Did the steamers C. S. Price and Regina collide in the storm of Sunday night and go to the bottom of Lake Huron at some point off Goderich, Ont., locked in a last deadly embrace?

This is the question that presents itself as a result of the visit made by Milton Smith, of 1203 Ward street, to Thedford, Ont., on Wednesday afternoon, when he succeeded in completely identifying the bodies of four of the ill-fated Prices' crew.

When Mr. Smith arrived at Thedford, he was but one of a sad party, which headed directly from the train for the improvised morgue. Their mission was to pick from the eleven silent forms that were laid out in the Woodhall undertaking rooms, the loved ones whom they anxiously sought.

Mr. Smith after careful investigation positively identified CHIEF ENGINEER JOHN GROUNDWATER, of Cleveland, WILSON McINNIS, wheelsman, of Johnson Postoffice, near Owen Sound, Ont., HERBERT JONES, steward, of Superior, Wis., and CHRIS FAULKENER, fireman, of New York City.

Mr. Smith, who resides at 1203 Ward street this city, after picking out the above four men from the dead and completely identifying them could go no further. He could not make any identification of the remaining seven dead men.

From the information given Mr. Smith and the fact that the Regina and Price dead were picked up together leads him to believe that there was a collision between the Price and the Regina and that both boats sunk together, which would account for their bodies coming ashore at the same time. This is merely a conjecture on Mr. Smith's part, worked out from the facts given him at Thedford by the men who found the bodies.

That there has been much carelessness in marking the eleven bodies by the authorities at Thedford there is no doubt, as the papers and other valuables which were taken from the bodies were not kept separate but were massed together. It is now impossible to tell from which bodies the identification marks were taken.

Here is Mr. Smith's story as he related it last night to the Times-Herald upon his return from Thedford:

"I left the steamer Price at Cleveland on Nov. 5. Just as soon as I heard of the rumor that the Price was lost, I came to your office and after you gave me the details, I decided to go the Thedford (sic) to see if I could assist in identifying some of the Price's dead. I was well acquainted with every member of the old crew, although I have since learned that the boat shipped new hands at Cleveland.

"When I arrived at Thedford, four of the bodies were in the barn in the rear of the undertaking establishment. They were covered with sand and it was necessary to wash their faces before I could distinguish their features. After some time, I identified John Groundwater, of Cleveland, our chief engineer; Wilson McInnis, of Johnson Postoffice, Ont., our wheelsman, Herbert Jones, of Superior, our steward, and Chris Faulkener, one of the firemen. I am positive about these identifications. Mr. Groundwater's body was in the undertaking establishment and I picked him out the first thing without any hesitation, as I knew him well and he looked as natural as though he were sleeping. It just seemed as though I ought to speak to the man.

"My idea is that something happened to the Price which was of a sudden nature as the body of Herbert Jones, the steward, was clothed in his working uniform and his apron was still tied around him. This would indicate to me that Jones had to leave the boat very suddenly as it was always the rule of this man to take off his working clothes the moment he was through with his tasks.

"Evidently Jones did not have any time for himself but at the moment that something happened to the boat he went directly to his wife's assistance. This proves to me that something of a sudden nature happened to the Price. There is also the fact that the bodies off the two boats the Regina and Price, were picked up on the beach near Port Frank together. There is also the further fact that the life preservers of the two boats were mixed, as was told by the coroner that the body of John Groundwater, of the Price had a Regina life preserver on him. As a result of the Regina life preserver being on Mr. Groundwater, the chief engineer of the Price, he was classed by the authorities at Thedford as a deckhand from the Regina.

"I have studied the matter carefully and have also taken into consideration the facts that were given to me by those who found the bodies from the Regina and the Price.

"While I cannot state positively, the position of the bodies and the manner in which they were mixed, indicates to me that there could have been a collision between the two boats and that the crews had to look after their own safety at once.

"The bodies of the dead men had been badly pounded and bruised, evidently due to contact with the rocks in being hurled ashore.

"Just before I left Thedford word reached there from Goderich to the effect that three more bodies from the Price had been picked up at that point."

Mr. Smith while at Thedford gave valuable assistance to Mrs. Howard Mackley, of St. Clair, who was looking for her husband, second mate of the ill-fated Price. Her husband was not among the eleven bodies at Thedford.

Mrs. Mackley, whose home is in St. Clair, was accompanied by her sister, Mrs. Farquhar and Mrs. Samuel Brines, of Detroit, the latter a sister of Mackley.

The three women returned last night to Port Huron with saddened hearts. The pall of suspense has been temporarily lifted. They are prepared for the worst. Four of their loved one's shipmates have been identified among the dead and there is but little hope that Mackley escaped with his life.

Just as the three women and Mr. Smith left Thedford, a telephone message was received from Goderich to the effect that three more of the Price's dead had been found south of Goderich. Relatives of Mrs. Mackley remained at Thedford and will go to Goderich this morning to see if one of the three dead is that of Mackley. Charles Hartman, of St. Clair, first mate of the Price and Arz McIntosh, wheelsman of the same boat, are still among the missing, although their remains may be among the unidentified at Goderich, Ont.

Upon their return from Thedford Mrs. Mackley and her companion came to the Times-Herald office to inquire if there was any further information regarding the Price. There was nothing.

Mrs. Mackley anxiously inquired about the "mystery ship" sunk in the lake and whose identity cannot be learned. The grief stricken woman could not understand why the name had not been learned. The situation was explained to her and she exclaimed: "I know that it will take time, but if my husband's body is in that boat I want to know it. Don't you think I should know?"

The sorrowing woman was informed that it might be days before the secret of the boat's name was wrested from the waves.