The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-19
TIE PERIL ON THE COAST.
MORE FfCrS ABOUT THE WY THAT
LTEEBOITS ARE MiNNED.
Invitinn Disaster on the Sands of New Jersey
- An Investigation Held Behind Closed
Doors, and with Picked Witnesses.

"
- An Investigation Held Behind Closed
Doors, and with Picked witnesses.
Along the Now Jersey shore December is
marked by castcrly gaics whose violence has
been too often nttes,cd by wrecks and wholesale
loss Of life. II is because the people OF this scc-
ton feel that no time should be lost that thnv
ara clamoring for instant change In the man
agcmcnt Ofthc life saving service. The Ominous
state %! ihinrs at stations and 7, and the wide
spread apprehension Of disaster in those local-
ties have been disclosed in THE SUN. and now
that the facts arc known. here is a general cx-
pectation that the representatives " CONNER
cial interests in New York city will compel a
prompt reform. The condition Of the lifcboats.
and other appliances OF relief. from Cape May
to Sandy Hook. il not a thing OF local concern.
II is the shipowners and Insurers of New York.
and all those obliged in the course Of business
or OF travel to confront the pcrls Of the sea. TO
whom this matter Is Of vital import.
The feeling Of dissatisfaction and disgust
along the shore Of Monmouth county las rench-
ell it, hoight since the pretended official inves-
tiga,ion. which took place ON the evening Of
Friday. Dec. II. II was made plain by these
proceedings that unless the New York Chamber
Of Commerce and the steamship companies
take the business in hand and compel Il thor
ough reconstruction of the lifc-saving service
ON the New Jersey coast-bcginning with the
dismissal Of the present Superintendent. Ia
vcns-no change Of moment can he hoped for.
As will be shown presently. the social "a inves-
tigation wns farce ana made II obvious that
Capt. Mcrriman the Chief Of the service, whose
zeal and qualifications arr not disputc a. Is frus
rated and misiniormed by his subordinate.
somblancc OF an inquiry was conducted by the
latter officer and which. by the way. was u fac
smile of his performance Just year a'.O. after
the loss of the bark lijukam. will throw the
strongest light ON his management OF the SER
1t is understood that last Fridays investga-
ton was undertaken by order Of Capt. NJ rri-
man, to whom had been forwarded some. DAYS
Hal citizens Of Deal ASbury Park. aud Ocean
Grove. without distn tion q political purity;
facts reported in Mondays SUN, and 40 many
q the signers were personally known to Capt.
Merriman it could not fail 70 enforce imme-
man Ind been prcsr mt in person he would not
have excluded the most respectable members Of
called inquiry WIS going on. He would doubt
less have welcomed the evidence or the suLges-
tions of such citizens ~ James A. Bradley, who
has done more than any man now living for The
deyglopment Of this part of Monmouth county;
as William Hathaway, one OF the best known and
Hathaway a leading merchant Of AsDury Park.
and others equally cons picuOus in the adloin-
ing town OF Ocean Grove. \ letter has been
shown TO the representative Of THE SUN from
Capt. Merriman 10 james \. Bradley, who owns
ana edits the Ashury Park Journal. That news
ihper had shown up the character ~ an inquiry
instituted last winter. and which had bct n ron
dcred nugatory 10y the devices OF Superintenj-
eut Ravens. ana the editor wis given to under
stand that nj u future time any testimony he
could olur would be gludly taken.
Now let Us soc what actually took place a the
official Investigation ordered for last Friday
evening, On the afternoon Of that day three or
four individuals arrived in Ashury Park, and
notified few picked witnesses TO attend be-
fore them The good people Of the ncighbor-
hood were surprised TO And thatthis board Of in.
curry was 10 be nr, sIded over DN superntendent
appointments, and TO whose charge every lie
lost during the present winter through misman-
ngcinent OF the ilie-saving stations ought 70 be
laid. They were still more astonished To learn
that this examination. presumably made in an
swer to their remonstrance. would be strictly
private. hot even the representative of the AS
bury Park JOulsdl being permitted 10 be- pres
eIt. Mr.. c. 7. Bailey An assistant editor OF that
newspaper. applied for admission. AMI was re-
fused. What transpircd. therefore. can only be
CLEANED from the few witnesses summoned,
among whom. however. doubtless in accordance
with strict injuncti9ns from Cabi. Merriman,
was kusse White, TINS mnn. Whose name Is
the brAvest and most efficient suriman on the
NV 'rs"y coast, gave PLAIN tatcment Of the
facts connected with TIE wreck Of the Rlukapi
almost year ago. IL" showed that when h.
alled for volunteers To- board the sink iug YES
sci he personally addressed VAN Note. the pres
cnt Keeper O, Station g. AMI that the latter re-
fused 10 60. l. appears chat Van Note. put ON
the stand. tried 10 eVldc the force OF this evil
dence by swearing that his superior, Allen. Mt
To- enter tn boat Thereupon Allen was cailei
and he stlned TINT he did request Van Note to
~ with NAit", At THIS point, superintendent
Ravens seemed 60 think that he was sottin.s too
mu b eviden -, and. accordingly, he omitted TO
call three or four other Witnesses who had been
Ires nj at Tie scene oil the wreck, and We're
cagrr 70 testify L. the sam" lurport.
Another 'Niure OF ti- notable examination
Is worth marking. !, appears that none Of the
few witnesses who were allowed to give evil
drnor IN the wrong side Were permitted to tell
a straightforward story. tut were compelled to
L.
questions. That the whole proceedings We're
manipulated with the Wow Il vindicatins the
his superior was rendered evident by the steps
taken after ia" adjournment ui the mock court
Tho rrgoi bong, g. say the least conflicting as
to Van Notes efficiency a. u sYriman. II WAS
propose 10 offset THIS awkward circumstance
by a demonstration Of h.s remarkable skill in
III" u.s. Of the mortar and ne Accordingly, the
Official board Of investigators proceeded TO sta
ton u. where. the apparatus having been pre-
Whether the results OF this precious expert
neut y b. communicated 10 Capt Mcrrman
Is douhtiul, sln,e, according 70 rye.witness"s,
the line fell one hundred lect short oi the object
aimed at
THIS pretended investigation of which no ade.
quite notice WAS gwen. which was conducted
bch nd closed doors. and presided over by the
incrminatod on GER I'm" super int"ndeni being
responsible Tor his apnoihimcnts'. aud from
| which tho most respectable citizens nnl tho
r,prrsentaiv- oi tue press were rN ,ludrd, took
place i've day' ago. NJ change whatever has
been made. nnI indeed - any chang locked
for so long A. Hayen- retains oNlce. No oil c'nl
ans N"r - forthcoming to IN :" luil lam ntnl IN
| puirics. namely: Dd, or did not, tn" crows OF
| stations and 7refuseto mi out 70 the wreck
| Of the bark lAukam on the 10Th Of last Decnm-
! her? D.d. or did not. Russell White. with four
| volunteers. force way through the surf to the
| lost H. and bring on her crew TO the last
! man, In tine face of thut Achievement has. or
has not this man not only failed Of rlghtiul pro-
! motion. hu been summnrily expelled from Lis
Old place in the service Ana, finally, Las, or has
not Cornelius Van Note, VINO according To- I'M
| questioned evidence. refused 10 second White
| IN the performance ufhs duty. been appointed
over the luiter's head "a Ice Captain Of station
| These ar tho questions 10 viii IA tlie chiof of
| the service viii do well to- require nm answer
These are the gu, ~tlous which are seen 10 bc OF
| urgent ami supreme Importance by the people
| dwelling on the coast who know the facts and
| the grim signl oance which the events Of the