The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-11-19

Confirmation of the Testimony, but No Light
on the Subject.

Continuation Of the Testimony, but No Light !
the Subject.
The adjourned inquest In regard to tho collision |
between the Fulton ferryboat5 Hamilton and Union |
on Saturday morning last was resumed yesterday
afternoon at the Coroners Office, in Centre street.
There was testimony ELECTED which tended In any
way to make the affair clearer TO throw any new
light on the subject. The testimony taken was rs
follows:
George Samrnis of So Ninth street. Brooklyn, tes-
titled as iollows:-Came into the Brooklyn boat on
Saturday morning; into the ladies' cabin;
/ think 1t was about baf-pGst seven O'Clock;
the boat, think, was the Hamilton;
walked into the ladies' cabln, took seat abaft the
wheel on the inside Of the boat was engaged in
reading and paid particular attention 10 Tie
length OF time were on the river until heard the
bell to slow; / did not move Immediately, as I
thought we were not in the slip until OF the
passengers got up, then folded my paper, stood up
and walked forward; when ] within reaching
distance OF the door i met the errand boy
who works In the store with me, I stopped 10
speak TO him, and the first thing knew / heard q
crash and saw the people damned back; ran back
towards the wheel and when the boat wheeled out |
worked my way aft, got on the string piece on the
down town side OF the slip and went ashore; ] then
went around 20 get the boat 10 iind the boy /
had left and there saw the y Brewer lying dead;
looked at him TO see II he was the boy who was
with mo and saw that he was very much
heard am used to hearing bells, but 20 the best
OF my knowledge and belief there was only one bc
rung until the crash; when l heard the bell think
the boat outside the Slip a. looked ont OF the
window aud did not see any pier; should Judge u
was about a minute from the time heard the bell
ring until the crash.
Henry J. Topping OF Tornpkirs avenue, near War
ren street Brooklyn tesiel:-l an q New YORK ana
this case particularly enough to form an opiion On
the subject.
IIereupon the deputy coroner gave digest OF the
tcstmOny-or rather story OF the disasterD order
that Mr.. Topping might be able 10 form an opinion
Mr.. Topping having Deen thereby enabled TO form an
opinion he gave ID as his opinion that the pilot was
correct in coming into the alp the way he id. but
as the propeller was clear OF the slip he did not
think the propeller could have caused the collision,
ana as the boat was SO loaded down she might pos
siby not have answered her helm as to avoid coll
Hiding with the boat or the rack, and then the
tide nigh. have taken her stern and carried 1t 50
as to cause the collision. (uere the examiner ana
witness spoke 30 low as TO be almost inaudibc 10
those present. 1t appeared however, II the w.t.
ness thought there was an error OF Judgment some
tide: there IS no rule about these desthey come M
IN a moment and go away just IA sudden; man
with the very best Judgment may at any time be liza
bic TO meet with an accident; 1t IL very
likely that there might possibly have been an eddy
enough TO swing the boat around, especially as tn,
boat was so low down; about half an hour before
high tide the tide runs perhaps knot Knot and
o half; there might be an eddy in the slip thur
would take the bow while the stern was in the regi-
lar tide don't know but what there might be rules
IN the charts about the strength OF the tides, but
Judge mostly from observations the tide Is Influenced
the eddy at this point OF the river commencing
about Beekman street; dare say the eddy l. caused
by the piers themselves don't think the eddy runs
more than half as strong real, good food tide;
II the boat had not been so loaded down think the
pilot could have steered against the force OF the eddy
easily; have not had any experience with steam-
boats, bnt think so; think IL might possibly nave
been harder to bring the boat in properly she WAS
not on direct line n she was on sheer IL would
have been more difficult TO have entered the sip,
Charles Reade, OF No 80 Hicks street, Brooklyn,
testlnedI was standing on the outside 81 ts chans
on the Union lust the point Wncfe sDe WAS
struck; saw the Hamilton coming into the slip
rapidly and noticed that she was unusually heavily
loaded; friend who was with me said, l' bet that
boat Ia on the centre and can't back? tal1 ~ was
funny she did not back and thas sne %ou ah come
stern was swinging towards Beekman SIP
very rapidly; noticed that tnc , uccn o.
Union: the Hamilton came on and struck US just be-
tween the rudder and the wheel; don't understand
not ba1 lost command OF the holm; assisted in
helping the wounded; noticed that the wheels OF
inc slip and / positively swear that the wheels
were not backed until alter she struck; noticed
particularly az was ss e 70 ers saa S S Ia.
the boats were my yards apart when first noticed
the Hamilton coming IN, and noticed also that the
tide was running very hard.
Thomas H. Love OF 255 Gold street, Brooklyn. ties.
t9cd:--Was on the Hamilton on saturday morning,
in the horse gangway ut tue front; ! saw the pro-
peer across the slp tine propeller left the slip when
we were about threc-quarters OF the way over when
we were about 1fty yards from the slip heard
one bell sound when We were about hair boats
length from the Union heard two bells 10 back IN;
stood there until we were about twenty feet from
the Union, and as saw there q collision coming
] backed OUT after the collision ] heard the bell
again and the boat backed ont; after the first bell
rnng the wheels were stopped and remained per-
fcctly stili until the collision; ] don't know how,
many were injured but saw several carried away.
The further Investigation was adjourned until Fri
day afternoon, ut two O'Clock.
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FATAL ACCIDENT AT THE WASHINGTON RRLAY.--On
Monday night lady named Mrs. Starkweathcr,
aged sixty.one years, travelling from Washington In