The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-11-21

occasion OF the collision between the Fulton ferry
boats Hamilton and Union, on Saturday morning
last, was resumed yesterday afternoon at the Coro-
ner's ONCE, when the following testimony was
elcited:-
TESTIMONY OF A WITNESS OF THE COLLISION
Thomas D. Kidd testified tina, he was first officer
of the steamship Gulf City; that he saw the collision
between the boats Hamilton and Union on Saturday.
14th instant; that he was on board his own ship
which was moored Immediately below the Fulton
ferry. His attention was called to the collision by
seeing the boat coming into the slip 80
rapidly. lie was experimenting the fasten-
my Of his own ship at the Time and
in looking over his shoulder he saw the
side at which the other boat lay he kept his eye on
tile boat, believing that there would be collisions
the boat which was entering the slip was probably
forty fifty feet distant from the other boat when
he first observed them as far as he could see the
nrst mentioned boat went directly on toward the
other boat but he thought she struck the rack first
and then glanced away so that she struck the other
boat the north side; he could not see whether the
wneels were turning or not as the rack 81 tne Terry
noticed the boat coming In the Roadway did not
to him to be checked at until the boats COL
lided; he could not form any opinion " to whether
sne was brought into the Slip properly or not; he
could not say whether there was any tug or other
boat lying across the slip previous to the collision.
TESTIMONY OF THE ENGINEER.
Peter Cahill, engineer Of tue Fulton ferryboat
Hamilton testified tnat on the morning in question
M a DC IL
OF the boat from that time; he did not remember
anything unusual until he heard the crash; he did
not know what caused the crash ut the moment, but
he found out that his boat had c0ided with the
Union; he did not know what time they started from
Brooklyn on the trip on which the collision occurred
the ordinary small bell was rung to start and after
that he heard no bell for perhaps three or four min
but il does not I CO. then he heard one ring
OF the gong, which means ''shut or the
speed Of the engine" then, in couple, ,s Of
as soon as the stop bel was rang Ihe two bells 70
up p un Soad she
soundngs Of the gong to slow, stop and back
were gwen within three seconds. and ne obeyed the
throttle valve handle ct his left hand then to un-
hook" he pulled the gear handle Nwayd hum; he
generally checked the boat With his left hand and
then has his hand on the starting bar ready III case
he should get Che bells to back; he used the same
bar 70 start ~ 70 check the engine worked WELL ne
turned the injection wnee party Is soon as ne neaIa
when the bell to stop was rung, and then turned It
on again when he heard the sback up' bells; he
al Hss h s STACKING stopping, backing snu ~ u
wn liz Omission Ne Sf had saSy SsSesa
is * hssts na he l sanS 6
stop backing This the witness explained and re.
iterated at least half dozen times to enable the
down; everybody else understood at tue
the pa It aoWn and hs witness
ceeded) He stopped backing and then in very
short time the pilot spoke down through the pipe
other boat" it took about three strong revolutions
get the boats clear Of each Others when he got the
signal TO slack up he was on the platform, polishing
signal aud put back the throttle valve boat when
c..S VnCAhn nsxunu az alnu tho 10
would take about six revolutions TO stop the boat
dead he could not say how near his boat was to the
down stairs and he could see nothing hin s' 00'
TESTIMONY OF ANOTHER PASSENGER.
Albert s. Greene, OF ia Van Buren, street. Brooklyn
twenty minutes past seven; he had two young Inen
with MIN; when he was about To go on board he saw
the rear chains up that no more wagons could 70
on board and he remarked that he did not like to 70
on that boat as IL was so crowded. HIS COM
panions induced him to 90 on and they went
until the boat was just near the slip then no heard
the bell to "sack;n he then, with hts companion
went to the door Of the cabin toward the 'front.' and
not open the door very wide In consequence OF the
crowd the boat just then entering the slip; the
heard : young man say, ave are going to strike
that boat" he noticed then that they would strike
the boat even, as he had often been on board when
the boats struck others when they lying in the
slip, but they always came together easily and just
even he heard no signal TO stop or back up but he
were probably thirty.nve feet rom the Union; the
boat was going at aigh rate OF speed just before
the boats struck ne heard somebody from the pilot
house call out to stand back; just then the people
began to press back, and the people from the rear
were crowding forward; he was injured in the groin
and face and mis- boot torn on; he was confined TO
the house for three days.
TESTIMONY OF rHE SUPERINTENDENT or PILOTS.
Luther Smith testified that he is superintendent
OF pilots for the Union Ferry Company; ne knew Mr..
bertson, pilot OF the Hamilton and he has been In
the employ OF the company some sixteen years; he ID
considered very careful and reliable man; Mr..
White got from him (Mr. Smith) permission 70 prac
tice az pilot some three years ago he hes been In
the employ Of the company a. deck hand about six
a. there WAS no vacancy for him he was not pro
moed; the pilots the Union ferry have no licenses
as pilots; they are not required to have licenses;
they examined by practice on board the boats IN
his Mr. Smtn's) presence; Mr.. White has permission
10 steer whenever he chooses; Mr.. White mad 70 OBJ
the wheel Mr.. White has never mad charge OF boat
during q whole day; he has on several occasions
been alone in charge OF the pilot house.
The witness said ne had heard the evidence on the
inquest and being asked 70 what he attributed the
collision, said very sharply, tides" Here the wit
ness exhibited paper p1IPor.inS 70 be diagram OF
he sad:-The tide must have taken the stern Of the
Hamilton around II Ia not always possible for the
pilots know the variations OF the tides; there are
as many boats run on the ferry IL IL possible
have with the number OF slips the company has; ne
has heard some talk In the ONCE OF the intention OF
the company 70 procure more sips; the eddy varies
sometimes IL Is away In and then again away out;
the engineer could not stop the boat in one and .
half revolutions but II the boat was going into her
own slip she would have stopped long before she
reached the bridge; ct Mood the tide runs three or
four knots, and the eddy about y knot aud hall;
the eddy u not caused by the slips; u ~ caused
by the tide returning, striking the Buttermilk Chad
mel tide and then being forced across strikes
the New York shore about Fulton or Beekman
streets; there IN theory for the strength OF the
eddy and such accidents are liable 10 occur ~ any
time Just before GOOD; the boat was not gong too
fast; under ordinary circumstances too faster the
better 10 gain the slip.
STATEMENT OF DIR. BEACH.
Dr. Wooster Beach stated that he had made an ex-
terna examination OF the body and found That there
was great aceration OF one leg and fracture OF the
skull and that these injuries were suilcien 10 cause
death immediately.
VERDICT OF THR JURY.
The Jury retired ut the conclusion Of DIR. Beach's
statement, and after being out about half an nour
returned with the verdct:-"That the death Of
George Brewer was caused by the collision between
the ierryboas Hamilton and Union, said collision
being the result OF the excess or passengers on the
Hamilton thereby rendering her In great measure
unmanageabe In such state OF tideo
ms was declared TO be the UNANIMOUS nnding Of
the jurors, all Of whom signed their Names a. fol-