The New York herald., 1872-11-16
TBE MISSOURI INVESTIGATION.
Testimony Taken Yesterday Before the
inspectors OF steamer Boilcrs-TOo
Many Cooks Crowding Around . Boat.

Testimony Taken Yesterday Before the
inspectors OF steamer Boilers-TOo
Many Cooks Crovviing Around . Boat.
The investigation into the burning of the Atlantic
Mail Lines steamer Missouri, which was burned Off
Elbow Key on the 23d ult., was commenced yester-
day morning, at the Inspectors OF steamers office,
% Pine street, before Inspectors Bralnard Of Al
bany, and Mathews, of New York.
The first witness called was Patrick McGovern,
one OF the walters on the Missouri. His testimony
was substantially as follows:-
Myself and others OF the crew were trying to
lower the aft starboacd boat. The Captain and
others were working at the aft poop boat, which
they got over all right, and when the men who
were working at our boat saw this they ran and
took possession OF her, and all the stewards de-
partment crowded around the same boat. l went
ait and got into the only boat that saved its crew.
When our boat was gotten out to sea we saw the
boat with nine men, which
HAD BEEN swAMPED.
They cried for us to assist them, and wo were go
ing to their assistance when passenger, named
Outerbridge, objected to such course holding that
our boat could hold no more and that by going
after these men we would endanger the lives OF all
in our craft; urged the crew to make for them
and give them all the assistance we could; two
sailors, named william Jones and Samuel Cohen,
said they would go to the boat and give them
CHANCE FOR LIFE.
We carried our point and made for them, and in
about fifteen or twenty minutes we reached them
and threw them q bucket to bail out their boat
with; they wanted us to take them in our boat. but
the passengers objected, saying that we could hold
no more and that II any more got in
WE WOULD BE IN ALL PROBABILITY swAMPED,
and II we took one we would have to take all.
Jones, one Of our crew, cried out for all hands but
two to get out so as to give the two in the boat a
chance to bail her out One man got out, but as
the others would not follow he got In again.
think If they had got out and had the boat properly
bailed they would have been saved, We proposed
to make Jones the commander OF our boat, but as
Captain Culmer had lived all his life around the
Keys and knew where we were he was put in CON-
mand.
WE SIGHTED LAND
about four o'clock in the afternoon, and were
picked up by the schooner spy at about six p. M.
the same day. During the fire and while was in
the boat the sea was running high and the wind
blew gale.
Samuel Cohen was next sworn. He said that
the fremen and engineer took possession of the
port boat, and that he and the captain, together
with Mr.. Brown, the first officer, tried to get the
forward port boat launched; but, finding that was
impossible, he ran aft and
JUMPED OvERBOARD
The boat In which the survivors were saved
picked him up Every one did as he was ordered,
and all available means were brought to eXtinguish
the fire, but nothing seemed to have effect. The
only way any of the women or children could have
been saved was for them to have jumped over
board, as boat could not live alongside.