The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-09-15
WEREB EASTLY DRUNK
CHARGES AGAINST THE STEAMER
MIRANDA,s CREW REITERATED.
Prof. Wright Tells of the DOings OF
the Sailors when the Vessel Sunk
DIR. Cooks Statement.

OBERLIN, o., Sept. H.-Prof. G. Fred
erick Wright, the eminent geoiogist, who
returned home yesterday, made a state
ment to-day which will elicit much sur
prise among people interested in the sue
cess of the Cook expedition, of which he
was a member. 1t will be remembered that
the expedition was brought to a sudden
termination by the sinking or the steam
ship Miranda. Professor Wright makes
the statement that during the night of the
storm nearly all of the crew of the Ill
fated ship were beastly drunk. He also
makes the assertion that in changing the
crew from the Miranda TO the Rigel, while
the former boat was sinking, that one deck
hand had to be hustled over the gangway
by the seat of his trousers. The
Miranda met with the acct
dent a week . previous 10 this.
The extent of the damage done TO her
hull was underestimate at that time, and
on this night, during a high sea, she sprang
a leak. During the three hours that the
Rigel was attempting TO lay to the Mi
into the forecastle. where the liquors of
the vessel were stored, took the liquors
and held high riot. and became SO reckless
under their clothes while in the terrible
peril of crossing between the two ships.
Professor Wright stated that in his opin-
ion the officers of the boat were in nowise
responsible for this strange condition of
affairs. but that it was human nature for
act as they did. Also. that the Miranda
would undoubtedly have gone down with
the crew sober. if such had been the case.
DIR. Cooks Reply.
NEW YORK, Sept. 1i-Dr. Cook, who
engineered the Miranda expedition TO
Greenland, was to-day shown a dispatch
from Oberlin. o.. saying that many Of the
crew of the steamer Miranda were drunk
at the time she was abandoned, and that
the reef on which the vessel struck was
plainly marked on the chart. He said:
while it is quite true that some of the
crew of the Miranda were intoxicated at
times. nobody was under the influence of
LIQUOR at the time she struck the rock.
All the intoxicating LIQUORS on board the
Miranda were locked up and in charge of
the steward. i am confident that ne never
gave any member of the crew anything to
drink and did not abuse his trust. On the
second night out on our return home, when
about three hundred miles off the coast
of Greenland the Miranda blew three
blasts of her whistles, which was the sig
ral of distress previously agreed upon. 1t
was then decided TO abandon the Miranda,
but the crew were not transferred until
three hours afterwards. Before the trans
fer had been effected the crew broke into
the lockers containing the spirits and, be-
sides drinking a liberal quantity, stuffed
their pockets with bottles of LIQUOR. When
they reached the schooner some Oh tnem
were unquestionably in a very intoxicated
condition. But the point I wish to make
is that nobody On the Miranda was intoxi-
Gated at the time she struck the reef.
I'm regard 20 the statement of Prof.
Wright that the reef on which the Miranda
struck was plainly marked on the chart, !
wish TO say that he is somewhat mis-
taken. The only charts of the coast that
are obtainable are the United States ny
biographical and the British charts. In
neither of these charts IS the position of
the reef marked. The Danish charts, how
ever. which are really the property Of the
Danish Trading Company, give the posi-
ton of the reef. Unfortunately. we did not
have these Danish charts or the accident
would not have happened"