TJ. S. Steamboat Inspection Service
In connection with the Eastland sink
ing was stated today by Michael Sul
livan, Hoyne's assistant in special
charge of the Eastland probe. Sulli
van said: "
"Murder and manslaughter are
crimes which .the state's attorney has
full power to inquire into, make ar
rests and obtain convictions, whether
those guilty are working for the
United States government or not.
"If there is evidence to show mur
der or manslaughter committed by
federal officials who allowed the
Eastland to take on 2,400 passengers
and more Saturday morning every
such federal official can be arrested,
placed on trial and convicted by the
state's attorney of Cook county. The
jurisdiction of the Cook county pros
ecutor in this respect is clear."
The two U. S. inspectors in charge
of the Chicago office give out their re
sults of two days' investigating. Wm.
Nicholas said: "The whole thing
hinges on the water ballast" Ira B.
Mansfield said: "The assumption is
made by local inspectors that the gov
ernment has always performed its
full duty with respect to the East
land. We cannot say what was the
primary cause of the accident"
Both at inquest starting today and
at grand jury hearing certain to fol
low this evidence will be considered:
Letters of Victor Olander, sec'y of
lake seamen's union, to Sec'y Red
field. of U. S. commerce department,
pointing to specific causes of failure
to make boats safe after warnings.
Olander has letters showing how
George Uhler, supervising general in
spector general, reversed orders of
local inspectors for boat safety.
, Letter of John Devereuaux York,
marine architect, who rode on East
land in 1913 and then wrote Chicago
harbor master that unless defects
were remedied there would be a "se
rious accident"
Temporary certificate found on
Cap't Pederson of the Eastland by
Chief of Police Healey, who says boat
T was overloaded by more than 400
people.
Copy of Cleveland office U. S.
steamboat inspection certificate. Al
lowed Eastland to cross lake with
only 653 passengers. Could have
2,000 only within five miles of shore.
Letter of E. N. Nockels, sec'y Chi- A
cago Federation of Labor, in 'June,
1914, saying accident was liable to
happen even with boat "tied to the
docks.
Latest certificate of Robert Reid,
federal inspector of hulls at Grand
Haven, Mich. He said the Eastland
could safely carry 2,500 passengers.
Reid's son-in-law, J. M. Erickson,
held fat job as chief engineer of East
land and was among those who es
caped ealy.
Letters between W. H. Hull, gen
eral manager St Joseph-Chicago
Steamship Co., which owned East
land, and Sec'y Redfield at Washing
ton. Hull wanted permission violate
federal law. Redfield warned him of
danger.
Many competent witnesses will tes
tify Eastland was loaded with people
thicker than cattle shippers would
place a cargo of steers. Cap't Chas.
Carland of TJ. S. life-saving station
says boat was way overloaded. Emil
G. Groscholl and George Mock, West
ern Electric Co. employes, estimate
3,700 persons were on Eastland when
she sank.
Victor Olander, secretary lake sea
men's union, said today that U. S.
inspection service is "directly respon
sible for this disaster. He named
George Uhler, supervising inspector
general, of Washington, and Chas. H. f
Wescott of Detroit, inspector for the
8th district, as two who should have
known the Eastland's record as a
"hoodoo" boat
This is part of a letter Olander sent
to Sec'y Redfield last December:
"On a trip Aug. 1, 1914. on the
Christopher Columbus of the Good
rich line, I noticed every one of eight
large gangways in such condition
they could not be closed quickly in