The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-07-12
GAIT. HIRAM SMITH,


of Martins Ferry. was next summoned. The
Captain was on the John Lomas when the
collision occurred, and had u good opportu.
nifty, he said, to observe the movements OF
the boats. He gave detailed statement OF
the "Trip Of the Tomas. He was on the fore.
castle, or boiler deck. when he first saw the
SciOto. When the Tomas first blew her
whistle she was about the foot OF Mingo
island. When he heard the cross whistle it
alarmed him, and he went out OF tho cabin.
When he first saw the Scioto the boats were
about 800 or 400 feet apart. Both boats were
about in the positions usually occupied by
boats passing there. When the collision oc-
CURED the Scioto WINS pointing little toward
the West Virginia shore There was plenty
OF room for any boat to pass the Scioto on
the Ohio side The proper bells to sto and 10
back the Tomas were rung soon after the cross
signal from the Scioto. The witness conld see
no reason why the ascending boat could not
have complied with the first signal OF the
Lomas. Had the scioto answered in accord
anue with the louias's first signal he thought
the latte. boat coul ID have easily passed the
former on the side indicated without danger
OF any collision. To him the boats seemed 10
be going directly at each other. Upon sig.
Mailing, the Lonas shaped her course TO the
right, but after the cross signal she seemed TO
point toward the Scioto, Showing That her
rudder had been changed somewhat. lie
Thought there was no doubt that both boats
were under hcadway when the collision &C.
Cured, though II the stopping and backing
bells were promptly obOyed by the engineer
Of the Tomas, that boat was not going fastcr
than two or three miles an hour. The Scioto
sunk at about one hundred yards from the
Ohio shore, the Captain thought. The Can
tain IL himself practical pilot, and until
two years and a half ago held papers from
Pittsburgh TO Cairo. lie thought the Sciolo
was entitled 10 the Ohio shore, and he been
on the Tomas lie would have blown for the
Virginia shore instead Of the Ohio. There
was nm appreciable time between the
first whistle OF the Scioto and the answer Of
the Scioto, ny il the pilot OH tho latter boat
were hestating. The witness said ,hathe
was on the roof OF the Tomas when the Scio-
to's passengers were taken oil, and he or.
ranged plan for the safe transfer Of the pas
Sengers. On the third load, Pilot Keller
came on, and he usked him why he had no,
answered tho LomRs' whistle. aud Keller re.
sponded that he could not; he was in the
habit Of keeping the Ohio shore from Warren
up. AfterTard Keller came into tho pilot
house aud asked TO steer the boat, and did
take the wheel, but Capt. lnglebright came
in and objected, and Keller went down into
the cabin. /,
= A wrangle occurred here between the
counsel, who disputed quite warmly about
the propriety Of The way In which Capt,
Smith was giving his testimony. When they
had finished their argument, Mr.. Fehren.
batch remarked, ..Well, go ahead uen,le.
men; Isuppose you feel better" g~ssfl +
Capt. Dovener, In cross.questioning the
witness, showed him an article contributed
by him TO the Martins Ferry 79mcS, inwhiph
he said that all he knew about the ringing OF
the engine bells on the Lomns was what The
engineer had told him. The Captain said
this was true, and lie only inferred that the
bells on the Tomas were rung to stop and
back because he heard the bells ring for some
purpose. lie thought the Scioto was 200
yards from the Ohio side when struck, but
she made some headway toward shore while
going down. The Captains talk was very in.
teresting and graphic, but went too much
into detail to be. printed in our limited space
this morning. ,.F'z.51fI
In the course Of the cross examination The
witness said he thought there elapsed min.
ute and half between the Lomas first wkis.
tie and tho collision. n 3 3.si-l /,
At the conclusion OF the examination OF
Capt. Smith the court adjourned till 9A. ".
4 In.lI H