The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-07-22
iINoExip,IRrs,9 .;X,llEEp,. J, Apply Ar ny

IdlI NYsltEEl1INIGE&DA
NO :ExpERTs SEED, APPLY.
A ftert ConsuminEg Several Days with
Expert Testimony In The scioto Inyes
tIKatIon, tho Inspectors Ruie II out
The Board Takes = Needed Hest. !,
Only one witness was examined In III,
scioto Investigation yesterday, the balanc.
OF the brief session being consumed With an
interesting discussion on the admlssibllity oil
expert testimony. Z X, Y
EDWARD II. cAIIILi,
youth OF II, living at wellsyille. was The
first witness. and he testified that he wns one
OF the excnrslonlsts on the Sci0to oil the
Fourth. When Tho I.omas met the Scloto
lie was In the engine room. lie did not hear
tho Tomas blow, but heard the scioto's m.
swer, and Immediately started toward the
for landing at S.eubenville. lie got to the
engine-room door, when he noticed tie peo.
plo running back from tho front part OF the
boat. lilo did not realizs what was the mat.
ter, ant did not see the Lonias until she Ind
landed. lie heard no bells ringing. lie
started back toward the stern OF tho boat md
got into skitr some one had shoyed into the
river, but SO many had gotten into Il that Il
swamped. lie hung to the skin' as long rs he
could, and then syhn back to the Scioto and
climbed upon tho hurricane roof, the only
the only dry spot OIL the boat. llo thought
the boat lay IN the middle Of the river after
she sank. lie was not IN the pilot house ill
after the collision, though he tried TO get in
once and II was locked. There were about
half dozen people inside then.
Not more than minute or so elapsed be.
tween the Sciotos whistle and the collision.
The engineer, or the second engineer. grasped
II wheel with which they stop and start the
engine with, and turned II, though the wit.
ness did not notice which way he turned 1t.
He did not know how fast the Scoto was 60.
Ing, but he did not think she had been
checked up much. A bell might have rung
In the engine room without his hearing II.
At the conclusion OF this young mans tes-
timOny, a discussion arose on the subject OF
the kind OF evidence that was desired. Can't.
Young said that these pilots were belug tried
by the rules provided for their government,
and expert testimony was not OF any value,
aud would only extend the investigation in.
definitely. This met with some opposition,
md Mr.. Dovener said he wanted TO know the
full effect Of the decision. The Board was
firm, however, md refused TO receive any
further testimony except as to faCts connect.
ed with the collision.
In response to Inspector ionngs very firm
announcement Of
THE DECISION or TIE BOARD,
Mr.. Dovener said, with some warmth: NE,
me see II l understand what you say has
been the decision OF this Board after con-
sultation. understand YOU TO say that THU
Board does not want the evidence OF any OK,
pert witness or pilots who were not there
notwithstanding the pilot OF the Scioto, who
is here being tried fer an infractiOn OF the
law, expects to prove by those pilots that the
position In the river that he held was that
| ccnding the river at that time. And notHith
standing we expect 10 prove by any pilot
you can produce, that the position oil III.
I.omas was not the proper one in the river
aud Furthermore, that the pilots ut the whec
Of the Lomas are not recognized rs pilots, not
withstandipg the fact that they are licensed
by the Government us pilots, and that theil
standing does not compare in proficiency
with regular pilots oil the river. Do under
stand you refuse 10 receive testimony us &c
their knowledge or eccentricities, either
mentally, physically, ar anything else We
may be able to show was attached 10 thu
standing and character Of the pilot AT the
wheel OF the l.omas? Is that your decision?
Inspector Young: "That Is the decision
Mr.. Dovener-That II we can produce
pilots OF long experience to show thow that
b. J. Long, notwithstanding the fact that he
received u license from the Government
never steered any boat along there, and thai
he Is not II proficient man at the wheel, and
by men Of 20 years experience on the river
as pilots, and who have seen him make sucl
mistakes MS this; and Notwithstanding VT
propose TO show by other pilots OF experience
that Mr.. Hoffman is not iirstclass pilot
and whose opinion has been received here u.
to the proper position OF the Lomas, you
still refuse TO hear that testimony?
| Inspector ioung-That is it.
Mr.. Cracraft-Upon the introduction o.
that testimony We intend 10 show that Davic
Keller never was 4 skilful pilot; that he wa.
not competent on that day, or safe man at
any other time by reason OF his habits, anG
We will prove il by some OF the best pilots OF
the river.
Inspector Young-We will rule that out
gentlemen. l.", g.
Mr.. Cracraft-We did not seek 10 introduce
such testimony, but il they do so we will dc
so. We expect to yindicatc Mr.. Long, ant
when lie had his Government license that tina
license was conclusive as 10 his competency
until some act Of his broke it, mud whal
might be the opinion of other pilots dom
amount to shuks. DO the facts at the time
Of the collision hold either pilot 10 blame,
That is the question. Take the great biz
prominent and conspicuous facts not wha
| one pilot may think OF another. Sometime.
those pilots have great deal Of feeling
against others and have good many quarrels
Capt. Dovener-What the gentlemen ma,
say be will prove US m offset | am no
Directing 10, but We expect to show that Mr.
Keller not only has his license from the
government and that
lie IS \ COMPETENT MAN.
and expect 10 contend before this Board apt
before any Court that the fact that man La!
permanent license in his hand Il
not prima. facie evidence that he Is good nj
lot. What would be the necessity ofinvcstira
ting this man il such would be the case. III,
fact that man has had experience for lonJ
time time up and down the river for dist
aIce OF 100 miles certainly shows lie has NOR,
experience and better ability and judgmen
US pilot than man who has steered ferr,
boat from one side Of the FLYER to thu
other. only desire the stenographer t.
take down the decision SO that We may know
the position thatis taken here We have sew
elal witnesses here who have passed owe
that track day by day for the Inst three O
four years and il seems to me their evidence
might throw some light OIL this inyestira
ton. Such men as George O'Neal, who ta,
by day passes over that track. .'
Mr.. Cracraft-We might offer the sam
man.
Mr. Dovcner-You do, and VIC won't object
Mr. Cracraf,-iou have been talking I,
him and We haven't. can prove the cours
OF his steamer on the next day was to tn
channel ut Devinney's warehouse, but | dom
care about that. Here is what say, an
not going to answer an absurdity. A milo