The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-07-31

THE INQUEST CONTINUED.

LII Inquest GUN lin ED.
SECOND DAY.
Prof Jardle W Bailey, OF the West Point Aca-
DENY, swo,I-ldent fec the bodies OF Maria Bailey,
his wife, and Maria W Bailey, his daughter: they
oIod by drowning, undoG otedly, in consequence of
the accident yesterday; Ihey resided at West Point:
my wife was about 40 ears of age; my daughter in
her sixteenth yeaI; was with them: we came on
board at CoZzens dock; the accident occurred after
three clock Ne bad )Gst passed the Forrest places
had nsticed nothing unusual III the running of the
boat; WAS Oh the man deck, att the wheel, the
iarboard side OF the boat; my daughter, wife and
son were sitting by me: my son was saved; heard a
confused cry, winch took to be an alarm OF fire. as
soon as cav The SMOKE; saw efforts made to get
out the boats ny amy officers of the boat; should
not have known any or them but the clerk; the
fire first appeared on the star board side, near
the wheel house; could not form any estimate of
the number Oh beard: the boat crowded: the
boat as quickly rounded for shore, and run where
she new lies; there cry among the passeu gers
TO keep still: joined IN IT. in the promo
nsde saloon; We all got through the windows upon
the guards of the boat: this before she struck;
there were two y Dung ladies, Miss klnsley :, near
US on the guards; the! resided at West Poiut we
all remained on board until driven off by the flames;
we then jumped INTO water; this few minutes
after the boat struck; | was slightly burned On my
nose: do not think my wife or daugher were
burned; found the deceased near me; seized one
IN each hand anu pushed them forward to ropes
That saw hanging near me; heard my daughter
cay II have got Ii, anu think my wife
enough 10 grasp he rope, when L was seized around
the neck by lady, ana SUCK with her, but while uu-
der water succeeded nreeasng her hold; when rose
the flames were pouring the side OF the boat; /
could not see or hear anybody near; the flames and
smoke were very dense; | did not see them after
ward; We Were about two windows of the ladies'
cabin when We iunped over: about half
the length OF the BOAT from the shore; it ives deep
water; was drawn on shore by pole extended to
me- my son was saved by floating on q chair, until
picked up by boat: he was about seven years of
age was not present y hen the bodies were found:
hrst founo ny wife some distance from the place
where the accident occurred she was found yester-
day afternoon; my daughter found this morning;
MIR. a j. Downing, OF Newburg, the boat;
be bad two three ladies With him; when / went
out Of the window, they sitting in the ladies'
cabin; know others ON board: saw nothing on
board that would lead me to infer how the fire
occurred.
John l.. Thompson, of Lancaster county, Pa,
sworn ;-ldenufea the BODY of Mary Thompson |
live IN the city OF Lancaster +; / am District Attor
ney OF Lancaster count! (; recognise the body Of
Mary, NY daughters she was ten years OF age; my
self, WIFE, three cbldren, aud nurse, left New York
on the Francis Skiooy, yesterday morning; one
child Eugene, six weeks old, one eight years
old, and the other three; we went TO Newburg, re-
maibea an hour, and took the Henry Clay; noticed
nothing unusual III the speed Of the boat; she was
crowded l should think over five hundred people; ;
we took dinner between one and two o'clock; then
came on deck, and pasaiug the engineers room, re
marked to hm, :" j suppose you have good head
OF steam On; he made no reply, but looked very
cross; then sad, hope you will not blow all
out of the water he replied, g l care as much
for my own lie anybody turned away, reply
ing, " trust in Coo GU do ;" j spoke so, because
the boat appeared to be going under heavy
strain, and thought there was no necessity for it,
rs the Armenia was not in sight; this was when
we West Point / did not see the Arme.
MIA, but heard by the ticket sellers at Newburg,
that there was great strife between the boats and
when they CAME III sight at Newburg, they cheered
for Harry OF the West" The tickets were sell
ing at one shilling. When the Armenia was found
to be behind, those selling her tickets offered them
for sixpence. The Armenia was about ten minutes
behind l saw no Indications that the boats had
been racing J spoke 10 one Of the hands, telling
him bad heard there bad been racing, and he re-
piled that the Henry Clay never raced. / know
nothing OF the origin OF the ire. AT the time, my
self, my wife, and two children the east
guard OF the boat, near the ladies' cabin The
and baby were in the cabin The nurse
first ciied out, my God, the boat is on fire -
| looked forward and seeing the smoke, said
" Poohl ~ is but the dinner cooking" Then
there was simultaueous movement, and gene
raj ory that the boat fire The consterna-
tion was terrific; ana Myself and several gentle
men ebdeayored TO keep order; think at that time
some one connected with the boat directed us 10
keep on the stern, as the fire IN the centre of
the boat That was the fatal mistake. In conse
queDce Of that advice. and my family went az far
AFT az we could get. The boat had then turned,
and the smoke was 50 dense that the nurse thought
that the child sitting When the boat struck,
we went back 20 where we were-passed the cabin,
to the south side of toe boat We reached there
together; but then lost sight fmy chiloren John
aud Mary; had We ut first been directed to 20 for
was then no smoke TO prevent our doing so do not
know who gave the direction to go aft; il seemed to
be an Official order. and promptly obeyed;
DO NOTICE was given we were standing to-
gether, when heard Mary shrek, Help
me, isther, or We sh all drown;'' 1 tried to get
near her, ara while doing so, the clothes Of the
nurse took fire turned to look for INV wife.
ahd imagined that she had jumped overheard;
from thas time entirely lost scht az the how
neither did i See Mary after that sbriek. ;umned
over, sunk, and rose to the surface I ,boncbt +
recognized my wife, who sinking nm ana Se5a,o .
! seized her by the hair and said, " Don give Out
como TO rescue you-catch me around the wais, >,
but che caught me around the neck, and we wo,o
sinking l called TO her to change her grasp. ana
sbe did so When turned saw nothing mora &c
her. i then got hold Of the braces, and finally
struck out and got about four yards off, when a
large colored woman caught me around the neck
ana another round the waist. screamed out ''We
are all drowning" and asked them 70 let 20 but
they held on, and ] Owed under, and when rose
saw nothing more Of them wac exhausted, and
finding could not reach the shore, went back to
tho toat. was tired out and at last ] thought
must let go and prepare for death. was caught by
the hair by some sailor, and knew nothing more
until found myself the beach My wife was
lost, my child Mary was lost, and myeef boy John,
and servant, were saved
Samuel ID. Cook, sworn-I live at Durham,
Greene county New York; ] recognize the bodies
81 William NJ Ray, Abby Ann Ray, his wife, and