The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-05-23
The Hudson River Disnstcr-COnt lon
of tho COrOner's Inquest, &c.
Nrwpuuc Nav 1910
SECOND 1NoUEsr-TIrrRspAY.

The Hudson River Ols0ster-CON tInuQtlOn
of tho COrOner's Inquest, &c.
NEwBUnc, May %, 1S49.
SECOND INQUEsT-TIuRsDAY.
Rev. NATHANIEL s. PAYNE, of Baldston Spa. being
sworn deposed-That he was passenger board the
Empire Thursday night; little after 10 o'clock,
part Of the vessel starbosrd side in one Of the state
rooms is not that he asleep; heard great
noise often heard shad pole make more noise on the
guard according to his invsrabe practice, however,
he went up deck to what was the matter he
not under any apprehension; he found great conster.
is easily alarmed any man, but saw no danger, and
called upon the passengers not to be frightened; he
had not then heard any ntmation of danger; he had
not taken Off all his clothes had his trousers and
vest; he put his overcoat but went up without his
careen and there then great excitement; heard
person cry Lord have mercy on u.s." on looking
the starboard side the schooner and thinks at
that juncture he heard I'VE have run into
sloop;" before that he thought the schooner had
to give them assistance if anything was the mat
ter; he walked back and forward on the deck and
tle did ne feel of danger that he did not awaken his
wife, though within few feet Of her frequently; at
this time the out of the saloon, screaming
and added to the tumult which he did not undertake
quell at that moment his wife ran to him and said
She had been below looking for him; he exchanged
tickets with in the beginning of the evening and
| showed her his ROOM that she might know where
to come in case of any emergency; he said to
| be calm" she said she had found the water
| was up six steps on the cabin stairs and was
| rolling like waves, and she had concluded he was
lost he then stood the main deck Mt the larboard
quarter there great crowd there rushing for the
starboard front deck instead Of finding the schooner
there he expected she considerably aft so that
| he could not reach her without going tho boiler
deck Saloon deck; made desperate effort get up
held the railing with his left hand, while he hold
his wd S hs M she bs mt
his shoes his feet not yet wet We're they that
night until he was on board of tie shad boat, three
quarters of an hour he put his wife up first
on the saloon deck and then got UP himself with tho
assistance Of some man he brought his wife with him
on board the lumber boat on that side there was
| hpdyt Than lint in sfr m
people from the other sidc and to the number OF
about sixty came board at this juncture the Rip
Van Wrinkle came right between the two vessels when
there rush from the schooner to the Rip Van
Wrinkle his wife wanted him to go board OF her |;
he said he would not for there the greatest place
of safety the shore for tho schooner went
to the bottom there lumber to float his wife,
to get her dress hooked and then came up again and
sat on the lumber; all this time he water
except what ne saw in the river at this moment the
| to the larboard side of the Empire. and at that
moment there the loudest crash and loud
est scream he heard that night it was there
| he had previously left tho multitude: the after
part of the deck then fell he believes tho Rip Van
Wrinkle carried off the stanchions and supposed that
those that part of the deck then plunged into
the water at the time of the he thought
the crowdng of the people had broken the rails;
of tho then asked him where they were
witness said he supposed they were at Newburg the
other replied that could not be- for they were on the
wrong side Of the river looking up the stern
Of the schooner he the north pole and found they
were exactly heading for New York; witness hero
|
| the cause Of this the schooner having lufed when
quite close and gave three points more to the north
tho collision was ut an acute angle the schooner going
| almost in the same direction with the steamer and
putting her round by tho stroke the Rip Van Wrinkle
Snd S him
the Rip Van Wrinkle had been behind them at the time
of the accident, and not thinking there anything
| serious the matter they had gone beyond Newburg
distance of two miles, and then returned, when they
saw there was danger; only FIVE or six remained with
| him on board the schooner; he asked the captain
|
| sengers were inclined to come; he then went into
| a short boat and for tho first time his feet were
| wet there great confusion; officer
| or man belonging to the steamer that he could ask
& him a G
into her room and told her the steamer was sinking.
The only thing no thought that looked bad at first
board the schooner that man drew the slide
of the companion way and sad am not going to have
every body in my cabin" After the Rip Van Wrinkle
had taken all away but half dozen off the schooner,
he said to the CaptanIs this humanity, to keep this
woman shivering in the wind The doors of the cabin
were instantly opened and the man said in very kind
two minutes after You came on board found two men
ransacking my cabin" Have doubt of the truth Of
this statement of the Captains This was the only
thing he that looked unkind but was fully explain
cd He had an opportunity of knowing the number of
emigrants, deck passengers, the main deck for
| his wife complained her berth barrcaded up with
them. They removed. They grumbled so loudly,
| that he apprehendcd there would have been SINH
lar riot to that in New York. Suppressed laugh
ter) They separated into three squads of about ten
each or thirty in all He was happy to say this for he
| thought the numbers were exaggerated
No further testimony had come to hand at the hour
| Of our going to press
CAPTAIN UPPER, OF THE EMPIRE.
The following statement Is Elade by Mr.. Edward
Hubbard, who the first the Empire, after the
| accident =
The statement made by Mr.. Burden, Of Troy, in
Mondays Herald, asserting that Captain Upper and
the officers of the Empire left the boat in the yaw
soon as the collision occurred, is misstatement from
| beginning to end. Captain Upper left the
steamboat Empire until she had been secured the
east side OF the river and the officers were all on the
boat spoke to them and urged them to take tho boat
on the east shore the flats adapted to take
waterlogged boat on, and it would have been posi-
| bic to beach her the west shore Captain Upper
came with his passengers to Newburg In the Rip Van
Wrinkle and having disposed of Them returned to the
wreck. Further, myself, Mr. Drowra, David Bggan,
and John Kelley took the yawl of the Roger Williams,
Immediately after the collision. and board the
Empire hin eight ten mintes after the schooner
ran afoul of the steamer. EDWARD HUBBARD,
Pilot Of the Roger Williams.
Newburg, May 81. 1S4a.