The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-08-18


lowered boat. The statements made by the officers
and by certain passengers placed in the posses
sion of representative of the HERALD for publica-
ton. The captain holds that he was justified IN nus
course; that the girl was probably dead when she
struck the water that she to rise; that
the boat had gone that he could not
have rescued her. that to have done otherwise than
he did with the Bristol would have endangered many
lives TO possibly save me- The passengers VINO
d!ffer with him hold that he should have concluded
nothing as to The girls death by striking the rail-
They further say that the captain being in the pilot
house. was in no position to know ii she sank or
foated and that they could her the surface
for some time after she jumped from the deck. They
declare that the fact that the Bristol got too far away
to rescue her was because the alarm bell,
which had been sounded by the purser.
was countermanded by the captain before
lax on board that the captain and irst officer each
thought the other had put out small boat without
any understanding as to whose was the duty They
point to the fact that the captain said to the first
officer. at is now too late" These statements in
volve SO serious question that give summary
of each of the written ones taken at the time.
STATEMENTS OF THE WITNESSES.
William b. Smith, OF No. 27s Gates avenue. Brook.
lyn. says that he was within ten feet of the girl
and her 60 overheard, just aft the port
paddle box. He notified the waiter inside at once
that woman was overheard, and told him to
stop the boat The waiter went forward and the
boat stopped. He went forward to speak to
some deck hands, telling them woman was over
board but they did nothing
Frank l. Young, No. 12S st. James place, Brooklyn,
says that he the girl leaning the side OF the
vessel He went to her and told her to look out or
jumped over. He went inside with Mr.. Smith and
gave the alarm.
Henry A. Clark. No. l42 Dean street. Brooklyn do
ing business with the Bank OF America says that he
on the lower deck and saw a human being go
overheard and heard groan and saw the person
floating in the water afterward.
Chales f. Wilbur, Post Office box 81. Little Comp
ton Il. l., sitting with two other gentlemen aft
the port gangway and heard quick steps overhead
and voice cry "Oh!" Then he saw person come
the side. strike on the rail and go into the
ter. He ran to the rail and saw her feet floating in
the water for quite while.
jeremiah Riney of Fall River. sitting with
Mr.. Wilbur and saw the woman floating in the
water.
Thomas Frazier, carpenter, of No. At Washington
street. Fail River, confirms these statements and
adds that he saw the suicide floating for quite
while"
MATTER OF OPINION.
Charles c. Read, lawyer, No. ~ State street.
Boston, was watching the machinery OF the engine
room when he heard the bell and noticed that the
boat stopped. He ran out and heard that q woman
overheard. After waiting some time and find
ing that, although the paddle wheels had been
stopped, boat had been lowered and thar the
steamer was under considerable Roadway, he
climbed up at the stern and seeing two officers
in uniform the upper deck called to
them. asking if something could NOT be done
to save the woman and asked il the steamer could
not be backed or u boat lowered. The officer said
no. that they too far away and that they could
see nothing of her. Mr.. Read said to them that he
thought it was outrage upon the public to leave
the woman without effort. The officer replied
that that was matter of opinion. Afterward Mr..
Read went with Mr.. Foss. of Boston. to the pilot
Miller said to them that after tho steamer stopped
he went aft and found that Mr. Saunders. the first
pilot. was there had been there Mr.. Miller
stated to Mr.. Read that they had new men on the
steamer almost every trip He could not say il
there were any seamen on board or not. He had
been aboard every trip for about two months. and
had never any practice at the boats
OF DISCIPLINE.
The first officer told Mr.. Read that for the first
part of the trip the captain remained in the wheel
house, the officers taking charge of the deck. The
first officer was at supper. and came out to see why
the steamer stopped and heard the report of wom-
an being overheard. After some minutes he found the
captain, who asked il he had put boat out the
The captain then said. "Now it Is too late" The
first officer said that no one ought to lower boat
without the captains orders. although it had some
times been done by the first officer. The first officer
declined to answer any further questions or to say
where the captain was. and refused to send any one
for him.
THE CAPTAINS STATEMENT.
All these statements are signed by the parties men,
toned The captain makes the following statement
over his signature Us his view of the matter:-
was in the pilothouse and heard the bell.
supposed q passenger had rung 1t in mistake and
told the engineer to 90 on Then the steward came
and said that woman overheard. l stopped
the engines instantly. but had gone SO far-over u
mile-from where the woman went in and the cur
rent going strong that saw it was useless to
put out boat, especially she had struck hard
enough the rail to kill her in the fall not
seen to rise after she sank She probably went over
when notice was given in the pilothouse.
The channel there is narrow and the wind
have turned the steamer and would have had to
anchor her il had lain too long, which would
cupied by small boats, and it would have been q
dangerous undertaking. 1t was necessary to con-
slider the safety of the passengers on board as well
az this unfortunate creature, and while anxious to
do everything tor her, my duty was to do what
would guard the general not the individual, safety.
The people were greatly excited over this and had
800 passengers to for and had to do my whole
49, A. G. SIMMONS.
Commander Steamer Bristol.
THE BOAT READY NOT LOWERED.
statement prepared in the captains Office by a
gentleman who was passenger. but unsigned, re-
cites the main facts and ays:-"The bell was in
stantly obeyed by the engineer. The boat however.
going at full speed about sixteen knots. and the
unfortunate woman was nearly half mile astern
before the Roadway OF the boat was fully stopped.
The at the falls to lower the boat
banging 0yer tine stern The out uo snS D %a a
in sight and there was tug bunch
of vessels. rowboat and a schooner with her yawl
towing astern the place whore sho struck the
water. The officers of the steamer made motions to
these boats aud vessels. but tho woman had sunk
and did not come to the surface again.
''TIRED OF LIFE."
In the pocketbook lett with the purser $12,
q gold chain JET locket ornamented with flagroe
gold and a diamond There was also a dressmaker s
bill for 81 16s I'D. dated July H. 1879 from No. 10
Crockwell street 1t made out to Miss Roc he by
+. Seccombe. There a pawn ticket OF Edward
Sherman, northwest corner OF Twelfth and Vine
streets. Philadelphia. No. 9l42, showing that Miss
Roche had pawned a pair of diamond earrings tor
so on august 40, 1917, ZIG Jay u uchtu lucrc
was also u memorandum follows:-"Box 226,
uoboken." The note written in the cabin was
closed in the pockotbook In an unsteady hand was
written the page. IL am tired of life. Forgive me.
Joe. cannot live any longer. l cant live without
you. Don't think unkndy of me- The note was
addressed the left hand lower OF the sheet,
"Joe Langfeld. 507 Arch street, Philadelphia" 1t
was folded and bore this superscription.-"Th is
for J. Langfcld. 507 Arch street. These effects
taken in charge by the purser who stated that at
carry hour Sunday he would telegraph the facts
o: the suicide to the superintendent OF Police in
Philadelphia hoping that the girls identity might
be established aud her friends. II she had any. noti-
fed of her sad end.
THE MAN TO WHOM THE PARTING NOTE WAS
ADDRESSED.