Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-09-14
BY TELEGRAPH.


CHICAGO, Sept 12-The Coroners jury yesterday
commenced an investigation Of the wreck of the
Lady Elgin.
John Jervis, of Milwaukee, passenger, testified
that just before the schooner struck was standing
at the middle gangway; saw the schooner about
two minutes before the collision; she appeared to
be coming towards US at about an angle of As de-
grees. 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 on board. The reply was that they
did not think they were injured and wanted to stay
where they were. The schooner was now drop
ping aft saw light on the schooner before the
collision, but none afterwards. went down to the
coal bunker; saw water coming in very fest.
then went over to the bread. The stewart was
there trying to stop the leak with mattresses The
vessel had before been listed mp. The Captain
stood at the end of the seute, ordering the to
fire up fast as possible. | then went aft. The
Captain went at the same time, and gave orders
that everything loose be thrown overheard. The
captain when next saw him, was coming from the
bow. then went below TO see how long we could
keep ahoat When got to the engine room the en-
CINE had just stopped. | went back to the cabin,
the hold being then full of water. The captain and
myself then got from twenty 10 twenty-five ladies
up on the hurricane deck. The boat went down
two minutes afterwards. There was between
twenty and thirty children on the forward part of
the hurricane roof. 1t was very dark and raining
at the time The bell commenced ringing almost
Immediately after the collision, and the whistle
commenced blowing at the same time.
Thomas Cummings, the Lady Elgin, testi6es
that the schooner did not strike the steamer quar-
tering but at right angles running square into herr
the steamer moving, turned the schooner round. |
think we were about ten miles from shore. / saw a
vessels light after we left. The steamer think
could have the light in vessel three miles off
dd not see the schooner after she got clear of u.s.
saw that all the steamers headlights were up
The schooner was running about due east when she
struck us. There a rule that boats going to Mil
waukie should pass vessels on the larboard side.
think the vessel under that wind and Roadway could
have avoided the steamer if within twenty rods of
her, and by great exertiOn even if the vessel was
but three times her length from the steamer she
could have avoided doing serious damage by put
ting helm hard up Had the schooner seen the
steamer halt 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 the cause of the disas
ter. The schooner could have laid to within mile
of us. after the collision, with perfect safety It |
was not very dark, although raining heavily
John Voree, first mate of the Augusta says at the |
time of the collision, it was the Captains watch
The second mate was on deck when the squaI came /
up called the Captain who got on deck as the squall
struck US about one-third of the f0resa and one
fourth of the mainsail were up when we strck the |
steamer. When / saw the steamers lights ahead,
he Captain sung out lizard up" The steamer was
hen crossing our bow. The schooner showed a
white light from to IL. l don't know whether she
lid at the time of collision OF not heard the helms
men answer the order, "Hard up" bnt did not no
ice any change in the vessels course. The Angus
a steers wild, that is, will not answer her helm
eadiy. not two minutes, at the outside after
he order, that the vessel struck. We heard no
Oise whatever from the steamer after the collision.
George Bulge, second mate says 1t was the Cap
aims watch. l was deck. The vessels
curse South by East under full SAIL except the
lain gaff tOp-sail. We showed white light. First
aw the steamers light about ten minutes before
allied the Captain, about one point on the weather
Ow. 1t was about twenty minutes before the col
sion. When called the captain, 1 called him be-
ause it looked squally. When he came up show
q him the light. He ran forward and looked at it.
ut made no remark to me about it. From three to
We minutes before we struck the steamer, he or
cred the helm hard up. The order was obeyed,
ut the vessel did not mind her helm. did not hear
ny noise the steamer after the collision The wind
Tas blowing so we could not hear ourselves from
ne end of the vessel TO the other.
One of the schooner's crew, who was stationed
'rward as lookout, swore he did not the
eamer's lights until just the Captain ordered
elm hard up.
Up to this morning, forty bodies have been reeov-
red, most of whom resided at Milwaukee.