Scioto Tragedy 1882 Part 4
Part 4
The Horror
July 8, 1882
Steubenville Daily Herald
THE HORROR!
Melancholy Work of Gathering the Dead.
Forty=four Bodies found Between Here and Wheeling.
River Dotted with Skiffs and Searchers for Friends
Efforts to Beach the Wrecked Steamer
A Steubenville Captain’s Opinion-Notes and Incidents.
Four days have passed since over a hundred persons found a grave at Mingo beneath the waters of the Ohio, but interest continues yet unabated, and is likely to continue as long as there is hope of finding any considerable number of the dead which are now scattered all along the river between here and points below. Thorough search by the diver failing to reveal any bodies below, all hope of finding any more about the boat was abandoned, and steps were taken towards organizing a dredging party to search the river between here and Wheeling. Last night the steamer Annie L, Capt. Dougherty, left Steubenville for the wreck where she was joined by the Belle Prince, from Wheeling, for the purpose of endeavoring to draw the Scioto nearer shore, so that she would come more quickly out of the water when the river should fall. The diver reported the hole made in the hull by the Lomas was about 9 feet long and large enough to row a skiff through. It is on the starboard or Virginia side, and settles the question as to which side was struck. Over the piles of coal on the lower deck, where the drunken men were said to have been lying asleep when the boat went down, he says the water is rushing so swift that a living man would need both hands to support himself against it. The bodies which have not already been recovered, he thinks, must now be rolling along the bottom of the river somewhere below. Many of those who went down to death that night will have no other interment than a shifting, restless grave in the river. Death came suddenly enough to many of them. The dance was in full motion and the figurer caller had just bawled out, “Swing”—when there was a crash under the bows of the vessel and shrieks overheard from those who saw the nose of the Lomas plunge full 10 feet into the side of the Scioto. The concluding words –“your partners,” clung to the tongue of the caller and never found utterance. The dancers were suddenly swung face to face with a new partner with grim aspect and clammy embrace.
The Nail City joined the force of steamers at the wreck this morning, and at noon perceptible progress had been made toward bringing the Scioto to the Ohio shore. The steamers are lashed to the wreck, and both wheel and “nigger” used to make progress.
THE WELCOME
is lying at the bank, and considerable of a crowd is gathering around, although not as large as on previous days. Coroner Fogg and W. T. Campbell are still on hand ready to view any bodies which may be brought ashore.
Of course additional incidents are still coming to light, some of them sad and touching. One little boy was heard in midstream on that fatal night repeating the Lord’s Prayer, which he said clear through. Further down a man sang clear above the other cries two verses of “Rock of Ages.” His voice grew faint and weaker. He started the first line of the third verse, faltered, tried again, and then his voice was swallowed up by the rushing water, and those who were listening with bated breath upon the shore heard no more.
PILOT DAVE KELLER
has been at the wreck yesterday and today of course settling any rumors that he had disappeared. He states that there were four persons in the pilot house except himself: Mr. and Mrs. Stewart, of New Cumberland, Clint Thomas, The Captain’s son, a man named Cook from Wheeling and a woman from down the river. He was steering himself.
ALL WAS QUIET
about the scene of the wreck last night, but the first break of dawn this morning witnessed a busy stir in the organization of the dredging party en route for below. Capt. Len Dobbins was at the head of the East Liverpool crowd, and at 4:30 he started off 22 yawls with 52 men and 54 grapling hooks. Slowly the mournful procession started off, and a short distance below Cross Creek, at 5:10
THE FIRST BODY
was found. It proved to be Lewis Harper, of Wellsville, who blew the b flat cornet of the band, he was about 18 years of age. The body was landed at Lagrange, and brought to Steubenville on the early train, and from thence taken home. His father and uncle were with him.
A SECOND FLEET
of five yawls was started out at 11:30, and all down the river skiffs put out from shore to join the melancholy work. In conversation with Captain Wintringer, of the Batchelor, he reports the river full of skiffs all the way to Wheeling, presenting a weird and curious sight. The Batchelor passed thirteen bodies coming up. There was a body found at the Belmont mill proving to be a woman 25 or 28 years of age, stoutly built and weighing probably 150 pounds. She was neatly dressed in black alapaca plainly made. Her underclothing was neat, her limbs encased in blue and white stockings and she wore low shoes. About her neck she wore a black scarf and a gold-plated chain and locket; she also wore a cheap breastpin. The hair was dark brown, done up in a knot on top of the head and combed straight back. It is thought to be Miss Flora Culp. There was a bruise on the forehead. The body was sent to East Liverpool for identification. A body was brought ashore at the Wheeling boatyard and one was seen floating at Martin’s Ferry. The steamer whistled and a skiff came out and took it in. One was passed at Warrenton, one at McCormick’s half a mile above, one 200 yards above there, and at Rush Run, Jno. D. Cummings, of Salineville, was taken aboard and brought to Mingo, and thence brought to town. He had on him a revolver, $1.94 in money and a pass from Wellsville to Salineville. John Hart was found below Wellsburg. At Wellsburg four were reported, one being a member of the band, and another a son of Dr. Stebbins, of East Liverpool. The latter had $130 in his pocket. Columbus Armstrong, of Wellsville, was here. He was aged 85 years and a painter. At Lagrange was a man named Porter.
THE CHANGE OF SIGNALS
in the opinion of Captain Wintringer was the primary cause of the disaster, as it has been of three-fourths of the river disasters since the change was made. It was done against the protests of three-fourths of the steamboat pilots and captains, was uncalled for, and should never have been done. The old rule which directed the ascending boat to whistle first should never have been abolished. He thinks the Scioto was in her right place, and that it was the other boat which was out. J. B. Long, who was t the wheel of the Lomas, is not known very extensively as a pilot, although he has been on the river more or less for twenty years. He took out his new license in July, and this was his second trip.
PILOT KELLER ARRESTED
The U. S. Marshall from Wheeling came up at 5 P.M., and arrested Pilot Keller.
DEAD AND MISSING.
No Material Change in the Grand Aggregate- The Found Roll Increasing.
The list of bodies found receives a large addition to-day, there being reported at noon one brought ashore at Mingo, tow at Brilliant, four at Rush Run, five at Portland, four at Wheeling, one at Benwood, and one at Moundsville, or eighteen in all. From yesterday’s list Harry Donnelly should be transferred from the dead to the missing, sot that the total found reaches 36. Those found this morning were the following:
Louis Harper, Wellsville
Geo. E. Pinkerton, Wellsville
Jno. Stevenson, Wellsville
Lotta Smith, Wellsville
C. B. Armstrong, Wellsville
Jno. Hart, Cleveland
Flora E. Culp, Somerset, O.
Jno. D. Cumming, Salineville, O
John Rhsman, East Liverpool
Michael Emerling, E. Liverpool
John Prosser, Wellsville
Stewart Pipes, Wellsville
Eugene Farmer, E. Liverpool
Ad. Hays, Wellsville
Maria Booth, E. Liverpool.
LATER—8 MORE FOUND.
A dispatch at 3:30 P.M. announces the finding of 8 more bo9dies. This makes 26 found to-day and 44 altogether.
It was reported that John Prosser of Wellsville, and Eugene Farmer, of E. Liverpool, were among the number found, but their friends and relatives fail to identify them. Total number up to this time reported from Mingo to-day is 20.
Previously reported are:
Dave Fogo, of Wellsville, O., age from 20 to 25 years, was a member of the band and clerk in Sam Martin’s clothing store.
Harry Beardmore, East Liverpool, age 14 or 154 years, son of Joseph Beardmore.
Ellis C. Smith, of Wellsville, (first reported from Steubenville), age 16 years.
Cecil Sprague, age 18 years, of Hammondsville, O.
Evan P. Burke, aged 23 years, East Liverpool, was a stone mason; his father is John Burke, of Beaver; he was unmarried.
Mrs. Belle Brandon, of Wellsville, formerly of East Liverpool
Jos. Connor, Wellsville
Miss Sally Kiddy, Wellsville
E.P. Smith, Wellsville, carpenter, native of Canada, aged 40.
Thos. Beardmore, Liverpool.
Chas. Leith, Wellsville, drummer of the band.
Chas. H. Swearingen, Hanover, O., aged 22.
Dan Thomas, Captain’s son
Lincoln Wright, Wellsville
John F. Christy, East Liverpool
John Tomlinson, do
Wm. Ewing, Wellsville
Edward Duffey, Steubenville.
THE MISSING LIST
has been reduced by the turning up of two supposed to have been lost. West Higgins of Toronto, was in the city last eveni9ng, and Frank Hall, of Wheeling, ha been heard from and is all right. The transfer of 18 to the list of found, of course brings the missing down that much more. The loss may now be set down at 105 to 107, of whom 36 have been found.
WELLSVILLE
Clark Davidson, a boy of 14 years, cymbal player in the Wellsville Cornet Band, son of K. L. Davidson
John Maylone, E flat in the Wellsville Cornet Band
Arthur Hoagland, grandson of Rev. E. S. Hoagland, pastor of the M. P. Church
John Maylone, Ab. Maylone, Willie Maylone, opposite Wellsville
Sam Hunter, 17years old
Nellie Booth
H. Marker
Leith Connor
Willie Booth
Miss Stevenson
Harvey Monroe
H. A. Haynes
Harry Donelly
John Grounds.
Two children of E. P. Smith
Gus Redman
Charles Leech
Miss Prosser, opposite Wellsville
Miss Malone, near Wellsville, O. two sisters were one board, one is missing.
C. C. Shannon
Nichols, son of James Nichols, formerly of Wellsburg, W.Va.
Harry DeTemple
Wesley Cross
Kate Poffenbaugh, 14
Sam Huinter, 17
Maria Booth, 15
G. C. Thompson.
Thomas Bailey
D. C. Shannon
A. E. Houghton
John Marsh
Lincoln Thomas
A boy, 15years, name unknown
Wm. Farrell and wife
John Stoakley
Carrie McClain
Sloan
Total41
EAST LIVERPOOL
Mrs. Burkle
Lincoln Beardmore
Miss Carrie Beardmore
G. C. Thompson, farmer in suburbs, 22 years of age
Stephen Kent, a bricklayer, 30 years
Mrs. Emmerling, and child
David Fried, Jethrow
Kennett, man
W. M. Woods, a boy of 14
Cummings Thompson
Miss Dray of Jethrow
Talbott
Alvert Snow
John Gronshall
M. E. Estling and wife
Willie Parell
James Neuman
Baily Woods
Mrs. Morgan
Two Cross boys, 22 and 24
Mollie Sheavels
Frank Reed
Horner Barnes and wife
Total 26.
OTHER POINTS
Vandine, a young lady whose mother resides at Mingo Junction
Charles Elliott, a young man living at Beaver Falls
Cornel Palmer, Washington, Pa.
George . Thompson, 22 Calcutta
Total 4
Missing and found, 107.
Contributed by Bonnie