Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-13

of when the order to abandon ship was
given, for there is no positive contradiction
of their evidence on this point. The order
from the captain that Lieut.. Shearman
heard was very likely given when the line
was ready, but il was the second order,
the first, or. having heard 1t, may not re-
member II.
The captain and the executive officer who
gave the orders have not been contradicted.
and there has been no attack on their credi-
bility. Their evidence must clear the appli-
cant of the gravest charge that could be
made against him, viz. leaving the ship be-
fore the order to abandon ship was given.
When the applicant left the Ship the lines
were ashore. / believe the times it took to
abandon the Nipsic after she was beach
officers and Lieut.. Davenport are more
nearly correct than those given by their
juniors. They were older, more experienced
and 1t is fair presumption that they were
cooler and more collected.
Dangerous Feat.
The applicant never thought much of the
injury to his foot at the time. 1t made him
think that the ladder might hurt him more
seriously, or break a limb. and helped him
to make up his mind to leave the ship at
the time he did. Surely he never would have
attempted to swim ashore with a badly in
tured foot at time when, as described by
the captain. it was a dangerous feat. The
sick having left in the cutter. and there be-
ing no boats in which to go ashore he was
at liberty to leave the ship. His own sense
Of duty prevented him from leaving the ship
before there was safe method for all, and
when on the forecastle. he did not attempt
to get near the point where all thought
safety lay. that Is, the starboard side Of the
forecastle Had he again reached the fore
castle. he could have done nothing but wait
for a proper opportunity to go over the line,
ana the captain was anxious for all to leave,
as he showed by sending for Lieut.. Hawley.
The charge Of abandoning the chronome-
tiers needs but little argument but it is i'm
portant as showing how puerile charges
were trumped up against him. Lieut.. Pur-
cell says they could have been passed over
the line, as was done with the mess money
Mr.. Jones. who had the mess money in
charge, gave Ii to one of the men to take
over, threw the rough log over, and states
that the chronometers could not have been
taken over dry.
Next comes the charge that the applicant
did not go down on the beach and stay
there and help the Vandalia's people out Of
the water.
1t was the Samoans who took the line
from the Nipsic, who hauled 1t taut and who
formed a long line under the hawser helped
the people from the Nipsic ashore and hauled
the cutter on the beach. 1t was a Samoan
who rescued DIR. Dorr and brought the ex-
hausted and dazed doctor on shore 1t was
the Samoans who saved Green and Wiley
and pulled some of the Vandalia's men out
out. when he was embarrassing their eff
forts.
Only One Fact.
1t was after all was safe and most of the
officers and men were back on the Nipsio
that the stories commenced to be told about
the applicants action. and grew ard grew
until they rolled up into the formidable &C.
cusations placed before the New York Yacht
Club by Lieut. Purcell. There was one fact
hal fhav had 10
and he swan ashore. Only one fact and
then with gossip series Of grave charges
has been manufactured
No one has testified before this court no,
even Lieut.. Shearman, that the word was
passed to abandon ship In an orderly man.
ner, junior officers going first. Lieut. Shear
man went last Lieut.. Purcell, in his state
ment to the club. stated that the applicant
swan ashore after the order had been given
&C, but yet he says he came ashore before
the nawser. Lieut. Shearman says the order
TO abandon ship was given when the lines
Were ashore. Was any effort made by these
elf-constttuted judges to adjust the yari.
i'snces No; they only brought the facts to-
getner 70 convict the applicant
Lieut.. Purcell.
In reviewing the testimony, have touch
ed upon the discrepancies of the witnesses.
as they have affected the evidence. / would
| row more carefully examine the testimony
charges against the applicant to the New
York Yacht Club. He says the gig was
lowered before the cutter. Lieut. Hawley
contradicts this. He places the time from
the bleaching OF the ship and all hands
| ashore at a little over an hour, and about
an hour and a half, while Commander Null
IAN places II at three-quarters of an hour
ana Lieut.. Hawley at half an hour He is
posltiVe that the applicant came ashore a
good while before the lines did. Lieut.. Haw-
ley contradicts. and Lieut.. Shearman saws
tne hawser itself was ashore a few minutes
after the cutter. He states IL was not a
oiincult feat to swim ashore from the MIN
SIC. rms Is contradicted by both Com
mander Mullan and Ensign Jones.
believe the applicants statement has
been corroborated in all important points
ana we have shown that the applicant
from March 13 until the Nipsic was
Deached, was not neglectful of any duty:
that when he swan ashore he was at per.
Iect hberty SO to do; that it was after the
oruer 10 abandon ship, after the lines were
ashore, and at time when there was moth
ing further for him to do on board shin.
tiiat ne left in cool and deliberate man,
ner: tnat after the Bleaching of the Nipsic
until May y, 1889. the applicant did such
service as he was called upon to perform
either by his seniors or by circumstance
IN other words. that from March IL until
May y, lsSS, Lieut.. Davenport did his duty
as an oHlcer OF the navy, and that his con-
quot during the hurricane was such as 10
enutie him to move in the society of hon.
| orable men. - NUN