Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-09-13
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UquesN on tho Lazy ElEtu DtSasfes's
CHICAGO, ILL, September 12.-The Coro-
ner's Jury yesterday cOmmencedits investigas
tions Of the wreck Of the Ldoy Elgfn.
John Jervis, Of Milwaukee, a passenger,
testified;
dust before the schooner struck, was
standing at the middle gangwsy; saw the
schooner about two minutes before the
collision. She appeared to be coming
toward us ct aboHt an angle of 45o.
About half minute before she struck left
the gangway; Capt. Wilson was at the after
gangway, and asked some one on the
schooner if they wanted TO come aboard;
the reply was, they did not think they were
injured; would stay where they were. The
schooner YVES not dSopping off.
II saw light on the schooner before the
collision, but none afberward. 1 went down
into the coal-bunker saw water coming in
very fast and then went over to the break.
The steward was there, trying to stop the
leak with mattresses.
1.-THE vessel had befoye been listed up.
The Captain stood at the edge Of the scuttle,
ordering the men to fire. as fast as possible;
then went aft, and the Captain at the same
time gave orders that every thing loose
should be thrown overheard; when next
saw the Captain he was coming from the
bow. | then went down below to see how
long the vessel could keep afoat; when got
stopped; went back to the cabin, the hold
was half full of water; the Captain and
myself then got from twenty to twenty-five
ladies up on the hurricane deck. The boat
went down two minutes afterward.
There were between twenty and thirty
children on the forward part of the hurri-
cane roof. 1t was very dark, and raining at
the time. The bell commenced ringing i'm
mediately after the collision, and the whistle
commenced blowing at the same time"
Thos. Cummings, of the Lady ElgiR, testi-
fed: "The schooner did not strike the
steamer quartering, but at right angles; ran
square into her; the steamer moving, turned
the schooner round; think we were about
ten miles from shore saw vessels light
after we left the steamer think could have
seen light on a vessel three miles off; did
not see the schooner after she got clear Of us;
saw that all the steamers headlights were
up; the schooner was running about due
east when she struck us; there is rule for
boats that are going to Milwaukee, should
pass vessels on larboard side.
81 think a vessel, under that wind and
headway, could have avoided the steamer if
within twenty rods of her, by great exertion;
even if the vessel was but three times her
length from the steamer, she could have
avoided doing serious damage, by putting
her helm hard up. -. .0.7.H.-
'Had the schooner seen the steamer half a
mile off, she could not have struck her,
except by gross negligence. 1t seems to me
that the helm of the vessel must have been
put down instead of up, and that was the
cause of the disaster. The schooner could
have laid to within mile of us after the
collision with perfect safety. 1t was not
very dark, although raining heavily"
John Vorce, first mate of the augusta, says:
"At the time of the collision was on the Cop
tain's watch. The second mate was on the
deck when the squall came up and called
the captain, who got on deck as the squal
struck us about One-third of the fore-sail
and one-fourth main-sail were up when we
struck the steamer when saw the steamers
lights, heard the Captain sing out, hard
up, steamer; then crossing our bow, the
steamer showed a white light from eight to
twelve; don't know whether l heard the
helmsman answer the order hard up or not,
but did not notice any change IN the vessels
course; the Augusta steers wild, that is, will
not answer the helm readily; was not two
minutes at the outside, after the order that
the vessel struck.
"We heard no noise whatever from the
steamer after the collision" George Bulge,
second mate, says: at was Captains watch;
was on deck; vessels course was south by
east, under full sail, except main top gaff
sail, and we showed white light.
First saw the steamers light about ten
point on the weather-bow. 1t was about
twenty minutes before the collision when l
called the Captain; called him because it
looked squally. .f-ls, ar.s..e-r
"When he came up showed him the light;
he ran forward, looked at it, made no re-
mark to me about it from three to FIVE min
utes afterward the schooner struck the
steamer, he ordered helm hard up;' the
order was obeyed, but the vessel did not
mind the helm I did not hear anv noiaa IN
the steamer after collision; wind blowing so
we could not hear ourselves from one end of
the vessel to the other. One of the schoon-
ers crew, who was stationed forward as
lookout, swore he did not see steamers
lights until just as the Captain ordered helm
hard up" =. .--
Up to this morning forty bodies have
been recovered, most of whom resided at
Milwaukee.