The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-11-12
THE CoNNER's LIGHTS.
Captain Pendleton and the Carpenter Tes-
tilted Monday.

In the United States Court Monday,
before Judge Webb, the case against the
snip William H. Conner, fol- failure tc
burn her lights on the high seas, came
up, the captain and carpenter having
come on from New York to testify. Ben
Jamin Thompson, Esq. appeared for the
Conner, and District Attorney Bradbury
for the government.
Captain Frank I. Pendleton testified
first. SHe denied that there. was any fail
ure to carry side lights going out. The
carpenter on the way home reported that
they were short of oil, and together they
went and examined the store of oil, find
ing only eight cases. He saw that if he
on the great ocean highway where lights
would be most needed; so. on the north
ern Pacific the side lights were taken in
for about four weeks. There was nc
danger in doing this, as the region was
unfrequented. This was between lati-
tudes 3S and ~. When they got into the
pathway of vessels going from San Fran
cisco to the Sandwich Islands the lights
were burned again. During the four
weeks in the North Pacific when the
lights were out, no vessel was met
Captain Pendleton says that for two or
three nights down in the northeast
trades, ATTITUDES IL to II, in the North
Atlantic ocean, the lights were probably
out, although he could not swear to it.
The carpenter had charge of the lights
always.
The ship was short Of oil, because four
or five days after leaving Kobe, Japan,
it was found that the oil had wasted be-
cause of leakage of the tins. There are
two five-gallon tins Of oil in case, and
he had bought two cases in Kobe
During a part of the voyage out, at a
time when it is charged that the lights
were out, Captains Pendleton is sure they
were burning, because they fell in with
the ship Governor Robie and they were
in company twenty three days. During
that time he compared the lights of the
two ships
In the North Pacific ocean the lights
were only about four hours long, and
much of the time they had full moon.
There was no time when the Conner
sailed with one light only.
Captain PendleUon denied that he failed
to carry lights in the vicinity of Cape
Horn. Of all the places between here
and Cape Horn, this was the place where
he should want lights most
About the taking down of the screen
boards, the witness said they could not
have been down more than two days for
painting, aud were put up before they
were fairly dry.
The crew had testified that in the
Southern Pacific ocean on the outward
passage lights were not carried. Captain
Pendleton says that they did not go into
the Southern Pacific at all ON the outward
trip.
The sailors had testified that there
were snow squalls in the North Pacific,
while the lights were out. Captain Pen
dleton said he had crossed the North Pa
cic four times: but had never seen a
snow squat in summer.
Under cross-examination Captain Pen
dleton testified as to the trade winds,
etc. On the return. when they rounded
Cape Horn, it was August aud the long
winter nights prevailed.
Captain Pendleton was sure that on the
way out from December Is to January
18th there could have been no failure to
set the lights, because they were on the
Australian coast, in region where such
thugs are always attended to.
Including side lights the Conner car
ried twelve lights.
Claus Frederick Christian of New
York, naturalized American, and for
twelve years ship carpenter, was the
next witness. He had been carpenter on
the Conner for over two years, and was
with her during the recent voyage.
The care of the lights was part of his
duty. At no time during the outward
voyage was there failure to have the
days out from Kobe, he discovered oil on
the shop floor, and found that two tins
had rusted until they leaked. This had
allowed about two tins of oil to be
wasted. Witness at once reported to the
captain, and in three>or four nights they
nut the lights out and did not burn them
for about four weeks in the North Pa
cific
One night in about So south, the wit
ness forgot one night to put the lights up.
Ther, on this side, about 10 CT 10 north,
there were two or three nights when the
lights were not up on account of the
painting.
At the conclusion of the testimony of
this witness, Mr.. Thompson announced
that be should have one or two more
witnesses, especially one who would testi-
fy that the lights were not out at all dur
ing the outward voyage.
The hearing was then adjourned until
such time as this further testimony
should be in order. This will not be long