The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-07-29
TEsTIMoxY CLOSED


y"
"a. Two Witnesses 3 IA sS.gi3t,
Il The scioto Investigation vas pretty dull yes
terday forenoon, the only witness being Alex
ander Baker, ;ot Brooklyn, Hancock county
whowas on the scioto as an eIcunIoni,t, and
who was called by Nj. Dovener to testify on be
half OF the scioto. He got on the boat a,
Fast Liverpool, and went to Moundsvllle
Nothing occurred OF interest SO far rs the
witness knew, until the Lonas was met OF
the up trip. lie heard the first signal, on.
blast ut which time he was standing at the
front. cabin door, and could see the Iona,
coming around the point. He thought She
was 800 or 600 yards distant when she Sig
nailed, but be watched her q good little bI
before that. The response q The scioto
two blasts, he thought was Us quick rs she
could blow nfter the LomAs's signal
but In the meantime the boats had approach
cd to within 200 yards OF each other. When
the first signal OF The LOu,as was given thai
boat was, as near Us the witness could Judge
about In the channel, nearer Mingo Island
than the Ohio shore, but when 200 yards OF
less AWAY she turned short mud came direct
ly toward the Soioio. The Scioto had scarce
ly blown her two whistles till the Lomas an
swercd with two. The Sci0to was about U
yards from the Ohio shore. When the boat.
colllded the Scioto appeared TO be pointing
toward the foot OF the Island and the Lomas
stern was slanted toward the Ohio shore.
When the former boat blew her two whis
ties she appeared TO keep right on her for
mer course, and the latter came down On the
inside OF the Scioto's course until within l5C
10 200 feet when she turned, qaartcring
across the river, and III this
position crushed into the ascending boat
The witness was OF opinion that the scioto's
Roadway had been checked somewhat when
the collision occurred. He had heard bells
ringing In the engine room, and noticed q
changed motion In the boat as II she were
backing; hc could not swear that she was
backing, though.
On his cross examination the witness said
he had spent Thursday night with Pilot kel.
Ter. lie went TO Keller's saloon about
o'clock In the evening, and drank some dur.
ing the evening lie had not had d drink
yesterday, however, nor was he drinking on
the day Of the excursion. lie saw nothing
that day 10 indicate that Keller had been
drinking.
In the course OF bis testimony the witness
indicated by rough DRIFT the course Of the
two boats, and 1t was filed Us IN exhibit.
The usual recess was here taken
In the afternoon Prof.. Charles Il. Shreye,
Superintendent OF the Martins Ferry public
schools. was put on the stand by the counsel
lists on that boat on the Fourth, and heard
the one blast OF the I.oInas. lie was standing
on the boiler deck ut the time. 4 moment
afterwards be noticed house on the Ohio
shore, aud about 20 yards below the boat,
which WIS then 70 or so yards from the
Ohio shore. This signal attracted his atten'
ton down the river; he had before been
watching some fire works at the house spoken
OF. The boats were apparently FROM hall
to three.quartcrs OF mile apart at the sis.
nal. There was quite IN expanse OF water
to the left OF the Scioto and not much to the
right. lIG should judge that she was about
one-third way from the West Virginia shore.
There seemed to be more time between the
Lomas first signal and the Sciotos answer
than between the latter and the collision; he
thought the Scioto answered tardily, and the
distance between the boats was materially
shortened. lie did not hear any other signal
till he heard the distress signal from the
SciOto, Just US she sank. This was one contin'
uous blast Of the steam whistle, which
seemed to die out as she went down. After
the Scioto's double blast she seemed
to change the course from where he had first
seen her on the left side Of the river, and to
steer directly for the Scioto. Perhaps five
seconds before the collision the Scioto
seemed to change her course and turn her
head toward the Virginia shore, so that the
Lomas ytruck,,her perhaps ten feet back OF the
bow instead Of OH the head, US the Prof
fessor anticipated from the cohsres Of the two
boats. He heard no stopping or hacking bells,
and was not in position TO hear them II
there had been any rung. lie heard bells
about the time Of the collision. but thought
they were on the other boat. Hisimpresslon
was that the Tomas maintained her course, but
he could not be positive as TO this He heard
nothing called out from boat TO boat before
the collision. He thought there was plenty
OF room for the Scioto 10 have kept on the
side indicated by the Lomas first signal, and
lie was surprised a her not doing so.
On the Professors c:ossexamination Mr..
Dovener went into the subject Of optical de-
lusions but the results were more amusing
than satisfactory, MIR. Gray and Mr.. Dorener
getting into several disputes.
At the conclusion Of Prof. Shreve's exam.
ination, the testimony was closed on both
sides. aud the Board adjourned to meet again
for discussion, on next Monday week.