The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-07-24

have not met the men who complained
against me since the complaint was made,
but am very anxious tolmeet them. / say
again, not in bravado, but in perfect SIN
cerity, that l did my entire duty, and can
not imagine why am confined here"
Captain Rowland is q man over; fifty years
old, with gray hair. His face is very intel
ligent, and the story whielri he told Of his
connection with the disaster appeared to be
perfectly frank and straightforward. He
said that he was under. arrest for "gross
negligence" and he declared it a very sim
gular charge to be made by two men, OF
whom one was asleep, and hence knew no
thing OF the circumstances attending the
catastrophe, and the other disobeyed his
orders and went forward when he should
have remained aft. The captain added fur
ther that there was no truth whatever in the
report that he had been on unpleasant terms
with the men Under him, and he character
lied the rlmor that he had been afraid to
eat or drink on board the boat for Tear OF
being poisoned rs ridiculous falsehood."
OPINION OF BoATMEN.
Various opinions exist among the boat
men who live along the shore as to the eX-
act causes which led to the disaster, and the
reason why yacht OF such size and proper
tions should have Jared so sadly. Nearly
all agree, however, that the boat was badly
managed or she would never have capslzed,
and the severest criticisms are passed upon
her sailing-master Candid persons, how
ever, admitted yesterday that it was difficult
to Judge from shore the. force and nature
OF gust OF wind so sudden in its action and
so circumscribed in its limits. 1t is generally
admitted that the squall was what Is called
"vein Of wind" and that it probably cX-
erted very little force except at some dis
tancc above the water This comedies with
the statement OF the sailing-master, who
said emphatically that even after the Vessel
had careened so that her rail was under
water very little wind was felt by those on
deck. Whether the charge Of negligence Is
true, or to whomsoever it may apply, those
familiar with the management of sailing
vessels agree with Captain Rowland that il
the Mohawk had had steerage way she
would have rightcd.
THE MOHAWK DIsAsTER-CoRoNER's INQUEST.
NEW YORK, July 22.-The jury empan.
nelled to investigate the circumstances OF
the loss OF life by the capsizing OF the yacht
Mohawk to- day, after hearing the testimony
of a number OF witnesses, returned YER
dict that the victims came to their death by
drowning, but that Captain Rowland was
not guilty of criminal negligence. He was
discharged from custody.
THE HUDSON RIVER ACCIDENT.
The New York papers of Saturday give
very few additional particulars OF the
drowning of the five young men on the
steam-yacht Stella, which was swamped on
the Hudson by the swell from the steamer
City Of Troy.
The party consisted principally OF menl'
bers of the Volunteer Steamer Company
The foundered yacht was new one, about
which a great deal has been said in the
papers of late. The survivors say that the
City OF Troy passed along without paying
any attention to the accident, leaving the
unfortunate men to drown or not, as cir
cumstances might decide.