The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-04-20
United states Supreme Court.
the Chonange Disaster

Vm0 Cn0n0mRO OlS00e0r.
INVESTIGATION INTO THE CAUSES OF THE DISASTER
BEFORE CORONER NORRIS AND JURY-HxAM.
NATION or CAPTAIN FILLEBRowN AND KNGINEER
SULLIVAN, ETC.
The Investigation into the causes or the disaster on
board the United States Runboat Chenango BY the exp
sion Of boiler commenced before Coroner Norris
and the following jury yesterday in the Governors Room
Brooklyn City Hall
Abram Ainsee, Robert G. Anderson,
william Arthur, Theodore Ovin9t0n,
Robert J. Hutchinson, William II. Bigeow,
Launceot Keskup, Thomas Kelly.
Tho jury devoted couple Of hours about noon 10 board
ing Chenango making thorough inspection Of the
boiler after which they returned and commenced the
inquest Besides the witnesses there were scarcely half
dozen spectators present.
The Coroner briefly addressed the jury In relation 20
the testimony ho expected to produce regarded the
manufacture Of the boilers and the material used in their
construction, when the following witnesses called -
James F. Sullivan sworn-Resde in Kent avenue, be-
tween Myrtle and Park: am mschnist by occupation;
am now in the navy OF the United States board the
served my time with Mr.. James Binns passed an exami
nation before the Naval Examining Board Philadelphia
@ the va. ON board s
At the bell We started the engine at quarter before or
quarter after three o'cOck-don't recollect which
about quarter after four O'Clock the first thing expo.
renced was the raising Of the floor and low rumblng
noise, when started TO 60 into the engine ROOM and
met MI Cabia the chief engineer. the top Of the
he aid bic hands on me ana asked for Gods sake
npon hs 90
down into The engine room and found the engine going
TO juroy-Iie engine was running nne and smoothly
there was no jar whatever previous to the explosion
after set into the engine room tried the cocks and
found water; did not expect 70 find any IN either
ined the gauges found they had turned to no
thing Mr. Cah before his DEATH said thank God he had
the injection valve returned to the re room and asked
Masters Mate Jaschke 70 get lantern and order Of
his mon 70 see where the water from the deck
tRO ha fEn
and furnace doors opened and started 70 draw the he
took long time to do t. in consequence OF the heat
day Of March don't reCoect which,, tho weather
quite cod and got steam on boiler 10 heat
that boiler lqr about week during that time The
boiler leaked badly and marked all the leaky places
with chalk; We then got up steam on our sarooard
the port boer Mr Cahi sent me to the Morgan Iron
Works TO let them know the state the boiler in
not do 30 for several days; had to put
the work Of repairing the boiler before the Morgan
time We had then found out the leaks in the starboard
boiler and set them to work in caulking that own
went work % .
the port boiler leaked STILL they had cut two tubes out
and caulked at every place he had marked We then
could got but twenty pounds do not know the reason
Why on the sarboard boiler got from forty 70 forty
engine on board but Two kstsiss 81 ooisrs M
s.d q the bosrs: We were si~sys sinferinS al them
from the very first day no one Of the engineers had an
opportunity 70 examine the boilers while they were being
manufactured this was the only trial trip the vessel had
made the boilers had previously been tried for ninety
To the Coroner-Mr Cahin made the remark that he
thanked God that he had two gauges on the boiler to
me- about H. ali new boilers leak these leaked through
the seams and about the rves; am the only surviving
engineer; rs,. :. .,... 49,. ,.-.. !,
boiler and the pump IL s impossible for the water 70
pass from boiler TO the other IL the checks shut
there Ia large steam stop valve on each boiler two
pipes start out from the steam drum into large pipe;
owing TO the large size Of the ppe think the water
through the rent in the port boiler; the engine was
running, and that would be the effect can't say for
snre that there was no water in the starboard boiler
when went down into the engine room, but think there
was not have taken water out since the explosion
had orders not to touch anything let any else
would indicate the amount in at the time Of the
posion frequently pumped water up into the glass
gaugue at six O'Clock AZ night and in the morning all had
disappeared without any Ere UNDER this occurred often
from this judge that the boiler leaked water
hut not %
u the time Of the explosion we're sober: am sure
Capt. 7. Scott Fiilebrown sworn-Am lieutenant
Cbsnango took oommsud 18th November, 1855 She was
then in the hands Of the contractors in New York;
started Friday last the 18th inst left the Navy Yard
for Sandy Hook between two and three O'Clock for the
Tie SiocEsds the sccdsns nsppsSed ssie After four
O'Clock, between For. Hamilton and Iafayetts;i had
Just stepped O dsek from the engine room q me time
OF the explosion that the second time had been in
the engine room since leaving the yard M Oah chief
eogneer in charge; spoke 70 him while down there
working beautifully that be was perfectly ssssssd
with her performance dd notice the indicator the
sosiosa: wEsa below governor. i.na, prs:.urs Of
- = pounds Of steam b. The gauges.
.ss ss' perfect s n M c.s sns
general attention 70 bic duty NY imprsssios d that
there no blame to BE- attached 70 he engineers for the
10 the Coronsr-whsn isft Mr. Cahili he was ii the
bottom Of The iadds. enc vss q the top when The
ian from the arer END q thsoclsr At the time Ism Mr.
CshIi remarked 70 him that rwoud note the tins 70
usos-i did no. - shs boiler sssssS vas the
boiler works short time after The ninety ix hours
trial and asked only general questions ~ to bow
10 tE coronsr-I hAa len Mr. cahill sniy abou. ten
seconds before the the tide was asan N and
10 uror-Think With fall pressure Of steam On the
vessel would run twelve, thirteen fourteen miles
forty i've pounds: asked him had COED dran; he
s.d he had and that there wse no necessity 70 MS the
Scsrs o. = srH y bs
steamer Anscostia N which the engineers and others
called The engine s. cosspos and the boiler teapot
one say anything 10 dpsragemen Of the boilers Of the
10 the cahl spoke 10 me about the tubes
any fear OF the boiler.
Thomas r. Brentman swofn--Am patient now 10 the
Naval Hospital acted a. nurse that IL, rendered all the
assistance could when the came in, about eight
O'clock on Friday night; had conversation wiki william
n. Weir seaman, one Of those scalded and since deed
asked him he thought anything the master with Che
them from the time they put in until they got the
steam up.
Henry X. Donovan sworn-Am the apothecary In the
Naval Hospital had few words conversation with Mr.
Murray Of the second assstAnt engineers asked him
sbout what time occurred and he said about four
O'Clock said something about being uneasy, but did not
mention the boiler my impression that he alluded 70
the bouer although certain whether no alluded
70 Il or 70 his own condition.
This concluded the evidence for tho day, and the In
veeteaticn was adjourned until this Afternoon al three
e'clocks Nk
Sentence or . SvvindSer ~ Boston.
BosroN, April 1850
In the Superior Court "a day Edward p Jenies wss
ssnssossd y two years. hAsd labor u The STATE Pryor