Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-13
Testimony Concluded in the Daven-
port Court Of Inquiry.
LIEUT.. WAINWRIGHTS ARGUMENT
How Lieut.. Davenport Reached the
Shore by Swimming.
SAVING THE GRE W

the applicant. Lieut.. r. G. Davenport. be-
gan the summing up of testimony. The
principal witness on the stand yesterday
was Lieut.. Davenport himself. who told his
version Of the incidents of the Samoan dis
aster. and the beaching Of the Nipsic.
At the afternoon session yesterday. after
The Stars report of the hearing closed.
Lieut.. Davenport was recalled and stated
that when he left the ship there was about
eight inches Of water on the deck, and the
ship rolled considerably, with a strong cur
rent running. After he reached the shore
he went direct to the consulate When he
reached the shore. he was positive the line
was ashore. and they were pulling on 1t on
the fo'castle to keep 1t taut. Before he left
the ship he gave the log book to the cap
tain as the latter had on a life preserver
and had a better chance Of getting safe to
land. This was about ten or fifteen min
utes before he left the ship. and during the
interval he went below and got some money
out Of a drawer.
When he lowered himself into the water
and swan ashore he knew that some of
the officers, at least two. the doctor and the
chief engineer, were ashore. After he had
returned from the consulate to the beach he
was energetic In the work of aiding on the
lines and in saving life. When he left the
who were on the focastle had better
chance of escape than he did on the poop,
as they could go OF over the line.
Conflicting Testimony.
In several cases in his testimony Lieut..
Davenport's statements were at variance
with the statements Of Lieut.. Purcell and
others. In this connection Lieut.. Davenport
was asked by the Judge advocate If he was
willing to swear that they had sworn false
ly. Lieut.. Davenport said that he would
not like to do this, but that he was willing
to swear that what he had testified was
true. and If their statements and his did
not agree theirs must be incorrect.
Would Do 1t Again.
In answer to a question from Lieut..
Laucheimer the applicant said that the
captain of the ship himself was anxious to
have the men abandon the ship in order to
leave the ship himself. There was a bill on
board referring to abandoning the ship and
the applicant was in charge Of the launch
which was swung upon the starboard side.
They had a routine drill on board ship about
once a week to train the men In the meth
DDS to be pursued in abandoning the ship.
However. when the order was actually gty-
en- to leave the ship no one went to his post
ard no effort was made to lower any boat
other than the cutter and the gig. At the
that II he stayed any longer his life would
be in Jeopardy, and, In the light Of affairs
as they presented themselves then, IL the
same thing occurred again he would act as he
did upon the Nipsic. He was satisfied that
he could be Of no further service on board
the ship In his injured condition.
Ended the Testimony.
This practically closed the taking of testi-
mony in the case. In concluding Lieut..
Davenport made a statement to the effect
that IL a court had been ordered when he
first asked for it the incidents would have
been fresher in the minds Of the witnesses
and he could have proved beyond a shadow
OF G-ubt the truth of his statements.
Other witnesses could have been summoned
who We're not now available. AS 1t is. how
ever, ne was perfectly satisfied with the
course of the government in this inquiry He
nad no further testimony to present and no
further witnesses to summon.
Summing Up.
This morning after the record was read
over and approved Capt. McNair asked the
applicant If thimble full of water would
not ruin chronometer as we'll as a bucket
lull Lieut.. Davenport stated a single drop
would answer as we'll Lieut. Davenport
also answered a few other questions as to
the details of the beaching of the ship and
a. to who gave the different orders.
al tliiS punt d recess was taken until L
o'clock. when Lieut.. Wainwright, counsel
Tor the applicant began the summing up of
his testimony.
In the course of his address Lieut.. VAIN
wright said: IF during the time of the
hurricane at Samoa Lieut. Davenport show
ed cowardfce, he is not fit to hold his office
in the navy, but If his conduct Is vindi
Gated before this court, 1 believe the YER
dict will re-establish him in the eyes of ALI
honorable men. In his sworn statement
now in evidence, he has fearlessly and
frankly placed before the court all the cir
cumstances that In any way affected his
case. Had he believed that there was any
error on his part he would never have dared
to face this court He has shown how. Al
most Immediately after the hurricane he
sought 10 nave court. how again in Hon.
tlme the authorities were given a statement
OF all the facts in his possession and each
time his request was refused.
AFTER placing before this court his state
ment and verifying it under OATH he pro-
duced two officers. his immediate superiors
the commanding officer and the executive
OF he Nipsic. They ccrroborated the main
facts mentioned in his statement particu
larly the occurrences en- board shin. and
after the most searching questions on the
part of the court, they declared his conduct
to be worthy of an officer Of the navy.
The Accusations.
'At last the applicant knows OF what he
is accused He is accused Of jumping over
board. naked, after the order had been
passed to abandon ship in an orderly man.
ner, thus not showing in time of danger or
emergency an unflinching front to danger.
That he did not go down on the beach and
stay there and help the Vandalia's people out
of the water, or as Lieut.. Purcell puts it
in another place, that he did nothing to-
ward saving the lives of the crew of the
Fandalia or the officers That he lost the
chronometers of the Nipsic because they
were abandoned when they could have been
saved, except one chronometer, the hack
The length of time that has elapsed since
the hurricane has been of serious disad-
vantage to the applicant, for not only those
who are willing to utter some facts are
unable to do so, but those who have an
animus against him have transposed their
ina gina tions into facts.
Lieut.. Hawley saw him and talked with
him on the poop This WIS after the cutter
was sent ashore and after the line from the
forecastle reached the shore Lieut. Haw-
ley had passed the word to abandon shin
before seeing him. Lieut.. Shearman ONLY
heard the order given by the captain to
abandon the ship after the line was
ashore.
The Order.
Lieut.. White would testify, / believe, If
his memory serves that he saw the appli-
cant swimming ashore after the line was
ashore. If all the testimony of the various
witnesses was given equal weight without
regard to their bias against the applicant
the evidence Of the captain and executive
must be taken as conclusive upon the point