The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-27
A vINDICATION OF THE Z" KENNE-
BEC,' EXCURSION.

we nave received the following statement
from the Committee who had charge of the ex-
cuIsion that went down to Cape May under the
auspices OF the Scott NJ. e. Church. We publish
1t for the satisfaction of those who believe them
selves aggrieyed in the excursion:-
To the Editors Of The EUenin0 Tetegraph;-
We have been most shamefully abused and
misIepresented ia the daily paper. Touch us
lightly, or these things will have to be proven.
In the first place, we are charged with swindling
We most positively deny it. We have lived up to
our agreement. We were deceived some what in
the capacity of the boat said to be much larger
than she really was. Things have been terribly
exaggerated.
The newspapers stated that we took down 1000
persons, which is not true. Our number going
was 800; coming back, 750 persons. We have the
tickets to show. Again, il Is said that we sold
tickets dd RbatAm, which is not true. We tried
to stop the sale of tickets and they would have
them, and they literally took possession. It
would have taken a reeiment of soldiers to keep
them back. The boat did not rock, as stated;
she listed over-but why ?-because the people
would be on the shady side.
And that the weather was rough is also false:
IL was very pleasant day; we could not have
asked Tor better weather. There was a little
storm coming home, but 1t did not interfere with
the boat a particle. The committee tried to
make every body, SO tar as we could, comfortable.
We had ton of ice brought on board tor the
use OF the passengers, and as far as seats are
concerned, we had every loose bench about our
church on board OF that boat; there we're enough
seats tor five or six hundred; we tried to call in
the tickets, but we could not get them in;
We calculated on seven hundred we did not
want TO take one over that amount but it was
impossible to ascertain the number on Eer until
we counted the tickets then we found we had
something more than our number, tor which we
cannot be held responsible. Here is q synopsis
of the Article Of Agreement between Captain
p X. Clark, acting agent Tor Anthony Raybold
and the Committee
Article l. The said Clark agrees to charter to
the said committee the steamboat KennebPc on
Wednesday, July 25, 1866 for the purpose of
making an excursion to Cape May, to return the
same day.
This was not the case, as we were part of
another day.
Article 2. The said Committee are to have the
use OF reireshment stand and s,ate-rooms, etc.
And 1t is not true that there was an understand
ing between the gentlemen who had the re resh.
ment stand and the Captain, for him to run his
boat slow in order that he might sell out. Sup
pose he had been scarce OF eatables, would
there not have been more censure upon him
We told him most positively to have more than
enough; not to allow the people TO say that they
could not get enough to eat Then, again, il
has been said that the Committee occupied
the state-rooms, which is false. Out of ten men,
three OF them hal state-rooms, for which they
paid like every body else.
Article OF the agreement.-'The said Clark
is to have the boat ready and place her at the
service of the Committee by O'clock on the
morning named above and it is understood that
the excursion will leave Cape May to return
about o'clock in the evening OF the same day."
How could this be done, when we did not reach
there until quarter after 6, after him promising
al least three hours on the beach? And,
further wnat do we understand by the word
ready" as used in the las. article? TO we not
at once suppose the boat all right after him
WOrdI
the Committee to examine the boilers TO see
whether she leaked or not? And we do
know that she has run several excursions from
Wilmington to Cape May, and we know further
that che is to run two from old Chester, and
another from Philadelphia. Now why is this?
Either the owners or the Captain must be at
fault The boat was highly spoken of both here
and at Wilmington, and we knew no better
until we found out by our sad expe-
rience. We heard that she was rather
slow, but perfectly safe. We trust that public
are censurable. If we erred we did it igno-
rantlv. Il legal proceedings are brought against
any one it should be ap painst the Captain, for he
knew her, and we did not, only from reputation,
which was all right as lar as We could learn.
We now append what we have taken our affi-
davits to.
The Captain promised the Committee that
chartered the boat to run us down in nine
hours and bring us back in seven; aud further,
he never told us nything about the boat being
out Of repair, or unseaworthy, but ON the con.
y,
take our affidavits.
PnILADELPHIA July 27, A. D. 1s66.-Person-
ally appeared before me the following named
gentlemen who, being duly sworn according to
law, depose and say the above statement is sub
stsntially correct and true:
7. B. MILLER
JOHN ID. MoRRELL,
THOMAS T. Rocket,
JOHN BONN,
JOHN MCEwAN.
Sworn and subscribed the DAY and date above
written before me,
A. B. POTFENGBR Alderman.
We stake our reputation tnat 1t was far from
the Committee to do anything else but what was
honorable and lust, and why should the Com
mittee be blamed for the slowness of the boat
Does any one suppose that we would risk our
own lives upon an unsafe boat, ii we knew IT.
The idea is perfectly prepOsterous.
Yours truly, I. b. MILLER,
On behalf of the Committee.
Memorandum of Agreement bettcee1 p. X. Clark
(aotlnq dqent TOR AntItOny RegbOtd0, dn1 Reu.