The herald., 1894-04-24
CoRONER's INQUEST.

Captain Leland Lays the Blame on the
Third Ofncsr.
MONTEREY. April 23.-The bodies OF
Curtin, Fitzpatrick. Sheridan, Sherman
and Nolan, all victims of the disaster,
were brought here today, Coroner Cor
don having -haen unable to secure q
! jury in the spsrsely populated region of
Point Sur, and the coroner's inquest
WAS held here.
Capt. H. D. Leland, master Of the ILL
fated steamer, was the frat witness. He
testified that at Piedras Blsncss he
shaped the vessels course to Point Sur.
northwest one.quarter north by COM
pass, her regular course, which clears
all danger as far as Point Sur, where the
course is changed. At 7 80 p. IN. he
went forward again, looked about. raw
the light on Point Sur. and then said to
the third officer, Mr.. Ryikogel, who had
charge of the watch:
"I'll lie down for while and taFe a
little rect. Give me call when Cooper's
point is abeam."
They were then about five miles south.
east OF Point Sur, he testified, and
Ryfkogel replied: ''All right sir, I'll do
3d."
Continuing his narrative, the captain
said:
81 then lay down in my berth. which
is next to the pilot house, with my
clothes on. was quietly resting when
received the first intimation that there
was anything wrong, in the shape OF
bump on the reef. | rushed from my
room into the pilot house and shouted:
Hard to starboard.' l then turned to
the third officer and said: How is this
you did not call me when you were
abreast of Cooper's point?' He said:
We'll, we amt up to Cooper's point
yet l told him: My God, Cooper's
point is away three or four miles astern.'
He replied: She's all right; she's going
off the reef.' remarked that che was
not doing anything OF the kind; that
she was fast. then went to the engine
room to inquire whether she was making
water. The reply came: Yes, she's
filling fast Then l stepped back on
deck and called out as loud as l could:
Clear away the boats
1--WE had passenger named Captain
Maginnis on board, who asked whether
he could assist me in any way. l told
him to get all the boats ready and put
in all the ladiea and children first.
she WAS heading, and heard that the
escape pipe had bursted and the steam
was making terrible rattle. lady
passenger stopped to ask that get her
a life preserver which did, aud think
ing l might need one myself, l kept one
near me.
''At this time the chief engineer was
in the boat looking after the ladies.
When a full load had been obtained be
showed away. | then tnrned my atten-
tion to filling all the other boats with
passengers. Soon got a sounding line
and found great depth of water. It
was enough to swallow the ship. Sud
denly she plunged down stern first,
very rapidly. When all the boats
were gone and the ship had plunged
down, Skinned up the rigging as high
as could 20. There we're several of
Us ON the rigging and some we're in the
water. l could move neither up nor
down on the rigging as there were sew
eral people ahead of me and some below
me. We we're washed about very
roughly and our prospects were rather
gloomy. The boats had all LETT us and
we we're utterly helpless. | called out
for somebody to come with boat and
some one heard my voice, for presently
sh" Doht approaching US. IL Dhckeu
away, however, out of sight presently.
We held on to the rigging for fully an
hour and a half. Our position was &
most critical one and every man had all
he could DO to save himself Fireman
Nolan and Young Curtin we're 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 float.
ing on the water. None OF us could see