The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-05-12
THE CAPTAIN WAS CRAZY.
Inquiry Into the Loss of
the Los Angeles.
Details of the Disaster Told
by Passengers.
Captain Leland Said to Have Lost
His Head.
Brave Captain McGinn the Hero of tho
OccAsion-D Testimony
Against Third Ohicer
Ryfkogel.
By the Associated Press,

BAN FRANCISCO, May 1l.-"Thc cap
tain was little out of his head, like a
crazy man, walking back and FORTH"
was the startling manner in which
August Roske phrased it in giving his
testimony ct the investigation of the loss
of the steamer Los Angeles today.
Roske was passenger on the steamer
and he was the first witness called by
the inspector OF steam vessels today. and
his test mony in respect to the conduct
OF Captain Leland corresponded with
that of Passenger Howell, which was
given on the previous day.
who gave orders?" asked Inspector
Talbot OF Roske.
Nobody" answered the witness.
Captain McGinn, passenger, was the
coolest man there. If it had not been
for him the captain would have jumped
overheard, he WAS go crazy. The cap
tain WAS crazy, running around the
deck. If we bad all depended upon him
nobody woald have been saved. He
was crying out that he had been % years
on the coast, but this was the first time
anything had happened"
A general stir of interest was created
when the gallant captain was called.
He is the hero of the wreck, not only
according to the stories of the offic ers
and crew, but also OF the passengers.
He was a passenger on the ship and his
narrative was very much to the point.
II WAS talking to the captain at z 30
and then went below. heard the cap
tain give some instructions to the third
officer. Some time after came on deck
and remarked to the third officer that
the course seemed to be carrying US
little close to the surf. He did not
think it was, and then went below
again, thinking no more about it.
was reading in the mates room, and at
8 40, about, l felt the vessel strike.
Then she struck again harder. The
mate, who .i-~ .v~ainS In tIi1 er,Ai- ,
asked what was the matter, and | re-
piled: I think shs's ashore
1--WE ran out ON deck, and as we were
getting cut, she struck again, this time
so hard that the mate fell down. Just
as got on deck l saw Captain Leland
going around the pilot house from port
to starbosrd, in his shirt sleeves.
crossed the square of the forehstch and
spoke to him. AS far as l can remem-
Der, he made some remark about going
aft to see if che was making water.
II ran aft, looked down into the en-
gine-room, saw she was making water
fast, and went forward and reported to
the captain. Then he gave orders to
put out the boats. asked him if l
could be OF assistance and he said to do
all l could. assisted the passengers
in getting into the boats. The mate got
the boats and looked after the pass
engers. l jumped off the etarboard bow,
was picked up by the mate and trans-
ferred to the working boat, which had
no officer. Myself and Mr.. Gray
decided to pull in to the beach. and l
went ahead, having the lightest boat. 1
went back to the ship and took the CUR
vivers off the rigging. We picked up
two men. One died or was dead, as we
picked him up. The other died after
we got him ashore. The second officer
was unconscious and we had to cut the
rope Of the rigging cut OF his hand"
WAS the captain unusually excited
at the timer"
81 don't know. had not ever been
with him before, but l don't think he
was very excited. OF course any one
would be more or less go, under such
circumstances"
"Were there enough life-prsservers?
More than enough. They were lying
about the deck. l could have had one
myself If I had wanted it,
The second officer, Philip G. Ward,
was, the man relieved by Third Officer
Ryfkogel about O'Clock in the evening.
He was below when the ship stranded.
He was one of the survivors taken out
of the rigging by Captain McGinn I'M
conscious.
"We changed the course off Blsncae
and got northwest, quarter NORTH" said
the second officer. and to the question OF
Inspector Talbot: "Do You know how
much the compass was out ?" he replied /:
only by hesrssy. l understood that
our course was very near q true polar
course. never had occasion to study it
cut, and don't know what the deviation
is. We steered northwest, quarter
north, from Blancas to Point Sur"
Have you ever had to haul the vessel
out of that course? '
"Sometimes-we might have had to do
go on account OF the wind or sea, or run
inside of 1t a little, but always under
stood that straight course northwest,
quarter north, is the course"
Charles Roth, passenger who had
got of in the last boat, stated that the
captain was very excited, and that Cap
tain McGinn was the only one who did
any decent work. 1t was more than half
an hour from the time the ship struck
until she sank.
W. Sanford. q Pasadena plssterer, who
occupied the cabin with Howell and
Tennyson az q passenger, entered to
testify, with his head encased in huge
turban of linen and lint, the dressing of
the wounds he received on the night of
the wreck. He claimed that the COLI
fusion after the ship struck was fright
full. The officers bad lost Their heads,
and the captain was crying out, "Oh,
NV God, il l had only been on deck 70
"Oh, my God. there is 500, 900 worth of
cargo going to the bottom ~
Captain Mcdinn, the witness said.