is
forgotten. They tiel that they can
not stop; that they must win one bat
tle.
This evening the Japanese seem no
nearer. Fires are burning to the south.
About twelve miles from here the
eastern army Is retiring without fight
ing.
RELATIONS ENGAGE
IN A FATAL MIXUP
Jessie Tompaon it Dead and Bud i +
Thompson Fatally Wounded by John j 4
Thompson,
COVINGTON. Ga., Oct. 16.—As the
result of a tragedy nt Walnut Grove,
m Walton county, ten miles north >f
here, Jessie Thompson is dead and Bud
Thompson fatally wounded and can
not live. They went to John Thomp
son’s store Saturday night at 10 o’clock,
nnd In a difficulty John Thompson shot
both men, with the above results. It is
alleged that the difficulty was the re
sult of a family feud.
The parties are closely related nnd
well connected and prosperous people.
The report says that John Thompson
has not been arrested.
SHOT FROM BEHIND.
TOKIO, Oct. 16. (9:30 a. m.)—It is
authoritatively reported that the Rus
sian fleet at Port Arthur is suffering
severely from the fire of the Japanese
land batteries. Reports of a recent
attempt by the fleet to sortie are un
founded, ns is the reported capture of
another blockade runner.
Firing Is Violent.
MUKDEN. Oct. 18.—(Evening.)—-
(The firing to the southwest is less vio
lent. The men are tired out, and food
baa been Insufficient. Every available
gun and man are being used.
The troops have behaved most gal-
Prominent North Carolina Distiller
Slays Brother-In-Law.
CHARLOTTE. N. C.. Oct. 16.—Clay
Grubb, a prominent distiller, shot anl
instantly killed O. L. Davis, h«s
brother-in-law and former business
partner, at Piney Church, Davidson
county, this afternoon. Davlr was at
tending services at church, when Grubb
walked up behind him and emptied
three chambers of his revolver into hh
body. Grubb immediately surrendered
to the authorities. Th.-i** hud 1 hud
blood between the two for some time.
Davis leaves a family and was a man
of wealth.
the war news.
Qlst of Intelligence From Scenes
of Great Conflict In the
Far East.
At the doge of tho seventh con
secutive day of lighting between
Mukden nnd Mao Yang, the battle
was still raging, the Russians of
fering a stubborn resistance to the
fierce onslaughts of the Japanese,
nese.
Tho sacrifice of life has been ap
palling, estimates of tho Russian
losses alone in killed nnd wounded
at the end of the sixth day’s fight
ing being concod.‘dly thirty thous
and while It seems not Improba
ble It aggregates at that tlmo
40,000.
Japanese, official reports osllmtso
that 10,000 Russian dead were left
on tlm battlefield lip to the night
of October 14, and Claim that the
Japnnese losses »re small by com
parison with tin so of the Russians.
Gen. Kuropatkln's report to Em
peror Nicholas d*'pt<’ts tho desper
ate character of the fighting and
praises the valor or the troops. In
dicating, however, that ho is hard
pressed, with the result still in tho
• 4 balance.
4 All hop© of suo-orlng Port Ar-
X thur this season has been abon-
4 doned.
♦ St. Petersburg 1ms on uncon-
J nrmi-d report nut the Jnpene.o
♦ General. NoJr.u. ha, been «erinu,ly
i wounded.
■f A question of interest in 8t. Pe-
♦ tersburg 1* the fnt- of Gen. Kuro*
X patkin as n factor In the Iluaslan
♦ military situation.
♦4 ♦ 4 4 44-^4 4444
C. A. BUSH KILLED
BY ARTHUR SUTTON
Son of Representative From Miller
County Involved in Tragody, Causo
of Which is Unknown.
COLQUITT, Ga., Oct 16.—C. A.
Bush, son of Representative J. A. Bush,
was shot twice In the heart and once
in the left side -last night by Arthur
Sutton, ubout twelve miles from this
place.
The cause of the trouble Is unknown,
as there have been several conflicting
reports about it.
After Sutton had shot Bush with his
own pistol he helped the negro to put
him on the buggy nnd told the negro
to carry him to his father.
PAN-AMERICAN ROAD.
BUGGY AND OCCUPANTS
IN TWENTY FOOT DROP
It Changes Hands and la Uow Owned
by St. Louis Syndicate.
MEXICO CITY, Oct. 16.—The Pan-
American rnllrnud, which has been
held hitherto by Nebraska capitalists,
has passed into the hands of a St.
Louis syndicate, tho new shareholders
being nearly nil railroad mob. Duvld
H. Doak, of St. Louis is tho new presi
dent nnd J. M. Neeland. formerly gen
eral ninnnger, has been promoted to tho
vice presidency of the road. Among
tho shareholders arc Howard EUett,
president of the Northern Pacific rail-
rond, Governor Creel, of Chihuahua and
X J General Manager Levy of the Chicago,
- I Burlington nnd Quincy railroad.
REPORT ON THE TERRIBLE
GENERAL SLOCUM DISASTER
’Patkin Telegraphs.
ST. PETERSBURG, Oct. 16.—Under
date of October 15 Gen. Kuropatkln
sent the followlng telegram to the em
peror:
"On the night of October 13 large
forces of Japanese nttacked the corps
drawn up in line at Shakhe. on the
great Mandarin road. Soveral attacks
were repulsed, but the last succeeded
and the corps was broken.
"At that moment fighting began on
the right flank with another neighbor
ing section. The possibility was that
with the rupture of our center, our
whole formation would be threatened
nnd that the neighboring troops might
force a retreat.
“In order to support the troops on
the great Mandarin road, several bat
talions were rapidly pushed forward.
The troops were thus enabled to take
the offensive and succeeded In re-tnk-
vlllage of Skakhe, re-occupy -
ing the first positions.
"Reinforced by reserves, the Japan
ese dislodged us again from the village
of Shakhe. Then the advanced re
serves nnd troops defending the po
sition resumed the offensive, and nfter
stubborn fight we succeeded in re
occupying Shakhe, repulsing the Jap
anese nnd driving them back two kilo
metres from that place.
Retired After Fight.
'On our right wing the position was
for some time very ularmlng. The
troops were attacked from the front
nnd by turning movement on their
right flank. The chief of a detach
ment advanced the troops set apart
for a rally, they having attacked tho
Japanese from the flank in their turn.
Several villages were re-taken by us.
The right wing maintained Its posi
tions on the line of the Shakhe posi
tions. The troops on our center were
notably advanced in comparison with
other troops In the general position of
the line. One position on our right
flank had been chosen beforehand and
partially fortified. Our troops retired
from these positions after a stubborn
fight.
The troops have been fighting for
four days, and many regiments have
not slept for three nights. Neverthe
less, I have full hope in their capacity
to, continue the struggle. The Jap
anese losses must be very considerable.
"Tho night of October 14 passed
quietly. Before 9 o’clock this morning
a rather marked movement of the
enemy was noticed In the direction of
our positions on the Great Mandarin
road. Our batteries opened fire on
them.
"I have received a report from the
commander of the left wing that the
enemy has been strongly re-lnforced
there. As was the case at Liao Yang,
the quantity of heavy firing caused
a storm to burst forth, followed by a
torrential rain. The roads are in very
bad condition, and the level of the rtv.
era has risen. The general order for
all troops remained the same as be
fore, to offer most resolute resistance.
"I have Just received a report that
a considerable Japanese force has
crossed the railway line from west to
east."
Findings of Investigating
Commission
RESULT MADE PUBLIC
United States Board, Appointed by
George B. Cortolyou, Then Secretary
of Commerce and Labor, Has Finish
ed Its Work of Inquiry Into the Ap
palling Incident.
The Baltic Squadron.
LIBAU, OcL 16.—The Baltic squad*
ron put to sea at 1 o’clock this morn*
ing.
COPENHAGEN. OcL 16.—During
the (lay the Baltic squadron passed
Bornholm Island in two sections. It
comprised a total of six battleships,
eleven cruisers and numerous smaller
crsfL and was going northeast.
(Continued on Page Seven.)
BOOKER IN
HEFLIN’S EYES
Washington Is a Changed
Negro and an Unsafe
Leader ol His Race
THIS LEGISLATOR IS
PLACED UNDER ARREST
AUGUSTA. Ga.. Oct. 16.—Hon. Matt | as school scrip, charged that ha had
(Y. Gross, member of the legislature I appropriated the money to his- own
rrom McDuffie county, was arrested j uses. The warrant was swtfn out
iwe today at the request of his bonds- I when he Ceiled to return the money,
3 in. j Ills bond was fixed at $606.
Home weeks ago Mr. Gross was sr- | The grand Jury found, after Invest!-
r mrceny arte
entrusted hi
dollar*, whik
1 t.u»t A lady
n with several
county sc hod
ar.ed to school
wiut is llbOWO
gallon, that his affairs as county school
commissioner were all right, but re
quested his resignation. Mr. Gross test
his home in Thomson last Sunday end
hie fcvrtdiouo had him arrested.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 16.—The re
port of thfe United StateB commission
of investigation upon the disaster to the
steamer General Slocum, appointed
June 23, last, by the then secretary of
commerce and labor, George B. Cor-
telyou, and consisting of Lawrence O
Murray, assistant • secretary of com
merce and labor; Herbert Knox Smith,
deputy commissioner of corporations:
George Uhior, supervising inspector-
general of the steamboat Inspection
service; Gen. John M. Wilson, U. 8. A.
(retired), and Commander Cameron
Me. R. Winslow, U. S. N.. was mad'?
public today.
President’s Recommendations.
In connection with the Important
findings of the commission, presented
in the report, President Roosovelt, to
whom the report was submitted, has
written a letter to Secretary Victor H.
Metcalf, of the department of cr.nr-
merce and labor, briefly summarising
the report nnd directing him to carry
Into effect the recommendations of the
commission. He nlao directs that
Robert 8. Rodle, supervising Inspector
of the Second district, steamboat in
spection service, and James A. Dur.iont
and Thomas H. Barrett, local inspectors
in charge of the port of New York, bo
discharged from the service, the com
mission holding them directly respon
sible for the laxity of the steambont
Inspection to which the Slocum disas
ter was directly attributable.
Commissioner Uhler dissents to that
portion of the report which places
responsibility on the supervision in
specter of the second district, Robert
8. Rodle; otherwise he concurs with
the commission. Appended to the re
port Is ii report from the department
of justice and criminal proceeding
connected with,the disaster and the
life preserver cases.
The president’s letter to Secretary
Metcalf follows:
Roosevelt’s Letter.
WHITE HOUBE, Washington. Oct.
12, 1904.—My Dear Sir: I have received
the report of the "commission of the
United States on tho investigation of
the General Slocum disaster" and the
report of the department of Justice on
October 12th, recapitulating what has
been done by tho department of Justice
in connection with the criminal pro
ceeding* taken against various indi
viduals because of their connection
with the disaster. I send you here
with both reports. Punitive action I y
the government can'of course only take
two forms—one, that of legal proceed
Ings against those cither within or
without the service; and, two, removil
from office of those within the service.
It appears that the department of Jus
tice has already aecdred Indictments
against the master and captain * f the
Slocum nnd against the managing di
rectors of the K».|. k*rbocker Steambov
Company, to which company the S'o
cum belonged, for misconduct, negli
gence. and inattention lo duty by th
captain, and for aiding nnd abetting
therein by the managing directors.
Furthermore, the department of Jus
f d lndi* tmenu against
g and John W. Fleming,
tne SK*iM;.r.t D.sp* ctors of the steam
boat in*i«■ tlon service, who actually
inspected th#* Slocum, for fraud, mis
conduct, and inattention to duty.
These Cork Blocks.
Dundberg had b*en appointed merely
on probation In the service, and hat
been dropped. Th*r*. can. of course, be
no further action tnktn about Fleming
until his trial hac been finished;
though It do-* not follow that an
quittal would prevent the department
from 'll* 1 ' fr rn the service.
In addition ihe d**p irtin^nt of Justice
has >*■ ..ed r * if.-uctrr.ent r.f the man-
• . -.*a the Non-
President Roosdvelt Writes
a Loiter
I1IS RECOMMENDATIONS
Chief Executive Directs That One Sup
ervising and Two Local Inspectors Be
Discharged, Inattention to Thoir Du
ties Being Hold Directly Responsible
for tho Catastropho.
MOBILE, Ala., Oct. 16.—Congress
man J. Thomas Heflin of the Fifth
Alabama district dm Id In a speech de
livered nt Cnmp 11111, At*., Saturday::
"I have no patience with Booker
Washington In politic* and no respect
for tho white, man whose hunger for
the. loaves nnd fishes-of office will
cause him to puppy around Booker
Washington In order to secure his en
dorsement for a Job.
"Time was when the conservative
white men of the South thought
Booker Washington sincere and oarn-
est in his professions along the line'
of training the negro for useful indus
try, without any suggestion of political
ambitions or social equality with the
domlnnnt race.
"But a change has come over the
spirit of his dreams with the Incom
ing of the Rooseveltlan regime and
since his dinner at the White House
table, these same conservative white
men have come to realize that Booker
Washington Is a changed negro and
unsafe leader for the negro race."
has
Henr
paretl Cork Works, of Camden, N. J.,
for putting upon the market com
pressed cork blocks for use in making
life preservers, eneh of which block»
contained in Its center a piece of hnr
Iron weighing several ounces. This
last offense was of *.? heinous n char
acter that It Is difficult to comment
upon It with proper self-restraint,
appears thnt the national legislature
has never enacted q law providing In
set terms for the punishment of this
particular species of infamy, douhtles
because it never entered the head of
any man that so gross an Infamy could
be perpetrated. 1 suggest that you
port this whole matter to congress,
transmitting these two reports, nnd at
that time catllpg special attention to
the need of Imposing an adequate pen
alty for tho making or selling of de
fectlve llfesavalng appliances.
Roelie, Dumont snd Barrett.
So much for what the department of
justice has done in reference to the
disaster. But In addition to tho men
put on trial by the department of Jus
tice, action should be taken against
those employes whose resjionslbiuty
for the state of things producing tho
accident has been brought out in the
report of the commislon. According
to this report It appears that In addi-
♦ ♦4» + »»4+4-4»4444444444»4
MACON, OCT. 17, 1904. ♦
Occurrences in the Central City
Just a Quarter of a Century
Ago Today,
From the Telegraph of that date.
Matinee of Ford’s Juvenile
Pinafore Company at Ralston
Hall.
False fire alarm caused some
excitement on the streets,
Sunday school r.v# *« meeting
held by children of the * ity.
The Rehobeth Baptist Acjiv-U-
tlon, in convention with th#- Flr*t
Baptist church of M.icon. held
an Interesting and largsly-at-
tended session.
Several conviction* rr-*.ured at
session of police court.
Several neighboring towns
sent assurances that large visit
ing delegations would attend the +
State Fair In Macon. ♦
Two race horse** to play prom- ?
Inent parts In the racing feature 4*
of the State Fair, r*.n h—I the 1
4 * T
Railroads entering Ms ©n an- ♦
nounred that, becau- -f the low X
rates granted for the occasion, 4
f large crowds wont*] he present to j
I J witness unveiling of the Goofed- X
: ♦ erate monument. . f 4
i 4 .4
4444444444444-f4 4te4 44 444444
tlon to the two assistant Inspectors
who are now on trial, the supervising
inspector of the second district
Rndie, nnd the two locnl Inspectors of
the port of New York, Messrs. Dumont
and Barrett* should All three be
moved for laxity and neglect In per
forming their duties. Ah regards the
conduct of Mr. Rodle, Mr. llhlor
senls from the conclusions of the four
other commissioners I agree with the
conclusions of the other four. Laxity
nnd neglect, where the consequences
may be so terrible ns they havt proved necessary,
to be In this case, cannot be*p
over, oven where there haH been good
conduct In other respect on the part of
t|ie man Implicated. Accordingly the
three officials named will lie removed
from the service.
An Investigation.
Moreover, you will plcnse direct their
successors in office at once to conduct
thorough examination of the entire
Inspection force of the pert of New
York, with the object of weeding out
all the men whom such examination
shall show to bo unfitted to perform
the very arduous and responsible du
ties of their positions. The supervis
ing Inspector general has at present
no headquarters force of special lurotits.
so that It Is undoubtedly very difficult
for him to exorcise an ndoqunte and
direct supervision over the vnrlous lo
cal divisions of the Inspection ser
vice. In each division lie must rely
chiefly on the fidelity nnd energy of
the local heads; nnd If those fall to
perform their duty they must bo held
accountable. He must, however, exer
cise as thorough n supervision as the
means at his disposal allow. In order
that I may be Informed ns to the . ex
act condition of the service In all Its
parts, 1 direct you to order • searching
investigation, in continuance of the In
vestigation of the commission, Into
the conduct of the central office and of
every outside suh-dlvlslon of the ser
vice save that In New York. You will
also make such changes In the regu*;
lotions as are recommended by the
commission, and you will therefore call
a special meeting of the board of su
pervising Inspectors for this purpose.
You will also lay before the congress
a request thnt the law be changed In
the various particulars recommended
by the commission. I wish particular
emphasis laid upon the proposal of the
commission that there be created by a
tow a special body thoroughly to< in
vestigate the laws which afe supposed
to provido for the safety of passengers
on steamboats, especially on excursion
boats, where the prime causes of dan
ger are the overcrowding nnd ihe fllm-
ay nnd highly Inflammable character of
the super-structures.
Very truly yours,
THEODORE ROOBEVELT.
Hon. V. H. Metcalf, secretary of
commerce and labor.
Tha Report.
The report states that the General
Slocum was owned by the Knicker
bocker Steamboat Co., a New York
corporation; that the Slocum was last
Inspected by Henry Lundberg and
John W. Fleming. May 6. 1904. snd that
tha current certificate of Inspection at
the time of the disaster was Issued
May 6th, by James A. Dumont, inspec
I tor of hulls, and Thomas H. Barrftt,
Inspector of boilers, the board of local
X j Inspectors at the port of Nsw York. In
X ' describing the Slocum the report says
4 I that it was constructed entirely of
wood, that the upper work* were. In a
highly In flammable condition and that |
there were no fire proof hatches c
bulkheads. The r ommlsslorf*htatc
that th#Te are many similar vessels do
Ing service In the United State- t l ,
construction of which Is qulta as dar
gerous. Regarding the origin of o
fire the report says:
"The fire started In the forwar
cabin, so called, being the third com
partment under the main deck Yroin th
bow. and probably originated In a bti
rel containing packing hay, which w.
In that compartment, one of the bar
rels used for bar glasses and brought
on board by tho charterers. Fire was
probably communicated to this barrel
through the carelessness of some un
known person."
Crew’s Carelessness.
Tho report also states that this cabin
was filled with inflammable material.
Including a large amount of oil; that
members of tho crew' frequently lighted
mutches in the compartment nnd that
on the morning of the disaster ft porter
filled the lamps In the cabin, lighted
ft lump, blew the match out, and "thre^
it on tho bench." The condition of thin
cabin, with tho purposes for which it
was used.” tho report recites "consti
tutes one of the essential facts of neg
ligence contributing to the disaster."
Speaking of the fire lighting appa
ratus, tho report says:
"This forward valve and stand pipe
were supplied with a 100 foot length
of cheap, unllned, line hose, costing
probably less than twenty cents a foot,
age but prohably several years old.
The rest of the fire apparatus on the
main deck is said to have consisted of
the after valve of the sold stand pipe,
two hand fire pumps nnd some twenty
buckets.
"Nono of the remaining apparatus
was used nnd the buckets were empty."
It Is stated further that the linen fire
hose attached to the forward stand plpo
burst in two places, nnd was blown
off from its own coupling with tho
stand pipe. Efforts then were made to
attach rubber hose to tho stand pipe.
"Upon tho failure to couple tho rubber
hose to the forward stand pipe," tho
report saye, "the crew gave up all fur
ther attempts to fight the fire and went
aft, some of them overboard." Tribute
is paid to Assistant Engineer Brandow
and Chief Engineer Conklin, who re
mained nt their posts.
Continuing the report says:
Tho Master’s Failure.
"The evidence before the commission
establishes the fact that tho master
made no attempt whatsoever to fight
the fire, to examine its condition
control, assure, direct, or aid tha pas-
ngers In any way whatever. It is
legod that ho was unable to reach the
place where the passengers were by
reason of the fire, but this in contra
dieted by tho evidence of many wit
nesses and Is obviously not true.
"An essential fact of negligence I
tho utter failure of the master to fight
tho fire or aid the passengers,
less degree the pilots. In the sam»
nor, nftor be.n hlng the boat, and while
there were still many passengers on
board, failed In their duty to assist and
rescue the snhl passengers."
The commission expresses the opin
ion that Jhe men In tho pilot house had
knowledge of the fire In time to have
beached the vessel either In Little Hell
to the westward of the Sunken Mea
dow*, or in the Bronx Hills to tho
eastward of the Sunken Meadows, In
stead, as the commission slater, of pur
suing a courre which drove the Homes
aft and delnyed beaching longer than
Peculiar Accident Near Wis&
Station
NO ONE WAS KILLED
Buggy Containing Mr. and Mre. F. W.
Williams, Falls From Bridge to Rail
road Twenty Feet Below—Presence
of Mind of Mrs. Williams Saved Life
of Her Small Child,
A hole In a bridge nnd a frightened
horse played Important parts in an ac
cident yesterday afternoon, that nar-
rowly mistdd’proving fatal to a trio of
prominent residents of Macon. As it
was, tho three people were badly bruis
ed and a buggy was completely wreck-
I. The horse was also badly cut.
The accident occurred yesterday af
ternoon near Wise station, on a small
country road, ono that crosses tne
Houston turnpike about five miles from
Macon. Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Williams
and their young baby were out for an
afternoon’s drive. While crossing .1
wooden bridge, spanning the tracks of
tho Southwestern Vailroad the hors-
that was pulling the buggy became
frightened at a hole in the bridge and
backed the vehicle off. The fall was
about twenty, feet.
The Child Unhurt.
Just as the vehicle was about t<
plunge from the bridge, Mrs. William:
showed great presence of mind by toss
Ing her small child to the planks span
nlng the cut. Tho child was unhurt.
When the buggy and its two o* < u
pants struck the tracks tv
below tho bridge, it is a w<
they were both not killed
Mrs. Williams was pinned ur
of the horse’s body and the
upon her husband. A move
I mat freed Mrs. Williams froi
« t
ulltii
able
Williams was
beneath the
He then boga
and knees, to
est neighbor
yards distant
ter home ho
dent. While
flight cuts by fn
A min
to drag
Mr
: bln
. If fr
of tlu lm
upon hi* h
re of th.* n
brldg
Ra
The commission sharply criticises tho
fire fighting apparatus, saying:
"There Is a atrong probability that
the fire would have been.controlled had
tho fire hose been of required statutory
strength."
Life Preservers.
Many of the life preservers, it la
stated, were had, and further that only
n small percentage of the passengers
used them. "The inefficiency and poor
quality of the deck crew of the vessel,
and doubtless of n majority of tho
crews on the excursion steamers", says ,
tho report, "Is one of the essential facts
that caused the loss of so many lives.
"While It Is true thnt the buxines* of
the steamboat inspection service to
see thnt proper safety nppllnnccn an
required by law are provided, this by
no means relieve* the owners from a
similar legal and moral obligation, nor
from the liability for the maintenance
of proper crew discipline. The com
mission Is of the opinion thnt the own
ers of the General Slocum are censur-
able In a high degree for the Inade
quate nnd Improper conditions prevail
ing on board this vessel, and that,
whatever may be the|r technical legal
liability, they and their executive
agents share largely In the moral re
sponsibility for the awful results of
thl* disaster."
The Inspection Service.
The commission made an Investiga
tion of the workings of the steamboat
inspection service In New York, both
for the explanation of certain features
of the disaster and for the prevention
of a recurrence of similar disasters,
The commission say* In connection
with the service At New York that the
local Inspectors were Interpreting their
duties In several respects In a manner
not Justified by the statutes; that the
requirements as to the testing of fire
hose on passenger steamers was disre
garded; that the assistant Inspectors
made no pressure teat of fire hose ex
cept such as wa* Incidental In the use
of such hose for testing boilers; that
they uniformly reported the hose ’in
good condition;" that the local Inspec
tors accepted the reports of their as
sistants without personal knowledge,
And that the Joint rule which requlrca
that a vessel’* equipment shell be In
spected Jointly by the inspectors we*
not enforced. As a result the commis
sion states that then life saving appa
ratus was often In extremely bad con
dition. The commission recommend*
thorough reorganisation of the force
of asalstant Inspectors with a view to
eliminating ai who have demonstrat
Had thcr.*
along the ed|
dent could m
stated that l
had been ml
Wlso ntatli
dent occurrc
low the brM
Thoug
Mr. and Mrs. William * are badly shak
en up and will he confined to thoir b«*d.»
for soveral days. Mr. Wllltomn Is w.«ll
known In M " • > 11 II" l ‘ matuigor in t
president of tho Williams’ Buggy Com
pany.
CONNECTICUT MONUMENT.
Received by Governor and Presented
Then to Gon. Bovnton.
CHATTANOOGA. Tenn., Oct. 16. -
Thousands of people assembled ut Oi -
chard Knob, the famous battlegroun-i.
northeast of thl* city, this afternoon
to witness the dedication of the monu
ment erected by the state of Connecti
cut to the Fifth and Twentieth Con
necticut volunteer regiments, by Gov
ernor Ablram Chamberlain and a «1‘**
tlngulshed party of Connecticut. Tho
parade to the dedication grounds -v m
led by an escort composed of the Go\
emor*s Guards and ban 1 < t i< <>’; >1 i
and New Haven and the Third T»»n-
Infantry, national guard. The
monument was presented to th- gover
nor by Capt. Sanford E. Chaff.*e «.f
Derby, Conn, who 1: one of tin- * om-
mlislon whl< h cr<*< t-*d the monumeru.
Governor Chamberlain re*«*lvcd th*»
nd pi
pres
•d It
of th
Chi
the
•rvls
spec to
■ d party i.*f:
Ity for the existence of such In
clency nnd neglect."
Th** rommlsslon presents the 1
developed by the re-inspoctlon o
large number of vessels showing,
stated, 33 per < of dofectiv<
missing ho**', and the commission
the opinion that thr same state of 1
applies to boiler inspections. T
was no evlden* •• "f corruption or.
proper motive#*, it Is st u»*d. Th*- <
mission makes many recommend.t
for tows r«<ul tting tli- ermstm*
of V»M*el» *nd »•* give . i quite ml
Ity to th*- departm* nt ■: * "inm-n «
labor and to l . :• .#*•• its p*»w*-r u
illation*
fl Incompetency, and continuing, saya: lances, et.
"It Is undeniable that the local board [along thr
In this port did not do Us duty. Upon -
GROVER CLEVELAND
SENDS HIS REGRETS
NEW YORK, OcL 16.—A Utt
celved from former President Cleve
land. addressed to Everett Abbott, of
the New York Reform Club, was made
public today. The letter follows:
PRINCETON, N. J., OcL 18. 1904.—
My Dear Sir: In answer to your letter
of yesterday, I have to aey that, vhlh
I am In complete sympathy with all th**
Reform Club may do In fuxth
| of th.- P'-ndlng • palgn and In favor
<*f your i l*-:i*Ld n* mm*-**.- f<>r go\*»r-
, 1 -.*. t id- r#*rri- mb*-ring with p*?-
• 1* ti-.-n th -• s*r\l* -s of the
• In t .»,,* [Ki.-t I Vgret that rny en
gagements arc such as to * *“
po.-dbh-
receptic
u the
, .,'u »|* rrl< k. ippolr.tcd
> -• Y.>ur» \-*ry truly, ,
Gi'.uVLR C’LEVXLANPt J