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Taken from the next day's newspaper
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THREE BODIES RECOVERED |
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Victims of the Idler Taken From the Yacht's
Cabin |
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No Trace Was Found of the Others Who Lost Their
Lives. |
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Search Will be Renewed Today and the Boat
Raised. |
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Made a Heroic Fight to be Saved
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The Corpses of Mrs. James Corrigan, Mrs. Charles
Rieley and Miss Etta Corrigan Taken From the Cabin of the Ill
Fated Vessel -
The Condition of the Boat Shows That No Preparations Were
Made for the Storm |
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| Bodies of three of the victims of the
Idler catastrophe were recovered from their watery graves in Lake
Erie yesterday morning. They were the bodies of the following:
Mrs. Corrigan, wife of Capt. James Corrigan, owner of the
yacht; Mrs. Charles Rieley, wife of Charles Rieley, and daughter
of Capt. James Corrigan; Miss Etta Corrigan, daughter of Capt.
John Corrigan.
The bodies of the three remaining
victims of the disaster, Miss Ida Corrigan, Miss Jane Corrigan and
Baby Rieley, have not yet been recovered. The divers who recovered
the three bodies were unable to secure those of the other victims.
The divers worked all the morning almost unceasingly, and it was
only by dint of the greatest perseverance that the three bodies
were recovered.
After several days of anxious waiting
the conditions yesterday were almost perfect for carrying out the
work of reclaiming the dead. The lake was calm and there was but
little wind.
The recovery of the bodies and the
fruitless search for the others were attended by exceedingly
painful incidents. Capt. James Corrigan, to whom the accident came
as the saddest blow, was on the tug from which the work was
conducted, and was present when the bodies were brought to the
surface. The strain upon him was tremendous, but he appeared to
have nerved himself for the ordeal, and he kept his composure
wonderfully well.
Besides Capt. Corrigan the only
immediate friend of the family present was Mr. M. A. Bradley. When
the tug had reached the wrecked yacht he and Capt. Corrigan
discussed the accident as they stood on the tug's deck. They were
agreed that the capsizing of the yacht had been inevitable in the
existing circumstances.
"It was either a question of some
of the sails giving away, or of the boat going over." said
Mr. Bradley. "From the position in which the yacht stands
not, it would appear that as soon as the squall struck the boat
the helm was abandoned. It does not seem credible that the yacht's
nose was put in the wind."
Capt. Corrigan was asked if he did not
think an effort had been made hastily to furl the yacht's sails.
"No," he replied
emphatically, "the sails stand fast as they were set. You
will notice that the mainsail is set; the part of it that is
missing has been torn away by the wind and water."
The condition in which the yacht was found
by the divers when they made their descents, It was stated
yesterday, tends to disprove the assertion that preparations had
been made for the coming of the storm. After he had made his first
descent Diver Walter G. Metcalf was asked if the sails were found
to be clear of the decks. He stated that all of them were so. None
of them, he said, had been lowered. Diver Frank Schwab later said
that the deadlights were open.
After the recovery of the bodies, they were
brought to Cleveland on the tug Lutz, arriving at the Main street
pier at 11:35 O'clock. The return of the tug had been anxiously
awaited all the morning, and there was a crowd of fully 1,000
people on the docks when the tug came alongside the pier. The
excitement was intense for a few moments. All were curious to know
how many bodies had been recovered. the flag of the Lutz was
flying at half-mast, so that it was known that the expedition had
been successful in some degree.
Arrangements had been made for the
immediate removal of the bodies of the victims to the morgue upon
the arrival of the tugs. At the dock were Harris and Saxton's dead
wagons. The remains of Mrs. Rieley and those of Mrs. Corrigan were
taken to Harris' morgue, and those of Miss Corrigan to Saxton's.
Coroner Simon had been notified and he viewed the bodies at both
of these places.
It had been decided that weather
condition favorable, the expedition should start from the office
of the Great Lakes Towing Co. as early as practicable Tuesday
morning. early Monday evening there had been a slight sea,
but during the night it subsided.
Shipping master Al Rumsey of the
Lake Carriers association was to be in charge of the expedition
and he was ready with his men long before daylight. At 2 o'clock
Capt. James Corrigan arrived. Shortly afterward Diver Walter G.
Metcalf and his assistant, Frank Schwab, put in an appearance.
Some delay was experienced in getting the necessary apparatus
aboard, but all was ready for the start at 2:37 a. m.
A stop was made at the life saving
station where Capt. Charles E. Motley and Surfman John McGillvary
were picked up. A surfboat and life saving paraphernalia were also
taken aboard. Opposite the life saving station Mr. Frank Rieley,
father of the husband of Mrs. Charles Rieley was also picked up.
By the time the tug was well on her
way to her destination it was growing light in the east. The lake
was somewhat choppy, and the sky was clear save for some clouds in
the west. A light northwest breeze was blowing, but this was
expected to subside. The conditions were pronounced to be most
favorable for the success of the expedition.
The first indication that the vicinity
of the disaster was being neared was when pieces of wreckage were
seen flotation shoreward. These included remnants of household
goods and broken planks.
Capt. Corrigan's anxious eyes were the first
to catch sight of the spars of the sunken yacht, while they were
yet mere specks in the distance. The place was reached at exactly
4 o'clock. It was just sunrise. The yacht, Capt. Corrigan said had
not changed her position in the least. The danger lights were
still burning at the mastheads and the bedraggled sails were
furled about the spars. The lake had grown calm by now and diver
Metcalf said that he anticipated the success of his attempt at
recovering the bodies. |
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MADE A FRANTIC STRUGGLE.
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Mrs. Corrigan Evidently Was Trying to Get on
Deck When Death Came. |
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| Considerable difficulty was experienced in
bringing the tug to anchor close enough to the yacht to permit the
diver to descend. Mr. Rumsey said that the anchors were scarcely
heavy enough for the work required of them. However, by fastening
a line to one of the yacht's spars an anchorage was at length
secured. Diver Metcalf had donned his suit and prepared to
descend.
While these preparations had been
going on Capt. Corrigan and Mr. Bradley discussed the accident as
they stood on the tug's deck. They were agreed that the capsizing
of the yacht had been inevitable in the existing circumstances.
"It was either a question of some of
the sails giving away or of the boat's going over," said Mr.
Bradley
Capt. Corrigan was asked if he did not think
an attempt had been made hastily to furl the yacht's sails.
"No," he replied, emphatically,
"the sails stand fast as they were set. You will notice the
mainsail is set; the part of it that is missing has been torn away
by the wind and water."
At 4:56 a. m. Diver Metcalf made his first
descent. Anxious moments followed, Capt. Corrigan waited eagerly
for the sign from the diver which should indicate that he had made
a discovery. He kept his nerve in a wonderful way, however, under
this tragic and painful phase of his great calamity.
Presently signs appeared that Metcalf was
making progress. Pieces of boards which apparently had impeded his
progress and which he had torn away floated to the surface of the
lake.
At exactly 5:43 o'clock he gave a signal to
pull up on the rope which he had taken below with him. The line
was immediately hauled in. In a moment a woman's form appeared on
the surface. It proved to be that of Mrs. James Corrigan, the wife
of Capt. Corrigan, who stood on the deck above.
Capt. Corrigan's friends led him away
from the painful sight. He did not, however, lose his composure.
He went forward and waited for the body of his wife to be brought
there.
Mrs. Corrigan's face was badly bloated
and discolored. Her eyes were drawn as if she had died in great
pain. Her left hand was across her eyes; her right arm was
extended as if to shield herself. when she was brought up she wore
no life preserver , but Diver Metcalf said that she had had one
on., but that he had been compelled to cut it away in order to get
a rope about her waist. Mrs. Corrigan was attired in a silk shirt
waist and a black skirt. She wore no hat. She had jewels on her
finger and in her ears.
The body was taken forward where Capt.
Corrigan was waiting. There it was laid on the deck, covered with
a quilt and a canvas sail. Capt. Corrigan sat quietly beside
his dead wife. He had uttered no word.
Diver Metcalf said
that he had found Mrs. Corrigan's body in the cabin, where it was
reported she had been when the storm broke over the yacht. The
body was fifteen feet from the stairway leading into the cabin. It
had floated to the roof. The diver did not discover its proximity
until he ran against it. Then it was only with great difficulty
that he was able to get the body on deck. The cabin, was of
course, full of water and the diver was otherwise impeded by the
furniture in the room. He said bedding and furniture were floating
about so that his progress was very slow.
The distance which Metcalf had been
under water was about sixty feet. He said the great pressure did
not tell upon him until he was within the cabin. When he came to
the surface he was greatly agitated and almost exhausted.
Metcalf was of the opinion that
Mrs. Corrigan was making a frantic effort to reach the upper deck
when death overtook her. He thought that the cabin had filled so
suddenly with water, however, that she had been swept from her
feet. The fact that she was floating against the cabin ceiling
when found was explained by her having a life preserver about her
waist to buoy her up.
While Metcalf had been beneath
the surface the yacht had shifted somewhat so that the diver was
alarmed lest it should begin to drift while he was down and thus
foul his lines and shut off the air supply. The anchors seemed not
to take firm hold. However, an anchor was secured from a
passing fishing tug and this it was thought would check the drift
It was then decided that Metcalf
and Schwab should make the second descent together, Metcalf went
down at 6:50, Schwab following him five minutes later. Again the
torturing suspense of previous wait was to be endured. From the
bubbles which arose it could be seen that the divers were making
their way to the cabin door with difficulty. Presently
bedding and wreckage floated up. Later the life preserver cut
from Mrs. Corrigan's body came to the surface. Presently the
signal was given on both lines for the divers to be hauled to the
surface. Schwab came up at 7:22 and Metcalf an instant
later. Their second search through the ill fated yacht had been
fruitless. They had been able to locate any of the bodies
supposed to be imprisoned in the cabin. Metcalf said that he had
penetrated almost to the rear of the room, but had been
unable longer to stand the suffocation pressure. In the center of
the room, he said, was a table which could not be removed. |
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LEFT TO THEIR FATE |
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Belief That Crew Devoted Their Energies to
Saving Themselves. |
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Not discouraged by their
failure the divers determined upon a third descent. It was decided
this time to let Schwab take the initiative. He went down at 7:40.
Twenty minutes later he gave
the signal to haul in the line. Slowly its burden was raised to
the surface. It proved to be the body of Mrs. Charles Rieley.
The attitude of the body and the position of the arms
indicated how pitiful had been the struggle which had ended in
Mrs. Rieley's death. Her arms were held exactly as if she had died
with her baby clasped to her breast and as if the infant
had slipped from her grasp after death had come. As if to mock its
ineffectiveness, a life preserver dangled from Mrs. Rieley's
waist.
Like Mrs. Corrigan, Mrs.
Rieley's face was badly bloated and discolored by the long
immersion of the body. On her face was a look of the intensest
agony and despair. She was attired similarly to Mrs. Corrigan and
wore no hat.
Diver Schwab said that he had
found Mrs. Rieley's body in the top birth in the starboard
room. He had great difficulty in removing the body as it was
wedged tightly in its place.
The opinion was advanced
that after her death the woman's body might have floated in the
birth where it was found.
Mr Frank Rieley was
greatly disappointed at the divers failure to find the child. The
divers then prepared for another descent to search in the vicinity
where the mother had been found. This descent was made at 9:23,
Schwab again taking the initiative.
At 9:40 the signal was
given that the divers search had be4en rewarded. Capt. Corrigan
left his place beside his wife's body and came forward. It was
expected that the baby had been found, but this proved not to be
so. The body was that of a young girl. It was that of Miss Etta
Corrigan, the daughter of Capt. John Corrigan. The young girl
presented a most pitiful appearance. One arm shielded her face and
the other was clinched in her disheveled hair, which
mercifully covered her face.
This body, the diver
said, was in the second berth in the starboard room. There was a
life preserver about the girl's waist. Miss Corrigan wore a shirt
waist of colored material and a black skirt. She was also without
headwear.
How Miss Etta Corrigan
came to be where she was is a mystery to Capt. Corrigan and to Mr.
Rumsey. Etta was supposed to have been with her mother, Mrs. John
Corrigan, who was saved. Her body was thought, therefore, to have
been washed overboard. It was for this reason that the recovered
body was supposed at first to be Miss Ida Corrigan.
This variation in the
stories told by the crew and the results of the investigation
stirred up Mr. Rieley and Mr. Rumsey. They declared that from
appearances it would seem that the women and girls had been left
to their fate while the members of the crew devoted their energy
to saving themselves. Capt. Corrigan expressed the opinion, which
he has expressed before, that the crew were heartless in their
actions when the squall struck the yacht.
At 10:05 o'clock the
divers made another descent, but came up at 10:20 without having
discovered another body. Schwab said that he had gone all through
the cabin, but had been unrewarded in his search. It was then
decided to return to Cleveland with the bodies which had been
removed. |
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FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS MADE
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Burial of Recovered Bodies Will Take
Place Today and Tomorrow. |
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Arrangements were
completed yesterday for the burial of the three women. Services
will be held at 3 o'clock this afternoon over the remains of Miss
Etta Irene Corrigan, at the family residence., No. 71 Cutler
street. Rev. John W. Malcom, pastor of the First
Congregational church, will officiate. The internment will be at
the Woodland Avenue cemetery.
The funeral of Mrs. James
Corrigan and her daughter, Mrs. Charles Rieley, will be held
Thursday. Funeral services will be held at 2:30 o'clock
Thursday afternoon. They will be buried in Lake View cemetery. Rev
Dr. S. P. Sprecher will conduct the services.
At 8 o'clock last
evening the body of Miss Etta Irene Corrigan was taken to the home
of her parents from Saxton's undertaking rooms. None but immediate
friends of the family were permitted to view the body at the
undertaking rooms. This was done in accordance with the wishes of
her family.
With the exception
of immediate friends of the family no one was allowed to see the
remains of Mr. Corrigan and Mrs. Rieley at Harris undertaking
rooms. The bodies of the two last named women will not be removed
from the undertaking rooms until late tonight or early Thursday
morning.
It was a
relief in a measure for Mrs. John Corrigan to learn that the body
of her youngest daughter had been recovered from the embrace of
the lake. Dr. H. F. Calhoun, the attending physician,
expressed the opinion yesterday that her condition was
improved and that she is on the road to recovery.
Admittance to the
room of Capt. Holmes at the Bethel was again denied to reporters
yesterday, His condition is still serious. As far as could be
learned he had not been informed of the recovery of the
bodies yesterday. |
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SAVED HER MOTHER'S LIFE |
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Mrs. John Corrigan Gives Her Version of
the Accident. |
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| Mrs. Corrigan yesterday related
her version of the accident. She was below, she said, when the
squall struck the Idler, Miss. Etta Irene Corrigan and Miss Jane
Corrigan were on deck in the stern, she said, while the others
were below in the cabin. When the yacht careened on its side a row
of skylights dropped and let in water. They were closed from
beneath and Mrs. Corrigan said she tried to fasten them, but found
her strength was unequal to the task. While holding one cover in
place she was drenched by the water flowing in. Mrs. Corrigan said
Mate Biggam appeared and closed the skylights. Mrs Corrigan then
went on deck. Meantime the two girls had climbed to the upper side
at the stern and stood facing death. They made no outcry. Mrs
Corrigan endeavored to but did not succeed in climbing up to them.
Her daughter, Etta, she said, finally puller her up. The couch
floated up and Etta placed her mother on it and then went back
into the cabin. Etta was without doubt the means of saving her
mother's life.
Capt. Corrigan yesterday again
criticized the manner in which the yacht was handled. Had the
mainsheets and foresheets been cut away, he remarked, the sail
would have swung around in the wind and the vessel would have
righted itself. "The execution of this would have consumed
but a few minutes, he said. Capt. Corrigan also said that all
could have been saved probably had a rope been tied from the
rigging to the companionway, which would have assisted the
passengers in climbing into the rigging. |
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SEARCH TO BE RENEWED
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Wreckers Will Raise Yacht and Search for Dead. |
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| It was decided yesterday afternoon that the Idler
should be raised today. Another effort will also be made to locate
the bodies of the remaining victims. At 4 o'clock this
morning three and perhaps more of the tugs of the Great Lakes
Towing Co., will leave for the wreck. Two submarine divers, Walter
G. Metcalf and Frank Schwab, and members of the lifesaving crew
will accompany the expedition. A wrecking raft will be towed along
with which to raise the yacht. divers Metcalf and Schwab will
first make a thorough search of the wreck for more bodies. They
will also search the bottom of the lake for some distance for
bodies. If their efforts are not attended with success they will
confine themselves towards preparing the yacht to be raised. She
will first be hoisted enough to permit her being towed to shallow
water. Then the pumps will be placed in service and the yacht
cleared of water. This will take some hours and perhaps nearly all
day.
Capt. Corrigan wishes never again to
see the vessel. It was his intention to blow her up with powder.
Later he decided to give the vessel to A. R. Rumsey. The
latter, however, does not care, he says, if she were to be blown
up. Diver Metcalf said yesterday that the yacht had settled
probably into about four feet of mud. He said she stands perfectly
straight. He expressed the opinion that she is practically
undamaged and that it would be an easy task to raise her.
The Theory was advanced yesterday that
none of the other victims bodies are on the yacht. It is believed
that they have been washed overboard and swept away. With this
view in mind, Capt Motley of the life saving station yesterday
ordered the beach of the lake patrolled as far east and west as
his men could be stationed. No bodies, however, washed ashore. |
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FIXING THE BLAME
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Inquiry Being Made Into the Cause of the Idler
Disaster |
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| An investigation into the cause
of the Idler disaster was commenced Tuesday morning at the office
of Goulder, Holding & Masten. attorneys for Mr. James
Corrigan. All the yacht's crew with the exception of Capt. Holmes,
who is still at the Bethel hotel threatened with brain fever, were
present.
The examination was private and was
held in one of the inner rooms of the office suite. Mr. Goulder
conducted the examination of the men, all of whom were rigidly
questioned concerning the capsizing of the yacht. |
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CORONER'S INQUEST |
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Question as to Whether It Will be Held Here. |
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| Coroner Simon said last
evening that although he viewed the bodies of Mrs. Corrigan, Mrs.
Rieley and Mess Corrigan., which were taken from the wreck of the
yacht Idler yesterday, he did not know whether or not he would
conduct an inquest into the cause of death. The coroner said that
inasmuch as the wreck is outside of the limits of the county,
which extends four miles into the lake, he would today consult
with Solicitor Kaiser as to whether or not he had jurisdiction to
conduct the inquest. If her finds that he has jurisdiction in this
case the coroner said he would probably not begin the inquest
until the other bodies have been recovered or efforts to recover
them made. Then he will probably subpoena the crew of the Idler,
the crew of the fishing tug which came to the rescue and the
divers. He said that Mrs. Corrigan would certainly not be summoned
unless she is greatly improved. |
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CLEVELAND'S LIFE SAVERS |
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Their Work Has Been Remarkably Well Done |
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| The misfortune of the Idler
disaster is only increased by the fact that the boat was outside
of the jurisdiction of the local United Stats life saving station.
The Cleveland life saving station is the best equipped of any in
the country, according to the annual report of the life saving
service, which has just been issued. Cleveland is a very prominent
port and Old Erie is most treacherous.
From July 1 to Dec. 15
last year there were ten surf men stationed at the local station
and from April 15 to this time there have been eight surf men on
duty. Most of the other stations in the country are provided with
but six or seven surf men. The annual report gives the Cleveland
life savers high praise for their work at the time of the sinking
of the tug L. P. Smith. When the boat was launched and away in
sixty seconds and reached the scene of disaster a mile away in
eight minutes. The life saving crew did not know at the first
alarm that Fireman McCarthy was beyond aid and he drowned. Capt.
Motley said that in good weather such a trip is an easy matter
with the crew, the members of which are always ready.
The local station is well
equipped ad when the new station farther out on the pier and in a
better location is finished the results will probably even be
better. There is one thing, however, which the captain has long
and earnestly applied to the government for, and that is a new and
larger boat. The present boat is twenty six feet long by six feet
beam. The new boats in the service are thirty-five feet from end
to end and eight feet beam.
Capt. Motley said that the lake
steamers are now being built so large and carry such large crews
that the small boat would be unable to hold all that might be
taken from a sinking vessel, while the larger one would have some
room to spare. The larger boat could also be easily towed behind
the largest tug or steamer on the lake without inconvience. |
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