The morning call., 1894-05-11

ones had been overhauled only short
time previously.
w. e. Howell, who was passenger, and
whose testimony has not been given at the
inquest, was called. He said he was the
only passenger on the deck imm ediately
previous TO the ships striking. II occu-,
Pied" he said. room o, berth 2, and
walked around aft on the port guard. came
forward on the starboard guard, meeting
sailor on the port guard. whom l asked:
How long has the captain OF this ship
been on this coast?' He replied. Thirty
or forty years. guess
MY reason for inauiring was my
anxiety on account of the close proximity
of the vessel to the shore. on which |
could hear the roaring of the breakers and
could also see the dim outline OF the point
On which the light is situated. which is
fashlght, red and white. What caused
my anxiety was as | came up the star
board guard to stack Of oranges in cases
l leaned against them and saw the Sur
light about one point on the port bow, my
vision being directed between the Jibstay
and the foremost. That caused me much
astonishment and alarm, as L thought
surely that light should bear on the star
board bow. The question arose in my
mind as to whether that light was on an
island and a passage existed between it
and the land. [ knew this could not be
so, having been on the route many times
before.
"Having been at sea a great deal from
cabin-boy to officer it surprised me that
had never seen from the time of leaving
San Pedro up to that time either captain
or any officer on The bridge other than
when making a landing at some port or
departing therefrom. | retired TO my
room, occupied by E. 5. Tennyson of
Dallas, Tex. and William Sanford OF Pasa-
dena. | had my nightshirt in my hand
when concluded to 60 on deck again. In
looking over the waist on the port side
discovered large quantities OF kelp that
assured me we were in dangerous rrox-
unity TO the shore"
Mr.. Howell went on to describe the
grounding of the steamer and the exertions
he had made to save life. He scored Cap
tain Leland severely. saying that he would
not accept his suggestions by which all
lives might have been saved He stated
that Leland was not in his rational mind
that night. When he concluded his testi-
mony Captain Leland asked him:
IAN the man you spoke to that night?'
"You are. SIR" replied Howell, quietly;
land you were not in your right mind that
night, captain. / am responsible for what
l say and will meet you any time you wish,
but l repeat here that you were not ra-
tional that night"
Captain Leland's eyes flashed. he was
almost about to retort sngrily when H.
spector Talbot excused the witness, with
the remark: "He sticks to 1t that you
were not rational. captain, and none of
your questions will shake him on that
point" The captain turned away with a
detected air.
j. 81. Cummings, another passenger.
gave his test tim ny in a modest way. He
maintained that he had seen the Sur light
dead ahead from the port side of the ship
before he turned in. The first lifeboat had |
showed off as he was trying to get his
family into it, with only three men in it.
He ran to the next lifeboat through the
stateroom. He heard the orders given to
put the women and children in first, and |
10 aid that he stood in the doorway>an |
prevented the crowd crushing through. |
Two ribs were broken by this. He got his |
family into the boat and dropped In.
There was no plug in the boat, but it was
found. and after some difficulty stuck In.
There were only nine people in the boat.
1t drified away, but he insisted on going |
back to the vessel. The engineer was not |
in this boat This boat got back to the |
ship and took some more people off. Mr.. |
Cummings maintained that the sailors
seemed to have lost their heads. He in |
sisted that " hen the first lifeboat had got |
ten to the Eureka there were only three |
men in it.
The hearing goes on to-day.