Show PLACE BLAME BUI FOR LOSS OF EASTLAND CORONERS CORONER'S JURY FINDS FINDS FINDS' SIX MEN RESPONSIBLE FOR LOSS OF I J HUNDREDS OF LIVES Recommends That the Men Under UnderCharges UnderCharges UnderCharges Charges be Held to the tIe Grand Jury Passengers Jury Passengers W Were re l In InNo No No w Way to Blame Wednesday Wednesday Wednes Wednes- Chicago A A coroners coroner's Jury day night returned a verdict placing the blame for the loss of hundreds of lives by the capsizing of the steamer Eastland In the Chicago river Saturday Saturday Satur Satur- SatUrday day on six men The Jury recommended that the following following following fol fol- fol- fol lowing men be held to a grand Jury for indictment on charges bf of man man- slaughter William H. H Hull general manager of the Chicago St. Joseph Steamship company owner o of the Eastland Captain Cap Cap- fain tain Harry Pedersen of the Eastland J. J M. M Erickson engineer R Robert bert Reid federal inspector of steamships who I gave ave the Eastland license to carry 2500 2 2 1 2500 passengers July 2 J. J C. C Eckliff federal inspector of steamships W W. K Greenebaum general manager of ot the Indiana Transportation company lessee lessee les les- lessee see of the Eastland The Jury found that the passengers were not In any way to blame for the capsizing of the ship It recommends ds further investigation by the coroner and other officers to determine whether er the men named and others may be guilty of negligence or of contributing in any way to the cause of the ter After Arter starting with the recommendation recommendation dation that the men named be held to the grand jury on the charge of manslaughter and for such other offenses offenses of f as the facts may warrant the verdict continues Nothing in the the testimony offered before this Jury indicated that the pas passengers passengers passengers were guilty of of any unu unusual ual act that contributed to the disaster and we are of the opinion that no act of the passengers was responsible for forth forthe th the disaster In the absence of evidence of un urn due acts on the part of the pass passengers nger's or violent physical causes s such ch as explosions explosions explosions ex ex- ex- ex fire or collisions the fact fac that this vessel overturned is proof either that it was improperly constructed constructed con con constructed for the service employed or that It was improperly loaded operated operated ed maintained or that all of these causes operated to bring about the serious serious se so- rious result It is our judgment that th the steamboat steamboat steamboat steam steam- boat Eastland was both improperly constructed and improperly loaded operated op operated op- op orated and maintained and that the parties named are responsible We recommend to the states state's attorney at at- torney and the grand jury that an investigation investigation In in- be made of the corporation corporation corpora corpora- tion or individuals responsible for the management of this boat with a view to discovering If other members of or orthe the corporation or other individuals were responsible for acts contributing to this disaster We further recommend that the states state's attorney and the grand jury investigate carefully the circumstances circumstances circum stances of the construction of this boat to ascertain if there can be found legal methods by which those responsible responsible responsible sible for its defects in construction can be held accountable We further recommend that the states state's attorney investigate the details de do- tails tans of purchase and sale of the different different dif dif- ferent common carriers which have owned the Eastland with a view to to determining if possible whether knowledge of the un stability of this boat and the hazards attendant thereon there there- on have been known to the tile s sellers and have not been disclosed to th the purchasers and whether the various purchasers of this boat have discharged discharged dis dis- discharged dis- dis charged their duties as common carriers carriers car car- in investigating the stability and freedom from hazards of the East East- land It Is our opinion that the federal governments government's system of permitting i th the construction tion of vessels for use by I common carriers is unscientific and anda a menace to public safet safety There is not now nor has there ever been an Inspection service maintained by the the federal government for the purpose of ot determining the stability of boats oats offered for passenger service It is the judgment of this jury that the present method of f determining the the passenger-carrying passenger capacity of vessels I is not founded ot on any proper basis |