Maumee City express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1838-184?, 1840-02-22
THE INQuIsITIoN ON THE LEXING-


THE INQUIsITIoN ON THE LEXING-
! TON. VERDICT AND PRESENT.
MENT.
On Friday last, the Coroner's Jury re-
turned the following verdict and present
ment
We find that Henry Bates, Silas Thor
burn, Benz. Ladere, Pho Upson, and Ste.
phen Waterbury, came to their deaths by
the burning ofthe Lexington in Long lslano
Sound, and this jury, or such Of them at
their names are hereiinto annexed, make the
following presentment
From the testimony adduced before the
Court of Inquiry, by the Coroner's inquest,
to investigate the causes which led to the
destruction by fire OF the steamboat LEX
iigton, the inquest are Of opinion that the
fire was communicated to the promenade
deck BY the intense heat of the smoke pipe,
or from sparks from the space between the
smoke pipe and steam chamber as the fire
was first seen near the casing of the steam
chimney above the promenade deck. They
are further of opinion that the Lexington
was frst-rate boat with an excellent steam
engine, and boiler suitable for burning
wood, but not coal, with the blowers at
tached. Furthermore, it is our opinion
that had the buckets been manned at the
commencement of the fire, it would have
been Immediately eStinguishsd. Also, in
asmuch as the engine could not be stopped,
from the rapid progress of the fire, with
presence of mind of the officer, and strict
discipline of the crew, the bosts could have
been launched, and large portion of the
passengers and crew, ifnot the whole might
have been saved.
1t is the opinion of this jury that the
present inspectors of steamboats,, either
from ignorance or neglect, have suffered
the steamboat Lexington to navigate the
Sound at the imminent risk of the lives and
property of the passengers, giving GER
tificate stating full compliance with the
laws of the United States, while. in our
opinion, such was not the case. That the
system, as adopted, on board the Lexington
Of using blowers on board of bouts, is dam
gerous, which has been proved to this jury
by competent witnesses; and that the con-
duct Of the officers of the steamboat Lex
ington on the night of the 18th Of January
while said steamboat was on fire, deserves
the severest censure of this community
From the facts proved before this jury, that
the Captain and Pilot, in the greatest hour
of danger, left tho steamboat to her own
guidance, and sought their own safety, re-
gardless Of the fate of the passengers, in
stead of the Captain or Pilot retreating to
the tIller, aft, when driven from the wheel
house, forward, and the ropes there being
burned off, there being at that time com |
municatnn to the said ter, there appeared
to be no other thought but self-preservatlon.
And it further appears to this jury that the
odious practice of carrying cotton in any
quantities on board of passenger boats, in
a manner IN which it shall be liable to take
fire, from sparks or heat, from any smoke
pipe or other means, deserves the public
censure.
[Sgned by James Goadby, Thomas E.
Buraw, s. H. Herrott, Tennis Fokkes,
James Green, P. NJ. P. Durando, jr. Ed
mund R. McVeagh, A. $. Chance, Abra-
ham CreueIin, Robert Buttle, Richard M.
Hoe, Henry V. Davis.]
We, composing part of the jury in the
case Of the loss of the Lexington, fully ex-
onerute and exculpate Capt. Stephen Man
chester from any blame or censure after the
breaking out of the fire on board.
[5gned Benjamin Vincent, foreman; Jo-
seph Il, Mount.1