St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-08-23
THE LAW INVOKED
In the Case OF Capt. Weth ern, OF
the Inflated Sea Wing.

In the Case OF Capt. Weth ern, of
the Inflated Sea Wing.
The report of the local board OF steam
vessel inspectors relative to the Sea
Wing disaster on Lake Pepin was yes
terday submitted to Supervising In
spector John D. Sloane. The license of
Captain David Wethern has been suS-
pended and the United States district
attorney asked to prosecute him. The
report is accompanied by the evidence
taken, is signed by Captains George B..
Knapp and Charles +. Yeager, OF the
Galena board, and is eoncurred in by
Captains John Monahan and Michael F.
Chalk, who compose the Duluth board.
The substance OF the report is as fol-
lows:
The evidence shows that the steamer Sea
Wing was engaged in running an excursion
on July Is, 1891 from Diamond Bluff, Wis,
to Lake City, Mimi, and return, and that at
the ii me the Sea Wing left on her return.
about 8 O'Clock p. M. there was every 1ndl-
cation of all approaching storm, although
the witnesses in behalf OF the steamer claim
that it could not be seen from where the
steamer lay behind the Lake City point. AT
the time the Sea Wing left Lake City the
wind was blowing nearly straight up the
lake, but after she had been out thirty or
and blew off the Minnesota shore. She had
been running i'll this direction about ten
minutes when sudden squall or gale COM
ing down the lake struck, and capsized the
steamer almost instantly.
The steamer was about four miles up the
lake from Lake City. nearly opposite Maiden
Rock, about an equal distance from either
shore We are satisfied that nothing could
have been done to save the steamer after the
squat struck her. as 1t was so sudden and
q
at the time about 2lo persons, including the
crew and officers, ten in number, of which
ninety-eght were drowned, an excess OF
about thirty passengers more than her GER
tificate of inspection and excursion permit
allowed her. We also find that said steamer
did not have the pilot nor sufficient crew re-
auired by her certificate of inspection and
permit.
The steamer was in command of Capt
David Wethern, who was also one of her
owners. After careful review of the evil
denee we find that Capt. Wethern violated
sections 4463 4465, 4467, Revised Stat
utes and so much of section 400 as relates
to unskillfulness.
Unskillfulress by starting out as he did in
the face of an approaching storm; also, after
he had started out, by not running close to
the Minnesota shore, where there are good
harbors every mile or So" instead of going
up the center of the lake. We therefore this
day revoke his license as master and pilot
and report The case this day to the United
States district attorney for prosecution.
The following are two of the sections
referred to in the report:
Section 4465. 1t shall not be lawful to
take on board of any steamer a greater num-
Der of passengers than is stated in the eertif-
cate of inspection; and for every violation of
this provision the master or owner shall be
liable to any person suing for the same: to
forfeit the amount of passage money and $40
for each passenger beyond the number al.
lowed.
Section 4467. The master of every pas
senger steamer shall keep correct list of all
the passengers received and delivered from
day 10 day. noting the places where received
and where landed, which record shall be
GERS of the customs at all times; and the ag-
gregate number of passengers shall be fur
nished to inspectors as often as called for;
but on routes not exceeding 100 miles, the
number of passengers, if Kept, shall be suffi-
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