Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-07-23
the nARRAeansErr DISASTER
Doings Of the Court Of lnvesti-
cation, at New London.
FURTHER TESTIMONY REGARD
ING THE DISASTER.

NEW LONDON, Conn. July %. VIM
kernon, a colored waiter on the Narragan
sett, testified that he was Oh watch AZ tn,
time of the collision. in the stateroom hall
alone. After the collision he went forward
/ 10 see where the steamer was struck. Their
| came aft. knocking at the stateroom doors
and calling TO the passengers to get out quick
then got out life preservers and distributed
them TO the passengers. He remained in the
stateruom until the water reached it, when
he went TO the hurricane deck. where a boat
with ten persons took hiM off. The boat
picked up others from the water.
Peter Z. johnson, pantryman of the Maria
gansett, testified: AT the collision the lamps
went out and he went up stairs TO get a Ian
tern, and called out to passengers in the tor
ward cabin 10 leave the cabin. Before he did
there were fifteen to twenty passengers in the
forward cabin. He was confident no mat
tresses were on the floor, as there were plen-
" of spare berths. He assisted in lowering
Il boat, and went with Waldron and johnson
TO the steamer City of New York, and did not
return to the Narragansett.
Jane Johnson, stewariess of the Narragan-
sett, testified that her duties were to attend
TO passengers in the two ladies' cabins. One
was reached from the main cabin by stairs in
the rear. As soon as the boats struck, she
got up. and being told there was danger.
called such passengers in her cabin as mad
not left their rooms. They went out on the
quarter deck. and she assisted them in putting
on life preservers. Was confident there
were no passengers in the lower ladies cabin
and only two of the upper berths in the main
cabin were occupied. All the other berths
and all the state rooms were filled. In every
stateroom there was preseryer to each
her MI nj .f tl..f nj nf "a o. har
After leaving the cabin, the officers assisted
her to boat by which she left the steamer
Witness stated 1t was not the custom to give
out berths in the lower ladies' cabin until all
the berths in the main cabin were disposed
of; also there were no mattresses made up in
the cabin that night. She estimated the num-
Der of berths occupied in the ladies' cabin
that night at 20, but could not say how many
passengers were in the state rooms.
Abram Banks, steward of the Narragansett,
testified in regard to the sufficiencv of life
preservers on board, and to their good con
dition.
kernon testified that as a general rule if n
party bought two or more tickets with a state
room, the passenger list would show but one
name for that stateroom. Thought there
might be 26 names obliterated on the original
passenger list, which would make the entire
number called for by his list 22o, or 63 less
than the number of passengers known TO have
been on the steamer.
Charles w. Field. ID mate of the Nara
gansett, gave testimony as to lowering o: a
boat and launching two RATS, the second of
which he went on himself, being driven off
the steamer by fire. Returned with boat
from the Stonington, rescuing passengers.
Positive all rescued passengers had life pre-
servers. Could not say how many OF the
crew assisted in lowering and manning boats.
Men behaved well and without excitement
Saw no cork mattresses in the water, though
he knew of some on board. Boats had been
taken down two or three times since April,
but no general drill in them. Received no
instructions rs to exercising crew in the boats.
There were - or 80 condemned preservers
on the main deck. Never heard the first Of
ficer order them put ashore
ii. Nandcrveer. second mate of Stoning-
ton. sail that after the collision he COM
menccd t. lower away staIbuard quarter boat.
When he asked the captain if he should clear
away the boats the captain replied he did not
know. He went in the boats four trips, pick
ing up Il number of people on the first and
second trips, after which he found no more
to rescue At no time saw first officer Brain
ard of the Stonington. There were four
boats in all lowered from the Stonington.
Solomon Gale. passenger, testified as to
the personal experience OF himself and wife.
He had a defective preserver. His wife and
two other ladies were in a stateroom of tia,
City of New York till 3 o'clock the next after
noon without any clothing. No relief of any
kind was furnished her or any other passen-
ger, SO far as he knew. by the officers of the
Stonington line. He was compelled to walk
II miles to a nephew's to get clothes for his