The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-07-26
WOMAN sATYT.H:Ell7lYI.H:]:E!E:I[
oFTHE DOOMED STEAMER scloTo.

.t55 Il ~ 4 49, b. n
Bat Il va, sons.lme Before the Collision, and She
was not hary Hard.a-so Some rassually later. +
8 esti.E TatinoaI Isstsrdar-Ths Pint Lady
i. n ltats-Bst the Fad H. Not Yet.
The investigation Of the cause Of the scioto
md John Tomas collision was resumed yes.
terday by Local Inspector Young and Mil.
son, after three days rest, and some inter.
es,ing testimony was taken, a part OF It serv.
Ing to throw good deal Of light on the cir.
cumstances surrounding the disaster. q
The courtroom was not so crowded as at
former sessions, but good contingent Of
river men and other spectators were pres.
ent. ,..,, 4
Frederick Hoffman, one OF the Steuben.
Williams camped on the river near the scene
OF the accident, and who testified on former
day, was recalled, and questioned as to h
THE HEIGHT or ritE scioro's GUARDS ABOVE THE
s,s,-. WATER ft4lt i-T. Z b =
when she was struck. lie said they were low,
but the bow Of the Scioto was higher than the
guards OF the Tomas. Mr. Cracraft asked
him II amy person representing himself TO be
friend OF Pilot Keller's, had had converse.
ton with the witness prior to his former ties.
flying. lie said that james Dixon had up.
preached him. Mr.. Dovencr objected to such
testimony, saying he did not know Dixon,
and no person OF that name was authorized
to speak Tor Keller. Mr.. Cracraft SAID that
be expected to show that warm and init.
mate friend OF kcller's had approached the
witness and told him not 10 tell anything
against kelle: that he could possibly help
lie expected to follow this up with Dixon"s
testimony that he was authorized 10 speak
for Keller. Mr.. Dovener then withdrew his
objections, and HOLMAN said Dixon had mp.
preached him and said he understood he was
going TO testify against the Scioto. Witness
replied he vas going 10 tell what he knew.
Dixon then told him that Keller had found
out that he [Dlxon] was brother-in.law OF
lioilman's, and went on to say he hoped he
would not tell anything he could help.
Hoffman responded that lie would answer all
the questions that were asked him. 2
Hoffman also testified that he heard KEEL
Ter say In q conversation the day after the
accident that lie had to meet the Tomas bow
to bow. lie also remembered that the I,omas
first whislled about opposite the Mingo Fur.
mace. n, isla ~ T. ~ -
Mr.. Dovener asked how Hoffman came to
return to Wheeling and he said Deputy
Marshal Kennedy came up for him oil Mon
day, accompanied BY Mr.. Cracraft, and asked
him 10 come down. The manner Of the wit
ness in giving his testimony produced good
deal Of laughter. *. h e
John Zimmerman, one OF the men in the
Two fishermen's skiiis which rowed out 10
get In the waves OF the Scioto the evening Of
the accident was put on the stand by Longs
counsel TO testify concerning
TIE LOCATION OF TIE BOATS At THE TIAE. OF
i,,f.s SIGNALLING. MIS-
He said the Scioto came near running over
his boat Hoffman was further up, and he
hallooed down to the witness to come on,
there was another boat coming. Hoffman
then started up the river. lie heard the
scioto whistle twice, but not the Tomas He
did not see the latter boat until the two were
very close together. He could not see the
Tomas soon because his eyes were blinded by
tue bright headlight OF sand boat lying at
the furnace landing. 1t was still light enough
10 see from one shore to the other. The
Scioto had been near the Virginia shore, and
was not far from there, but angling toward
the other side, when she signalled. He did
hot tSuSh VIC ISlOo ultll uttC4 allC NhJ VII
the bottom, being engaged in picking up
people out OF the river just after the COLI.
sion, and be could not locate the position OF
the boat, except that she was nearer TO the
Ohio shore than the Virginia, though there
was plenty OF water for u boat to 60 between
the wreck and the Ohio shore. When he
first rowed over to the Scioto, she was within
stones throw OF the Virginia shore.
William A. Robes, Of East Liverpool, was
the next witness, and the first one from that
place who has testified. He was put on In
behalf OF the Lomas men. He Is young
man OF q, and foreman OF the Phenlx pot
terry, at. East Liverpool. He was passenger
on the Scioto on the Fourth OF July. He
heard the whistles of the two boats. but did
not pay particular attention to them.
He was not in the pilot house at any time,
but when he, first went on the boat in the
morning he went up to the hurricane deck,
rs it was too crowdedfor comfort in the cabin.
There were probably FIVE or six persons in
the pilot house ut that time; he Was person.
ally acquainted with none Of them, but they
were oil both sexes. Again In the evening he
went up on the hurricane deck, with his
wife. After walking around little they got
in back OF the smoke stacks to find shelter
from the wind and dampness Of the night air.
Turning around, helooked in the pilot house,
trying 10 discover who was really the pilot Of
the boat. There was IL
81 A LADY AT THE WHEEL "a
Then, and she appeared to have hard time
TO turn the Wheel it moving very slowly as
Hit taxed her strength to the utmost TO turn
It. He watched her for few moments, and
the witness noticed that the gentleman be
supposed to be the pilot appeared to be lit
tie tickled at the lady's Efforts to handle the
wheel: The man whom he supposed to be
the pilot, OF light build, was leaning on the
window at the right hand side OF; the Wheel
This wns after shutdown; pretty well on In
the evening. The pilot did not resume the
wheel while Mr. Robes watched, and lie
shortly went below. The lady had hold OF
nothing while be saw her but the wheel; he
did not see her touch the bell pulls or whis-
lie. The boat had passed Wellsburg before
this, rs the witness remembered that the boat
did not pull out Of that place very smoothly.
]. H: burgess, Mayor OF East Liverpool,
next told Of his experiences on the Scioto on
the day OF the fatal excursion. He had taken
bis children down to the lower deck to get
them ice cream. and upon returning had put
two Of the children in berth In his slate
room and sent the oldest daughter back to
her mother and two nunts who were back In
the lady's cabin. lie then went out to where
his niece and young gentleman were stand.
ing on the guards next the Virginia shore
little forward OF the cabin, and advised the
couple to 60 inside, Us It was chilly. The
young lady remarked, "Unclc, let's wait till
that steamboat passes" He looked up stream,
and saw boat descending They waited
quite while, and he finally said, "That boat
Is devil Of long while blowing her whistle
to take the water she wants" Shortly The
Lomas whistled and the Scioto responded.
The boats were then in such position that
he became alarmed, and said 10 the young
man, .Thut boat Is going to run US down "
He told him to 60 and see TO the children,
and he would look after the women and the
other little girl. He started down the outer
guard, and by the wheel house he entered
through door near the pantry. Just then
he heard bells ringing In the engine room.
Almost Immediately the boats struck, and
so rapidly did the Scioto 30 down that before
he got back to where his wife and ianlily
were he was * q z. 4 :. n. 4 :; ,3 =
wADlSo IN WATER ITO Ills LOWER VEST rocEErs.
| he took his watch out OF one OF the lower
pockets and placed 1t In an upper one. The
Scioto appeared at the time she was struck TO