Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-07-12

whistle. No one whistled, no one inter
fercd with the engineerf signals in any
way. Tom Wilson was sitting on the
1 hurrican desk forward the big bell.
| Mrs. Harden lives right here in the city.
| had not been intoxicated during that
whole Cay. / took one drink in Tom McCor
mack's 6 or Z hours before the accident, al
| Moundsville. had been sick that day
and would not have gone had it not been
that promised to go. crossed from
Wellsb1Ig to the Ohio shore, and kept il
straight to Cross. Creek, where / went 70
the channel, and after passing the bar went
to the Ohio shore again, and kept it until
| the collision. From the time OF the Lo.
mas, whistle until we were at the bottom OF
The river was not more than three or five
/ minutes. The position Of the Tomas with
reference to US at the time Of the collision
was angling. The stern was to the Ohio
shore when the blow came. She took water
on the larboard side and drifted to the
proper side she would have passed us on
! the starboard side and in the river.
To Mr.. Cracraft-I was under way when
the Tomas first blew. My reason for doing
what did in crossing the whistles was
rtat If had done as she wanted she would
have struck me forward or aft the wheel
house and cut me in two.
IL she had given me the signal in the
proper time she would most undoubtedly
have got the Ohio shore. The channel was
nearly the width of the river that night. 1t
was not until within four hundred or hye
hundred yards OF the Tomas that whls'
tied. / blew both whistles myself.
Mary Harden did not blow either time.
/ will swear that, and so will my
| witnesses. have not thought ii necessa-
| nv heretofore to disclose Mrs. Harden s
| name. / refused the choice of water,
as was too near the shore to give it. In
other words, l was obeying custom and
she was following Government rule. l
tie penSS. ms rigtiI comes under the Gus
tom; in other words, l could hug the chan
! mel. think by the marks at Wheeling the
| water was between II and II feet. ii l had
sought another channel, i had no reason to
believe that she could not follow me there.
No boat, in my knowledge, ever passed me
when was going out other than in the
bend. In high water it is natural for boats
to keep the: shore and make time. did
because PSs sound did the not danger have 'f tnt
| to do so after had whistled. The Tomas
| could have got to the West Virginia cur
| rent easier than because she was higher
| to it than me- She struck me on the side
| she did lust by natural piece OF awkward
ness. asked for the Ohio side through
nv whistle am engaged in other bust
ness, but hired year ago to take out this
excursion. / took it out on the Ragon
! last year. ! left the river about the first
| of May. / have sworn to the truth when
| i said that only took one drink on the
| 4th of July, at McCormicks. did not
| take four drinks at McCormick's. II Christ
would strike me dead this is true.
Several men, J. w. Davis and the Mayor
of East Liverpool, asked me to drink, but
| refused all"
''Did YOU not" said Mr.. Cracraft slowly
and pointedly, take four straight drinks
! in Tom. McCormack's saloon in Mounds
vile that day, and did you not take a
bottle with YOU
81 did not sir" The witness here ex.
citedly denied any drunkenness, denied
having drank four times in McCormack's
saloon, or having promised to go to the
boat and sleep it off"
To Capt. Dovener-If the Tomas had
gone according to custom she would have
taken the bend and the Scioto the point.
Capt. VIM. J. Abrams pilot OF the Andes,
was the next witness called Resides in
Neport, Ky. I steer steamboats, up and
down the river. Capt. Young here ex.
planned that Capt Abrams had been called
to testify as to the custom at the point
where the collision occurred.
Mr.. Cracraft protested against the admis-
sion of such testimony.
Continuing, Mr.. Abrams said: / have
been a pilot for long time. From the
head Of Cox's rifle to the head OF Mingo Is
land the Ohio shore has been the line for
up boats before there was any printed in
structions. Every steamboat going up
should claim that shore until she makes
the crossing at Mingo. Every down boat
should have the middle or bend of the
river between the head of Mingo Island
and head of Cox's rifle. These points are
about mile apart.
To Captain Young. Ii had been on the
Scioto, and had been on the Ohio shore,
nearest the bank, would have considered
myself in my place and stayed there. l
would have stopped my boat and blown or
commenced blowing for her. would have
stayed there, right there. The map drawn
by Mr.. Peterson was used in the examina-
ton.
Cyrus Higgs, engineer of the Scioto,
sworn and examined by Captain Young
Did not hear the signals of the Tomas;
would not say positively whether there was
one or two Of our whistles. After one
whistle the stopping bell was Immediately
rang; stopped both engines; then backed
both engines. think she (the Scioto) had
been backed long enough for her Roadway
to have been fully stopped. She was
backing.lat the moment of the collision;
could not say how long afterward.
To Doyener-Have been engineer since
Captain Booth purchased her. Ordinarily
backing out or coming in four or five revo-
buttons would stop her. She, think, had
been backing long enough that night to
check her.
To Mr.. Cracraft-The witness explained
the meaning of the bell signals from the
pilot house to the engine room. The back
ing bell was rung first, then the stopping
bell was rung. | think after that there
was an effort made to bring him forward,
but it was beyond the reach of the engineer
or any man TO do anything. 1t was after
the Lomas had struck us and backed away
that the bell was rung to come ahead, but
no ian could do anything then. We only
carried single crew on that day. Page
was striking engineer, although a man
named Hubbard is the regular striker.
John B. Cook, called-Live In Wheeling;
am 81 years of age. Am in the theatrical
business. was at the request of Mr.. KEEL
lar, on the boat for the round trip, as his
at Wheeling on the night of the 3rd of
July. Was on the boat from Wheeling to
Wheeling again, laid off until she went to
Moundsvil'e and came back, when | re-
joined her and went up on her. Was in
the pilot house at the time of colliding,
where / had been with the exception of 10
minutes at supper, from the time we left
Wheeling. There were six Of us in the
pilot house, five besides Mr.. Keller. Par.
ties were coming in and out of the pilot
house all the time. Don't think there
were more than FIVE or six in the house at
any time.
Saw the Tomas before she signalled US.
She appeared to be nearer the Virginia
side. Mr. Keller said, why don't that boat
blow her whistler He had his foot on the
treadle at the time. When she 1.-THE Lomas)
blew Kel. er blew Immediately two whistles.
Then Capt. Thomas came up on the hurri-
cane deck and said: Back her, Dave"
"She is backing, sir" was the reply. II
was only short time until everything was
over, that is after the whistle was blown.
There was nothing in the pilot house to
lead me to suppose the pilot had been
drinking.
To Capt. Fehrenbach: There was no liquor
drank while / was in the house. To Capt.
Dovener: Mr.. Keller responded as soon
as the Tomas blew her whistle. No one