The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-04-07
HA Thorough InvestigatiOn."

Gmu1 nOWHiu3 ~o yooiss NhAos
"a Thorough Investigation"
Some weeks ago the emigrant ship
Cospatrick, bound from England to Aus
tralia. was burned at ssea, resulting in
the death OF nearly all the passengers
and crew. Punch thus reports the in
vestigation of the disaster:
The loss of the emigrant ship Cross
bones, which took fire on the voyage
to Australia, and was burned to the wa
ter's edge, all hands being either burned
or drowned, with the exception of one
man and boy, was the subject OF an
inquiry held yesterday. 49,.
The court was composed exclusively
OF ship-owners. Mr.. SERGEANT Buzz uz
represented the Board of Trade ana the
charterers, while Mr.. Phunky attended
on behalf of the relatives OF the passen-
gers and crew.
MI. Serjeant Buzfuz in opening the
matter, said that they were met to in
ouire into the loss OF the ship Cross
bones by fire, together with nearly five
hundred lives. No doubt such untoward
events would occur, but In order to meet
the requirements OF the Board OF Trade
certain witnesses--including the survi-
yors-one man and boy-Would be called
| to prove that no blame could be attached
| to any one, and that the vessel was all
| that could be desired.
| The survivors, VINO had been spending
the morning at the owners office, were
then brought into court. They looked
still very i'll.
| James Jonah, able seaman, deposed
| that he was one OF the crew OF the Cross
bones; he had been so ever since she
was launched; she was then called the
Deaths Head. She went ashore on her
| first yoy age, and strained herself. Was
alterWard heightened and rechriSJened.
Everything went well till the fire broke
out. Couldn't imagine how she could
possibly have taken fire. The cargo was
composed of pitch, tar, resin, Oil, paraf-
fine, petroleum, rum, brandy, spirits OF
wine, fireworks, gunpoWder, etc. Did
not consider that an imhammabie cargo.
Thought the ire must have originated IN
one of the water tanks. There were
quite enough boats. None of 'em were
OF any use. Was saved by clinging to a
bit OF raft with the boy.
Serjeant BuztuZ-And that is how you
were buoyed up. Laughter.l
Witness-Was rescued by the Peru
Wan bark Pick me-Up, the captain Of
which treated US most kindly. Hit ev-
erybody but us over the head with beiay-
ing pins. -.....-..-.-. -
inform the court that it had been inti-
mated TO him that her Majesty's govern
ment intended presenting the captain, III
| year or two, with Kaleidoscope and
| tin speaking trumpet.
Examination resumed: Considered
the Crossbones one OF the safest ships
afioat until she was lost. Would not
have the slightest objection to have gone
to sea in her again, with the same cargo,
provided he was saved, and it was made
worth his while. Considered lueifer
matches on the top Of powder barrel
or petroleum cask rather ornamental
! than otherwise.
Mir. Phunky was proceeding to exam
| inc the witness when the court ad-
journed for lunch.
: On it's reassembling, Mr.. SERGEANT Buz-
fuz submitted to the court that Mr.
Phunky' mad no locus standi.
| Mr.. Phunky said that he appeared Tor
certain persons who were not quite sat.
ished.
serjeant Buzfuz-Some people are
never satisfied.
MIR. Phunky-I mean to say that they
are not satisfied tnat the vessel was
well found.
SERGEANT Buzfuz-How could she have
been well ''lound" when she was lost!
Much laughter, which was not sup
pressed.l
The boy who was saved was then
called, and corroborated III every partic-
ular the evidence OF the former witness
Thought the lire might have originated
in the rore-top-gallant mast. Felt very
hot after climbing up there.
An experienced stevedore was then
called by Mr.. Pnunky, and said that ne
| n,iI nr "a H1nplrDlIs
one, when ne was stopped by Mr.. Ser
| jeant Buzfuz, VINO called the attention
of the court to the fact that witness
A dropped his 'H's' and was evidently 8
| most Objectionable and unrtustWorthy
| person.
The court allowed the objection, and
| the witness was ordered to stand down
| The learned SERGEANT then said that il
appeared to him quite unnecessary te
address the court any further.
| The court, after consulting for two
minutes and three-quarters, said that il
was certainly most unfortunate that the
majority-in fact large majority-of the
passengers and crew OF the Crossbonef
should have met with such disagree
able fate, but it could not be helped
| Every thing that science, experience anC
skill, as well as petroleum, pitch, tar
| gunpow der, spirits and other powerful
agents could do, had been done, and the
court only hoped that the owners were
fully insured. If the unfortunate cap
tain were before them, the court w0ult
have Immediately granted him new
certificate, in case his old one should
have been burnt. The court was unani
mously of the opinion that the cargo was
of most harmless description ana prop
erly slowed. They would however re
commend that in the future the boats
should not be launched keel upwards
and that when Captain Shaw returns
from Egypt he should be consulted upor
the best method OF suddenly extinguish
ing ignited spirits and petroleum, al
we'll as fireworks.
MI. SERGEANT Buzfuz entirely concurre(
with the court, and was happy to sa!
that the owners were more tnan fully i'll
sured.
The inquiry then terminated.
Ex-senator Carpenter says, in writin!
to Milwaukee editor in indignant denia
of report against him which his pape
= had ventilated 81 am not so uureaSOu