The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-02-07
LOSS OF THE COLUMBUS.
Continuation of the Investigation.
several OF che Officers and Men Kxamfn.
ea-A Terrible Charge Brought Against
sne Captain of Steamer GIausas.

boston, Feb. 6.-The first witness this morn
log was the quartermsster of the wrecked
steamer, Roderick Mcdonald, who was sworn.
He testified that he was As years old, had fol-
lowed the sea 1s years and been mate of sever
o vessels He had been on the City of Colum-
pus as quartermaster since August last, Was
not very familiar with the corrse to Savannah.
ne did not know many of the lights along tue
coast and could not name them. He did not
know the courses from light to light He
went on the watch as whee Imam at midnight
on the night of the disaster. He did not re-
member what course was given him when he
took the wheel. Mr.. Fuller the mate gave
him the course after they passed Gross Rip.
Fuller remained in the pilot house consider
able time after Mcdonald took the wheel. The
mate left the pilot house at about a quarter
past two. BE gave the witness several courses
while In the pilot house, but he could not re-
member row what they were. The witness
0id not know how many courses the steamer
was accustomed to steer by after passing Mob
SKI, Captain Wright was in the pilot house af-
ter be came on duty, until after seven bells.
= was not out of the pilot house more than
thfee-quarterS of an hour. The captain gave
the witness an order to steer southwest by west
The second mate was there. The order was
given directly to the witness and he repeated
II to the captain. He did not get this order
from the second mate. He did not know
whether the port window in the pilot house
was open that night or not, nor whether it wa
closed after the captain lett the pilot house or
not. There was no frost on the windows The
vessel was steered by steam. 1t required very
UArf N otan hat H.
house was heated by steam.
The witness knew Edward Leary, the bow
watchmsn, for two months. The bow watch
man was not more than 30 or 40 feet from the
plot house. The pilot could easily hear call
from the bow watch. He did not hear apy an
nouncement of the buoy of Gay Head, Leary
came ait and talked to the secoud mate, He
oid not know what passed between them, nor
Old he see any buoy at that time. He had
never seen buoy, nor did he ever know there
was Duoy there. The second mate ordered
the helm to De put hard aport which the wit
ness dld. Captain Wright at that instant step
ped into the pilot house and called "hard
aport' He then rang two bells to stop the
snip. The witness did not remember having
heard the bells. The captain then gave the
bells to back the shio at full speed The wit
ness did MT know whether the ship went back
or not. he knew she swung to the west ward.
be could not tell whether the ship was back
Ing without a landmark. The ship did not
down few times after she struck. Thought
the ship had struck on the fore foot
ne vessel listed within ten minutes after
sne struck. She went down until the rail of
tne hurricane deck was in the water which
then began to run into the main saloons The
witness left the ship before daylight in boat
number 8, belonging to the ship He had
charge OF number boat forward on the star
p poard slde. be tried to clear away that boat
pue conlo nog. Boat lumber was on the port
q lanr, rrSt
a crew OF i've assigned to boat number D Two
passengers, two OF the ships crew and the wit
ness got away in boat number 5, They had
oars DnG no baller. The plug was not In the
Doat. Iney landed two miles below The light
The boat was broken and full of water when
they got info her and it was no use bailiDg.
Ihey used to have boat drills in port The
last dr1ll was in Savannah on .the trip before
the last one made.
The witness said he had no conversation
with captain or owners relative to his testimo-
ny, nor conversation with the second mate
relative to the police ball; did not know he
was there. He had seen the second mate
'nodding" little when on duty. He did not
know now Gay Head light bore. After the
captain went below the light appeared closer
than usual. The door between the pilot house
and the captains room was never closed The
witness Saw the captain sitting in his room af-
ter ne left the pilot house. The ship was still
nearly on her 0ean ends when the witness left
her. He thought the water rushing in on the
port 'sides and the wind being en- tee starAosfa- I
side caused her to list The bottom of the
snip was nearly fiat forward of the foremast.
1I ne ala not see any of the matches come off.
ne could go from the forward to the after part
Oh the ship at any time after she struck He
saw one OF the ships boats floating awav fnIl
Oh water. he got ashore about O'Clock. made
MS way TO one of the houses with, Edward
Aeafy, and got man to come and help the
passengers In the boat to get ashore. He could
see across the sound when they landed. He
was not on board the ship the night before she
sailed, but was at home The ship was pass-
ing Nobska light when Capt. Wright ordered
tne witness to steer Southwest by West. He
got no other course after that, but was steering
that course when the ship struck. The second
mate told the witness, after the witness got the
order from the captain, not to steer any to the
ieeWard oil that course. He did not think the
second mate was "noddiBg' on the night of
the disaster. The wind was on the starhoard
bow when The struck
1he wind was on the starboard bow when
she struck Witness knew it was after $50
because he struck seven bells some time be-
lore. Ihink 1t was not over fifteen minutes
aiter tne sblp struck before the captain Or
dered me to Clear away the boat. Do not re-
member hearing the captain give any orders
10 the second mate regarding the course
W men the captain came into the pilot house
after the vessel struck he remarked, There's
the buoy; I'm outside of it,
A1~U ohu UOW WdICQmaD, L6Btll9Q that
he called out the buoy on the port bow when
ne saw the buoy but got no answer from the
pilot mouse and ran there and told the second
nsts ABOUT seeing the buoy. Almost immedi-
ately after that the ship struck. Never had
any answers to my calls from the bow. Never
nad INSTRUCTIONS from any one to insist on get
ting answers from my calls to make sure they
were heard. Am not familiar with tie lights
aloug the coast. 1t was fifteen minutes after
seven bells before saw the buoy. Never saw
a boat drill on the ship.
Edward O. Brion, relieved by Leary. as how
watchnan testified that he saw steamer pass
the wreck after daylight which paid no atten-
LloD 70 the Signals of distress. Thought it was
the Glaucus. Heard afterwards that it was
LUG 0IAucus Never saw boat drill on the
lily OF Colomous when the boats were lower
ed aud never.sa enc of her boats lowered in
his life.
John White, seaman, testified to helping
get the 1ib. Saw 250 yards of the port bow.
Never saw the buoy before. Saw the breakers
all round the ship, and after daylight saw the |
buoy on the starbosrd bow.
, Jonn Hines testified to seeing water rushing |
Lhfongh holes in the bulkhead after the ship |
struck.
Thomas Butler, also fireman testified to |
come on deck the ship struck.
Adjourned until tomorrow.
Eeartiess if True.
Capt Burnham of the Board of Inspectors |
IL steam vessels for the Boston distrio. statod |
70 Associated Press representative this morn |
ng that the captain of the steamship Glaucus |
nao admlgted TO him privately that the Gau- |
Gus passed the wreck Of the steamship Civ of |
columbus after daylight on the morning of the |
disaster and recognized her; that the signals of |
istIess were seen from the Glaucus but that |
Inc latter steamer did not stop because the cap.
IAN 1s, ala not wish to be delayed on his tlip |
This, said CAPTAIN Burnham is one of the most |
heartiess things ever heard of; i was outra-
seous. propose to summon the entire crew |
d the Glaucus and take their testimony before |
sne board. never before heard OF such vio- |
ation OF that holy but unwritten law Of hu- |
nanity SO essential to and SO generally respect
ID among seamen.
The investigation will be continued tomor. |
row and then adjourned until Monday of next |
week when It is proposed to cali the Glaucus |
crew and when it is expected that sensational |
development 6ill occur.
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