National Republican., 1874-05-09
STEAMER PGNEsYL HANLA.
OF oARF. BRADY IN tn
SALVAGE SUIT.

/ STEAMER PGNEsYL HANLA.
TESTIMONY OF oAAr. BRADY IN THE
SALVAGE SUIT
Capt. CoFnsftss L. Brady gives the following
testimony before Commission Or Abior, in Phila-
delpMs; on Tuesday aftsrnoon, in the suit bought
By him ssainssS The American Steamship Com
pany:
i am ehe IIbsisnr m this case; was Ia'I.iTsrpooI
on the 2tst Of Fsorussy last; purchased . ticket
\ for q passage TO Pbilafsjphs on the PennsylYs-
MIA from the agent, paying about sol. .safh goldS
went % bosrd that afssrDoon; tbe1p were twelve
PASSENGERS in the sseersgs and Nj. wflceh and
myself In the cabin. Fhe vessel saihed thss 2fst;
| had modArate weather up to tho sd: stopped tho
Id abourifourhours> to- repair the sngIns-roonn:
on the 23dcomnsncsd TO- eueoqnter sttong west
erSy gales, with heavy seas which eoneinued up
| to tbs nth
On the morning of the'3ah sncounterad vtoJ
lent gale from the northwest, with q high, con.
fused sea. the ship Isboring badly and taking;
| heavy seas, sreepfag everything movable from
| the decks; nc, noon tbs weather became more
moderate; encountered furious gale from west
| to northwest early i0'ths afternoo7; the sea ran
fearfulByr and ths shtp stralnsf frfShtfuIIy; tie
day ended with d violent hurricane; the wind was
| about Northwest; % the night Of the storm-that
Is, on the Z1th-I was on the officers eompanion-
way, loosing outs I did not retire; because
"oAeOu ~ HOso Lu0 5t0EEAY ulob " OapLaln
Bradburn= he was comiag -ou deck from tho
pursers rOom; had . short conversationT shipped
| gigantic sea over the staFboaSd beam q abafE
1t, which stove the forward end audiparr Of the
ytarboard side Of the social hail. flooding the sa-
loon; went an, and with the ercarpsntsrproeeeded
to repair the social hall about mfdaight the ship
eacounterct the centre Of the eyolons; about this
time, while changing watches, and wAiIs I was
still in the social hall Ut work she shipped aao1her
fearful sea over the starbosrd side, fEwar' Of the
beam, placing the ship for time in crltcs5 con-
dtiOn, she being In the trough Of the ssa; sOgrsat
was the shock TO the ship that I.thOuEht she
would hardly raise to the next seas. At the time
was In the social hall. We though she was
going to pieces. Never felt worse shock. Will
liams, the steward, sang out to me that ths sea
had stove her forward matches and was nlIing;
| ran down the saloon companlonway into the steer
age; found . majority Of the crew and passengers
there, including Mr.. Rivers. They were all panIc-
stricken. M. Rivers was on the port Ids.of tho
deck leaning against the pump withsa globe
lamp in his hand. Seeing nobody doing anything
for the ship, and knowing her danger, L ordsred
all present to pass the lower matches, upou. the
deck, to secure the upper matches, and detailed
all hands into three gangs to execute those or
ders. Seeing the captains servant told him
to tell Capt. Bradburn what had done. Mr..
Rivers was leaning against the pump-Wsll
saying nothing. Asked him II he was not one
OF the officers. His reply was, ayes, sir" I
asked him why he was not trying to save the
ship3 He shrugged his shoulders, and asked,
"What can dor What do you want me to DO ?"
told him to go with the rest and get the matches
secured. He went among tho men already obey
ing my orders, and took no further notice OF him
The captains servant returned and sang out that
he could not Hnd Captain Bradburn; that hs " as
afraid he was overheard. I told the men TO use
all possible dispatch to secure the matches, and
started on deck TO look for myself. Experienced
some difficulty 10 getting the men to work. Il
was necessary to use force to some and encourage
ment to others. I went on deck to the aftsr
wheel-house. Asked the qusrtermaster at the
wheel where Captain Bradburn was. He replied
he had gone forward a short time previous to the
bridge. Seeing no person or ofaeer on deck aft,
started forward to the bridge to look for Captain
Bradburn. At this time R was blowing
hurricane, and the ship was In the trough Of the
sea. When saw the wreck Of the house and
bridge realised that Capt. Bradburn and his men
must hayo been washed overheard. Went for
ward and found no person. Immediately went
below to see IL my order was being executed.
When went on the steerage deck to the main
hatch found portion Of the men at work A por-
tlon could not see. did not know what had
become Of them. 1t was understood that Oapt
Bradburn and the oHicers were washed oysrboarsy
and II created great CONSERVATION. Realizing the
necessity Of some one taking command Of the ship,
directed the men to secure the matches, and
started on deck to take charge. On my way
Blake, first assistant engineer, cried out, "For
Gods sake, Mr.. Brady, take charge Of the ship"
Several sailors called at the same time; the pureeR
and the doctor implored me to take command
replied that had done so, and called out to the
steward not to allow any liquor about This was
the first time saw Peterson that night from tho
time I was in social hall. When got on
deck the ship was going from six to
seven knots, making from thrty-seven to
thirty-sight revolutions. I ran into the en-
gine-room and ordered the engineers to
20 dead slow, just 80 she would turn
over the centre. This order was promptly obsyed,
and ran on deck. From the time went on deck
to look for Capt. Bradburn to the time came on
deck 70 take charge, after giving orders to slow
down. the ship was without a-comnander. There
was no person on deck except the men In the after
wheelhouse. When got On. deck It was blowing,
and the ship in the trough Of the sea. When
went into the wheelhouse the ships head was
southwest, with wind northwest. Quartermaster
Murphy said he was steering southwest, half or
three-quarters west. l told him to port helm and
let the ship come up head to the sea; brought her
up gradually from southwest to west northwest,
six points, and hove her to. She ceased her labor
ing and strainng heavily, and took little water
on deck. Remained in the wheelhouse looking
out the only window that was open, steering the
ship by the sea- Every time the wheel was moved
l gave the order how and when to move Il.
brought the ship up from west northwest to north
west half west, and remained in tho wheelhouse
until between 0 and 10 o'clock the next morning.
About 2:l5 left the wheel for few minutes for
the first time to put pair Of boots on. Mr.. Rivers
came into the vheelhouse and reported to me
that he had secured one Of the matches. That
was the hrst time saw Rivers come to the wheek
housethat night. asked him to stop there, but
he refused, as he was wet and cold and had No
rest. went away and stayed three minutes,
when Rivers went away, and did not see him
again until the next morning From the timo tho
big sea struck until l took charge about nfteen
minutes elapsed. About o'clock on the morning
Of the 18th the weather became morsmodsrate. :
moved the ship ahead slow. Gave directions To-
have the matches permanently secured, but after
ward found tbs order had not been complied with.
Found tho men were slowed away In tAe hoia.
among them being Daniel Whitaker. Ordered
the pp.ser to bring the articles on decse eaR tne
rob and ascertain how many men were lost. me-
Z.ddowes came or to the wheelhoass about day
light and asked me 10 retain charge Of the salps
saving I was the emily eompssent man aboard.
The purser doctor and several others asked me
previous to the muster to keep charge. Al tne
muster all were present except tho man q the
wheel. Itold them had been asked oY amaIor.
a., - tta on GERS 10 take charge Of tho ship, Sq3