The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-01-19
WREch or rnH jon 7. WILSON.
The Ccroncr'sJury Hears Evidence In the
investigation Iufo Cause of Collision.

Investigation Info Cause of Collision
BALTIMORE. MD. Jan. H.-Coroner
Edwin Geer and jury held an inquest
yesterday at the Central police station
TO investigate the deaths Of James Chill
dress. engineer. and Charles {. ChappeI.
steward, OF the tug Job T. Wilson. OF
Richmond. Va. The men were drowned
Wednesday, january 9Th. in collision
between the steamship Howard, OF the
Merchants and Miners Transportation
Company. and the tug Wilson. The col
lision occurred hortly before a. NJ. near
Fort Carroll.
As a result OF the collision and conse-
qucns loss OF life. Capt. John &. Taylor
of the Howard. committed suicide last
Wednesday night shortly after his vessel
left Boston on her return trip TO Balti-
more. The Howard is now in Baltimore.
the Investigation having been postponed
until the steamer returned 10 this city.
After examining the officers and crews
OF the Howard and the Wilson. the jury
rendered the following verdict.
james Childress and Charles G. Chap
pcl were drowned January g. 1897. at $40
A. NJ. i'm the channel known as the Fort
McHepry channel. Patapsco river. near
Fort Carroll The tug job +. Wilson. on
which they were employed. was in col
lision with the steamship Howard. The
collision was cIused by the mate OF the
tug Wilson misunderstanding the signals
OF the steamship Howard. which was
probably due to a change of the course
aof the Howard she not answering her
wheel owing 10 shoal water"
Capt. $ J. Ciappell. OF the Wilson said
that he was IN tile stern Of the tug. which
was going down the Fort McIIenry chan
mel when he saw red and green lights and
. bright light belonging to a steamer con
ing up.
MY pilot blow "A whistle" continued
Captain Chapel. ITO which he receive !
no reply. ] went forward and blew an
other whistle for the steamer 10 pass
us on the proper side. My whistle was
answered. and / Supposed that everything
was all right and held on my course. In
4. few minutes the steamer blew another
blast. and / asked my pilot what he
thought it meant ami whether it was for
us. lie said that it was for the tug An
mic which was astcTn Of us. We were
towing n sc0w and besides had q barge
on our port side.
when / heard the second whistle from
the Howard Bsaw both her port and star
board lights. showing that she had chang
ed her course. Ny tug was going about
two miles an hour and was pointing at
am angle OF a. degrees. ] think the How
ard had sufficient room to pass us.
Second Officer Frank NJ. Easter. OF the
steamship Howard said: Just before
we turned off from the Brcwerton chan
mel into tho Fort McIlenry channel we
made out the lights Of two tugs coming
down We blew n whistle for tho tug
TO pass US on the proper side and were
answered by tho tug We supposed that
everything was al right as the tug poo
PIE evidently understood MS. Captain
Taylor thought that we had not room
enough 10 pass the tug and sounded an
other blast on tho whistle but received
no answer. We were then close on the
tug and when We rot no answer we back
ed off just as tho tug gave four short
blasts IL was then that the collision
occurred while We were backing off.
I'VE had not shown our port and star
board lights and our white light until
Just before we Struck, and we had not
changed our course. Tho blow was n
CHANGING one and not head-on. l was or
dered away with a crew in one OF the
boats. but we did not see the tug. When
we rowed up TO the barge and hailed
there was no answer. We saw no lights
on the barge. We saw the tug Annie
circle about and 20 alongside the barge.
We anchored and waited at the scene Of
the wreck Intil daybrpak"