The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-03-14
THE H1cALESTER.
Investigation Concerning the MISSING
Drehg boat Continued by the Board.

y,
suant to adjournment. Presentation. J. II
Simpson United States Engineers. Cen. J. A
Potter, United States Army and Capt. Lewis.
United States Engineers.
CAPT. ELwErt
| was again introduced rs witness.
He stated that the stanehio ns now in Major
Hnwel's office never belonged to the MeAlester.
horse power. and her maximum speed nine
miles mn hour. IT there WIS % swell in the sea
she could not 20 iaster with safety. She carried
no sails
The storm in which tho MeAlester set out
came from the northeast. The wind shifted
very rapidly from point TO point, making the
express any opinion as to the way in which the
NJ ~ II st was lost.
sent for. Pending the Captains coming Major
Howel oalle, the attention Of the board to the
article publ he'd in The Times OF January 10.
concerning the McAlesler.
Tue board having tax sn eognizanee OF the
paragraph 1t was resolyed to send this com
| lnunIeation to the editor Of the Times
UNITED STATES ENGtNEER's BUILDING
NO 23 RhnpHrt street.
Messrs. Stoutsmeyer & Juason. Editors Nsw
Orleans Times
GerHemen-As the Board OF Survey now In
session In the above mind building. are very
anxious to elicit al he facts mud circumstances
relative to tho loss Of the I'm ted States steam
dredse MeAester, they request thnt you will
Pile ,se notify tho reporter who wrote the article
y,
ed, Tho missing Mcalester." in which some
very serious charge arc made against the
officer who sent that boat to Sabine Pass In the
condition 10 which she was. thnt his prese nee
Is very desirable, hs soon as possible. in order
that he my testify In the case now pending be-
fore the board.
j, II. SIMPSON,
Colonel Engineer q. s. A.. President OF Board.
Mr. Jeet, reporter Of the Times who wrote The
article spoken OF above was introduced and
MIR. LEETs STATEMENT.
I reside In Now Orleans. It was I who wrote
the article in the Times q the sixteenth January
msr was sent TO Algirrs to pick up any item OF
interest that may fnd. and went aboard one OF
the dredes boa,s. ! do not remember which, |
had a long talk with Engineer Sexton on the
subject OF these vessels. What transpirsd In
our conversation formed the subject Of an article
at he lime. end on ne Information i, ne gave me m,
Mr.. Sexton told ms that those boats wore rotten,
| and upon my expressing the. greatest astonish-
nent. he repeated the assertion and proceeded
to demonstrate 1t practically. He said the tim
bers of which the boats were built would only
last in this Mississippi water o certain number
was older than the MeAestsr, but that tho lat
tor, new and costly as she was. needed to have
her wood work repaired Mt on enormous OK
ppnss before she could be fitted out for service.
On the boat no was on he had steam up. and
be remarked that both .dredge boats had to be
| pumped constantly to keep them ailoat. / tried
| to suggest some use to which they could be put
| he discouraged me completely by saying that
| tho boats were OF no account Whatever. 1 sug-
gested that they did not look to me to be rotten,
| but be- OK claimed to me with technicalties how
| boat can look nice on tho exterior and bethor-
| oughly rotten inside The machinery even, he
| said. was useless. and We finally reached The
| conclusion that n that the boats were good Tor
| was to furnist@employmen to hi m and some
| other excellent gentlemen aboard. When !
| heard the McAies er had gone out to sea- WIS
shocked and surprised, rs thought Mr.. Box
| ton knew what hp was saying. thought ut frst
that M, Sexton was Joking but when heard Of
| the loss Of the McAe7ter and spoke about il
| erybody else seemed TO confirm his Wow Of
| the condition Of the boat.
ment OF tho Times. asked mo why did not OK
pose this business: that | knew tho McAlester
was rotten, etc. told him heard she had
| been repaired. He answered she had only been
and that an acquaintance OF his told him the
| people Of Agiers were indignant that 80 rotten
q boat had been sent to eel. On my telling him
| iii At Ine crow must have known her cond iton
ferred to be drowned rather than die OF starva-
lion. In an article / published many items
wore cut down by the editor, in which ! bad
said that Maj,r Howell was to blame in the
| matter. "a
Mr. seymour, n notary who ly Sss In Algiera
| came to me and approved tho article, and said
| the facts were oven worse than said. and he
blamed MAJOR Howell for sending her to Sabine
PASS.
MR. ROBERTSON,
inspector OF hulIs. was called. and said he knew
| nothing about the McAlester or her condition.
Cen Potter read to the witness the speciflaa
asked whether boat faithfully built according
| to them. would be SO early rotten and unsen
worthy.
Mr. Robertson said that vessel built accord
ing to tn 30 paus would need no eauiklng o
r, pairing for ton years.
| Adjourned to 1880 to-day.