Daily Republican., 1885-08-17
A Faise statemeDt.

An article appeared in the Philadel-
phia Daily News last Saturday, In rela'
tiOn TO the drowning accident, which
happened on the steamer Brandy wine
while she was on her way to this city
last Thursday morning, which reflected
severely on the Captain and all connect
cd with the boat. The article WAS
headed " A Cruel Action" and after
describing how the man came to fall
overheard, by sitting on the railing at
the forward part of the boat. says:
"a cry went up of "man overheard )"
and Pilot Jacobs heard it high up In
his wheelhOuse but the boat went on,
on past Billingsport, while indignant
and excited passengers clamored for q
boat to be lowered. for life preserver
| to be thrown astern, for something TO
be done to save the drowning man, now
far behind. The engines of the Brandy
wine kept on making their regular
revolutions until the boat WAS q mile
distant from the drowning passenger ;
then she swung around and steamed
slowly back.
"Meanw bile, q small trucking schoon-
or had crowded on all sail and had has
tened back to the spot where the man
fell. She sailed slowly back and forth,
and at last her captain saw the man
struggling Ia the water. He went to
the bow Of the vessel, and as the schoon-
or passed made grab. The effort was
failure, and before the schooner could
be turned he had sunk out of sight.
1.-THE officers of the Brandywine did
not even take the trouble TO lower boat
when they got back. They cruised
around for q few moments and then
steamed down the river"
A reporter of the REPUBLICAN called
upon Captain Wilson last Saturday
night at his residence on East Ninth
street, and called his attention to the
article and he pronounced 1t false
throughout, except the part relating to
the manner in which the man came to
fall overheard.
| The captain said "When the aoci.
dent occurred l was in the pilot house
with pilot Jacobs, attending to my
duties, and Immediately upon hearing
the splash, before the cry was raised a
man overheard, the bell was struck to
stop the engine, and the order was
obeyed at once. Following this the
signal was given to reverse the engine
and back the boat. do not think that
more than ten seconds elapsed from the
time I heard the splash until the order
was given to back. l also ordered a
small boat TO be lowered, and the lash
lings were cut when / saw a man in a
sail boat seize the drowning man, but
he struggled 80 that he broke loose and
lsunk 10 rise no more, when l counter
manded the order to lower the boat, but
the steamer remained in the vicinity
for some time afterwards. Everything
possible was done to save the man, but
he did not seem 10 make the slightest
effort to save himself.
i This statement was corroborated by
two passengers, both OF whom were iR-
,terviewed without Captain Wilson be.
) ing aware Of the fact, and neither OF
them are acquainted with him, any.
more than by seeing him On the boat,
: Up TO last night the body, as far a.
, oonld be ascertained, had not been re.
covered, and no one knows who
! the man is, bat it is thought BY some
, that the following from Saturdays
philadelphia Record may have soms
connection with the mystery:
h "The Guardians of the Poor vert
yesterday applied TO for assistance II
! bury the TWO children Of James Duffy
! | of No. 1915 Paschal street. On Thurs
. Iday Duffy left his home to secure as
l sistance to help him bury his LITTLE
Q ones, and up to the present time be ha'
3 not been heard from. His sdisappearanc'
Twas reported to the police, who ar
Trying to find him. Duffy was In dest.
Itute circumstances, and 1t Is though
Q that his trouble and bereavement hav'
Q made him insane.