The New York herald., 1872-09-14
THE METIS INVESTIGATION.
Ninth Day--Testimony of the
Steward. f.,
The story of tho OmccrS
CorrObOrated.
Tho Captain and Lieutenant Of the MOccasin
on the Disaster.

PROVIDENCE, II. a., Sept. 49, 1872.
In the Metis disaster investigation to-day Daniel
n Mclean, the steward, testified that he saw that
all the stateroOms were unlocked and the pas
sengers got out; there were good many lady pas
sengers on board; he assisted many OF them TO adj
just life preservcrs there were printed notices I'M
every room directing passengers where to find Ire
prcservers; witness weighs 2e7 pounds; he was
saved on cork mattress. 81 rn vorr 90 "a
william M. Patrick fireman, was on duty whenI
the collision occurred; afterwards was relieved
and retired to his berth In the forecastle below the
main deck after got into my berth the second
mate came down and held o lantern under my|
BERTH looked under and reported no water
coming In soon after all the deck hands werol
called to come and help trim ship when the sail0rs
went out the ship was Sisted" over on the port
sidc the next thing the water was coming In the
headlights on the port side, about foot above my
berth, which was an upper BERTH tried to stop the
water, SO that could sleep, but found could not
stop 1t, as 1t coming in too fast, SO stuck my
head out OF the berth and saw water on the fore1
castle floor; put my shoes on and went and re-
ported TO the bow watchman; was well 2cquainted
wooden b1lkhead forward Of the boiler; there Isl
just room enough to get by forward by the boiler
the planks run dagonally; the bulkhcad extends
clear to the main deck; there were no doors or
matches III 1T;
NEVER KNEW OF ANY HOLES "a.
being made in it; the forward bukhead was built'
the same as the after one; the forecastle nOor was
about six feet from the deck here was q hatch in
the forecastle floor; know because have oeeni
down it; there was q hole in the bulkhead below,
the iorecastle Goor into the freight hold, on the
chopped through; 1t was large enough Tor Inc to go,
through, and have been through; the second mate
castle floor was Just forward Of the samson posSy
! the second mate remained In the lOrecastie ab0ot
three minutes; he was not there any longer, for he
al w mt Ia m N Nnl w VpOt ont.
ship went down not half an hour after saw water
on the forecastc floor; the second mate did not go
to the forward portside or the torecaste,
and looked under the upper berth; he did not go
within ten feet OF the scu tie in the iOrecase floor
he did not come down again no other person came
down into the forecaste until was driven out BY
water was about half foot deep on the forecastla
h99r; -, ,oo. , .,, ..s.e., .,,.
there were sixteen deck passengers; when th0
ship began TO settle he took them ait anu upon
Bridget o'Bricn tcstincd-was in the ladies'
cabin; heard no warning given In that cabin. ei
Testimony OF Captain Richie.
Captain David Ritchie, Of the revenue cutter
Moccasin said he was in Stonington Harbor on the
30th ult., at twenty minutes alter nine O'Clock A..
M; boat came alongside from the steamship
Narragansett with the nrst oficer of the Narragan.
sett on board; lie informed me that o boat from
the steamship Metis had come to him and reported
that they had LEFT her disabled and helpless with
$50 passengers on board, OF whose fate they knew
nothing at ALL Immediately ordered steam; al
fiftecn minutes past ten got under way; at quar-
70 a. sae o G inv
on the steamer and then stood down ior the
quarter to four +. M, having picked up seventeen
dead bodies, and, seeing NO more, re-, ! started for fcr
forty-two living and seventeen dead; those that
were dead ali had llfe-preservers on; the
d nSss sss well the
wereein most instances put on very well and in
the kn9% 9S why y & Ge oS ge
longing to the ship on board passed us near enough
TO throw biscuit on board before we went ia
get notice until twenty minute past nine A. NJ. an
hour and twenty minutes were thas lost.
Testimony Of the Lieutenant of tho
Moccasln.
Lieutenant Irish, OF the revenue cutter Moccasin,
testified that he first saw the smack that had the
steamers people on board not far from seven
O'Clock the storm was moderating; she passed US
faces on board; think any one could lave made
himself heard on any part Of our vessel 4 he
of distress an hour before she passed us, which
probably, would lave been seen, as we were watch,
boat to her Immediately and 1t could have got back
within an hour; we probably should then have
at anchor inside the breakwater; our coiors were
set at eight O'Clock; think any person familiar
with vessels would have known we were revenue
Testimony OF tho Ex-supcrintcntlent Of
the Line.
Captain Jederah Williams testined-I was fors
merry superintendent OF the Providence and New
York Steamship line; 1t was part OF my duty to
superintend the repairs OF those boats We altered
and and saloon on pi the upper deck The The
Metis had three water tight bulkheads when
| she was built; the forward was
twenty-five feet abaft the stem Of the fore
abaft the first, and the third one about forty feet
abaft the second, directly abait the engine The
! two last named bulkheads enclosed the engine anf
bOilers the port one was cut through Or engineers
and oilers to pass through and was left open, SO
that IL was the same as no bulkhead; also had
head; it was done ior the purpose OF putting in
keels0ns when We put in new boilers; ! think 1t
was two years ago last February. The holes cut in
that bulkhead were fifteen o. sixteen inches
by two two and hall feet; wo
also cut holes higher up, above the
same time with the others; should think they
two feet by two and half or three feet; they
were cut to shift the coal forward from the coal
bunkers into the freight hold forward so as TO re-
heve the coal bunkers these holes were stopped
by extra stanchODs being put on the outside and
bolted to the original stanchions and then planks
put on outside; my impression is that the
inch plank; the plank put In these openings was
two thicknesses OF matched stun; superntendeu
the job OF closing these holes myself tho work
being dOnc by O. Il r. Poon, OF New York when
left that work l considered 1t as strong as tha
original bulkhead; the holes on top OF the keee0ns
occasion to make openings in the forward bulk
head, and never heard Of any being made.
CONGRESSIONAL NOMINATIONS.