The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-07-19
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TuEAKER THINKS


Ilo smeit Liquor on Pilot Kciier's
Brenth--The Testimony In the scIoto
InvestIgation' Yesterday.
The forenoon session OF the Board OF Local
Inspectors, engaged In investigating the
scioto disaster, was consumed yesterday in
the examination OF DR.. VIM. Hervey, OF
Martins Ferry, q passenger on the Lomas on
her memorable excursion on the Fourth OF
July. lie was called in the interest OF Pilot
Longand the owners OF the Lomns. IIe testi.
fed that he had been seated on tho cabin
deck by the left smoke stack from the time
the boat left Stcubenyille til about tho time
OF the collision. lie noticed the scIoto prior
to the first signal Of tho I.oinas, at which
time she was TO the left OF tue latter boat.
The l.omas first signal, one blast, was given
when tho boats were apparently half mile
apart aud the 1omas was g, ,'.liil
VIC. CLOSE TO TitE ONO SHORE,
or at least nearer that side than the other.
The Scloto was quartering toward the Ohio
shore when she blew the answering signal,
two blasts. At least half the distance between
tho two boats bad been closed by that time.
Quite time elapsed, apparently, between
the LOmass first signal aud the Scioto's an.
swer. Tho witness would call II an unusual
length OF time. The LOnas was still parallel
with the Ohio shore when she gave lier sec.
ond signal. Two blasts by this time the
Doctor had left his position and gone 10 the
cabin door. A moment or TWO before the
collision the Scloto Strengthened up parallel
10 the Ohio shore, and the Lon,as Ind pointed
her head toward the West Virginia shore.
The witness heard no bells In the engine
room, but knew the Lomas was checked up
somewhat by noticing objects OIL the Ohio
shore. lie went Immediately through the
cabin to The buck OF the bout, on the Ohio
side. and then saw that size was backing. The
L0mas was then about one hundred yards
from the Ohio shore, and nearer that
shore than the Scioto. The witness here
DREW A DIAGRAM
showing the course OF the bouts and their re-
latiye positions ut the time of each signal and
1t the time Of the collision. and this was
filed as M exhibit illustrating tho Doctors
testimony. He continued that the Scioto
appeared 10 be under Roadway when tho
boats came together. Ua
On his cross.exanination the witness said
he had not seen the wheel OF the Tomas when
he went oft through the cabin, but the mo.
ton OF tue waler indicated that she was
| backing. lie WIS under The impression that
tho Scioto Ind the most hcadway when the
| two boats collilled. lie was not used to csti.
mating distances on the water, but had paid
some attention TO boats In walking along the
river bank or travelling oil the river. lie Lad
made one trip on the Tomas before This
trip was a private excursion. those accom-.
panying 1t having lGeu invited TO do so.
Fifteen dollars was to be paid for the boat
| When he went Into the cabin therewas but
one man there. lie did not see Capt. Hiram
Smith there. lie did not know Joseph HoiE.
man. and did not remember TO have seen him
on the boat.
At the conclusion Of DR.. 1Iervcy's testi.
mony, the Commission took recess until |
Pm.
TIE AFTERNOON SESSION
did not commence until after two o'clock.
The Inspectors give the lawyers un hour after
the time named at adjournment to be ready,
and they take some time themselves, 50 that
it is generally considerably more than IN
hour alter the time named before proceedings
are resumed. However, In the words OF Iu.
spect0r Wilson, I'VE all pay taxes, and this
is at the expense OF the Government"
Il. n. Theaker, of Martins Ferry, was the
first witness In the afternoon. lie was one Of
the excursionists on the Tomas on the Fourth,
but saw nothing Of importance while on tho
boat, did not notice the position OF the boats,
and knew nothing about The circumstances
OF the collision, except that he heard the
signals OF the boats for passing. lie could
not say that much time elapsed between tho
Lomass first signal and the Scioto's answer,
Did not see the SciOto ut any time prior 10
the collision. lie was about two-thirds Of the
way back in the cabin, and ran forward us
soon us BIC could get there alter the boats
struck. The Scioto then appeared to be
quartering Il little toward the Virginia shore.
The l.omas had backed away from her. how.
ever. Witness thought the Tomas whistled Il
second time. lie had
HEARD TIE BELLS RINGING IN THE ENGINE ROOM.
but paid little attention, though It occurred
10 him that there was cause for alarm, The
Tomas was not going very fast ut thut time,
though whether she was backing OF not he
could not gay.
In answer 10 questions by Mr.. Gray, the
witness said he had had some conversation
with pilot Keller, Of the Scoto, in the engine
room Of the l.omas after the collision. Can't.
Thomas and his son and some other gentle
men were In tile engine room also. Mr..
Theakcr uskcd II the LomaS had not sirnal.
ed once, and Keller said yes, and that he had
answered with two. lie was then asked why
he had not responded sooner and he repled
he hardly knew. The witness remarked.
There must linve been good deal OF whis-
ky aboard your boat He did not refer TO
the officers, though Keller evidently suppos-
ed lie did, and said the officers were all sober.
and MS for himself. he had not had drop OF
whisky that day. Keller admitted that some
time had elapsed between tho whistle Of the
Lonas and his own answer, and when asked
the question as to why this was, hesi,ated
before he answered ns quoted. Later he said
that ssst
HE WAS EXHAUSTED,
completely played out. The witness was
suspicious OF MIR. keller's condition, and got
closer 10 him, when he could smell whiskey.
lie did not have to be very close to smell 1t.
He could not locate the ringing OF the bells
in the engine room with reference TO the
time, OF signalling by the whistles, but it
was before the LOnlass last whistle.
The witness further said there was II lady
came on board the Lonnas, and was in the
cabin. Mr.. Theaker went to her, thinking
she belonged 10 the other party. and asked
her II she had not better 70 ashore. She said
no; that the pilot Of the Scioto hud put her
there. He then went TO Keller and told
him, and while they were talking the lady
came partly down stairs, when Keller told
her TO 30 back; TINT he lud told her TO STAY
where he had put her until he took her oil.
Cross examined by Mr.. Dovener, the wit
ness said he understood the meaning OF the
signals now, though lie did not them lie
understood that the Lomas asked for the
Ohio side, but when the Scio,o answered to
the effect that she desired to keep that side,
the Tomas answered by two blasts that she
could do so, and the latter
w. COULD KEEP TIE OHIO SIDE.
When he first noticed the boatsaiterwards,
the Tomas was on the Ohio side Of the Scioto.
The witness could not say that lie had heard