The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-04-24

DOdy TO come with boat and some one
neard my voice. for presently ] saw boat
approaching Us. Directly it backed away,
however, until 1t was out of sight. l
called out as loud as 1 could, Come back
with that boat but to no purpose. We
hung on 10 the rigging for fully an hour
and half. Our position was most criti-
cal one an every man had all he could do
to save himself by holding on to where he
was hanging from. Fireman Nolan and
young Curtin were alongside of me when
they perished. Curtin called out to me to
save him, but this was utterly impossible.
A few moments after he called to me his
body was floating on the water. None of
us could see a boat coming from any
direction and as our strength had been ex-
hausted in hanging on TO the rigging L
about concluded that our doom was sealed
Finally, the boats had landed their pas
sengers at Point Sur and one of them re-
turned with Captain Maginnis in charge.
he called out, is that you, Leland|
When he recognized me he asked me to
jump into his boat, but told him to attend
to the others first. / wanted to see every
body else saved before l would think of
providing for myself In this way l WAS
the last one that was to go. We then
rescued Second Officer Ward and went
ashore. The second officer and two of the
passengers were unconscious. After we
had worked on them quite while we
brought them to, but one died without re-
covering consciousness"
In reply to Juror Luce Captain Leland
stated that Third Officer Ryfkogel had
been with him on the Los Angeles for six
months and he reposed the greatest conf
dence in him.
Juror Ingram wished to know what ex-
cuse Ryfkogel had to offer for the disaster.
and Captain Leland said Ryfkogel told
him he thought that Coopers Point had
not yet been reached. The captain stated
that the third officer had been on duty
many times in the same stretch Of coun-
try. he and the second mate relieving each
other every four hours.
Juror Doud-Was it not his negligence
that lost that vessel?
Leland-Not exactly. Although had he
obeyed my orders and called me so that l
could have been on deck l would have
steered different. But then there may
have been currents we never had encoun-
tered before. The third officer sailed on
the course laid out for him by me. Had l
been on deck might have done different.
We generally pass bout one-half to mile
from Point Sur. For some cause or an
other we had evidently drifted inshore on
this occasion. The man at the wheel was
thoroughly competent. The lookout was
my son, Leland. Had my orders been
obeyed DO accident would have occurred.
But they were disregarded and here we
are. If the steamer Eureka had been on
lime that night all on board the Los
Angeles would have been saved.
Captain Leland stated in reply to queries
from several members of the jury that the
steamers course was changed generally
according as the wind nay happen to be,
that with heavy north west winds the shore
is hugged to avoid the sea as much a. pos
sbIe. He said the light al Point Sur could
be plainly seen that evening, that the reef
which sunk the Los Angeles is about two
miles from shore aud that it is shown on
the chart of the coast.
Third Officer Rodger Ryfkogel testified
as to his position on the Los Angeles. He
said he was on deck at the time of the
accident. The vessel was following the
course usually taken on these voyages,
and the light at Point Sur was made at
6:30 P. NJ, two points on the starbOard
bow. The Los Angeles continued Oh that
course, which was now northwest Il
north, time about O'Clock, when the
coulse was altered to northwest. She con-
tinued on this latter course until sop. NJ,
when she struck the reef. The accident
80.
sent the vessel in shore. The weather at
that hour was hazy ana the Point Sur
light was barely visible.
Evidently Captain Leland had been read
ing the riot act TO the third officer, for his
emotions almost overcame him when he
said: Il oDeyed my orders to the best of
my ability. / was just about to go and
call the captain when the ship struck the
rocks, and l thought we had not yet made
Coopers Point. l understand Coopers
Point TO be three miles south of Point
Sur. ! did not know there was any danger
to be apDrehended where the ship struck.
Had l known anything about that rock
being there nothing would have hap
pened. The course was changed by me on
my own account. / admit that ought to
have called the captain before doing so,
but in my best judgment | changed the
course to make sure of everything / did
my part in saving as many lives as | pos
sibly could aud then saved myself by
swimming TO catch boat already loaded
down with people. have been the third
officer of the Los Angeles for six months
and have passed this particular place many
times. When abreast of the lighthouse it
is customary to change the course of the
ship, and l but performed my duty as
best could. believe the accident was
caused by the current. Some people
say the sea was calm and smooth, but
the lighth0use-keeper told US 1t was flood
tide when we went down. We were
further inshore than thought when we
were wrecked"
The next witness was First Officer
Charles Gray. The testimony of all the
witnesses in regard to the wreck does not
differ In any respect. and Mr.. Gray's was
no exception to the rule, although his tes-
timony was the most sensational of the
afternoon.
He saved nine men who had jumpej j
overheard and took them ashore in the
boat that he was managing, making thirty
thot ,, ba6