New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-13
CROMARTYSHIRE LIBELLED.
BLAME LAID ON HER FOR THE SINKING
OF LA BOURGOGNE.
OFFICERS OF THE FRENCH LINE TAKE ACTION
THE IIREr. SERVED ON THE BRITISH VESSEL

OFFICERS OF THE FRENCH LINE TAKE ACTION
THE LIBEL. SERVED on THE BRITISH VESSEL
ON HER ARRIVAL AT PHILADELPHIA
1t is now four months since the Bourgogne,
OF the Compagnie Generate Transatanti1ue.
came into collision with the British steamship
Cromarfyshire. and went down off the Banks,
only 16I persons out Of total passenger ana
crew list Of 135 on the French liner being saved.
1t will be remembered that public feeling ran
high against the officers and crew OF the Bour-
eogne She was said to have been out of her
course that almost no efforts were made to
save the women and children on board. ana
that the crew committed every kind or par
barity in obtaining possession Of the boats io'
themselves Later on it was stated tha' zap
tain Deoncle OF the Bourgogne. was at ''e
time OF the disaster and had been Tor CON-
siderable time previously insane. To all these
charges the officials Of the French Line maue
little IL any reply at the time. Mr.. Faguet 'he
acting agent Of the line in this city. oontented
himself with denying the statements bu' OF
fered no testimony In rebuttal
1t will therefore come considerable sur
prise to most people to know that ever since
the disaster the officials Of the line. with their
legal representatives in this country and IN Eu-
rope have been quietly working to discover
where the real responsibility lay. Their WORK
eliminated last Friday. when the Cromarty-
shire which arrived some days ago at Philadei-
mia on her regular voyage. was libelled on the
complaint OF Mr.. Faguet representing the com
pagnie Generate Trsnsatlantique. The hpel WAS
served upon the agents Of the Cromartyshre
owners by a United states Marshal
Edward K. Jones OF the firm OF Eustis' Jones
& GOWN OF No. As Cedar-st.. is the legal repre-
sentative Of the Compagnie Generate Trans
atlantique In this city. Henry r. Edmunds IS
the proctor for the lbeIlant. Mr. Jones was
seen by Tribune reporter at his ONCE yester-
day THE Cromartyshire." he said, is now III
the custody Of United States Marshal Inc
French Line rested under all the oblo1uy tnat
was cast upon it after the disaster quietly Al
first the company was SO appalled, at the terrible
los, of life that it allowed all the attacks maze
upon it and the officers of the Bourgogne to re-
main unanswered. Apparently there was no
hope Of ever rebuttng the accusations. Not an
officer Of the BourgOgne remained alive 10 give
his version of the accident The Compaeh'e
Generate Transat laniique at the mercy or
the officers Of the Cromartyshire who cou'o' Il
they wished to. make statements TO sul' 'hel"
selves AS a matter of fac. every klhd Oh via
accusation was running riot at HaiiiaN ana
elsewhere 1t was even said the captain OF the
BOuTgogne insane.
I'VE have now found out what the iac's really
are from other sources than those we sr'uid
have appealed 10 II any of the officers OF lhe
poursorne had been saved. We have satisfied
ourselves that the fault really lay win 'he
Cromartvshire According to the evidence we
have the RourCogne did not even collide WIN
the Cromartyshire. 1t was the other way ABOUT,
AS for the accusation of cOwardice and Drutahly
against the crev. Of the B0ureOgne. we nave Sc
cSred evidence uDon that point too. The pro-
norton Of sailors saved was no greater tnan the
proportion OF sailors to passengers ana II mus
be remembered that every one was dumped lIto
the wafer and only those able to swim could.
for the most part reach the boats. in shoit
time the whole truth VIII appear, ana ri,i fiH
that the public will modify its ideas conslderaUy
about the responsibility Of the French Line for
The libel reads in part follows
The said steamship La Bourgogne proceeded to to
the year and progressed upon her voyage w.tn n
Notable ped sian Gf oesan from 50 to 100 niles
The coast OF Sable Island on the morning OF ~; my
and the Said steamer was proceeding at reduced
rate OF speed under slowed engines ano sSuhd ,
Her master and fun corps of Officers were on the
sp1 80 O'clock h in f tRe mofnHs. large shP
which afterward turned out TO be the British
The starboard side Of La Bourgogne under fuI
head OF sail and proceeding at neh rae OF
by the 09nfnE MO Of h side Of
Ia Rourgogno The fog dense that
the officers and men Of La BourGogne soon lost
sight of the Cromartyshire. and, discovering Ire
serious nature Of the Bourgognes Injuries; brought
her TO a full stardstill and senalled to the CICIn,
sr,vshre for assistance Her master and
crew then engaged themselves in lowering the
boats and feras. In order 10 save her passeseIs
but before any considerable progress could be mace
the said steamer foundered and sank and her
master. all her navigating officers ana many Oi ei
seamen as well several hundred passengers
were drowned. o, -. 40
omission negligence fault Of the said La tour-
rOgne or her officers and men in charge or hc1r
navigation but was caused solely by the 1ault anu
negligence Of the said ship Cromartyshire -,
The damages OF La Bourgogne: includins her
freight and cargo near as the hbellant can No"
estimate the same. amount TO 2yOvN
The libellant proceeds to pray that O. r. Hen-
derson master Of the CrOmarty shire. be helo IN
custody or released on bail 10 await the ma
decree Of the District Court of the Cnited states
for the Eastern District Of Pennsylvania anu
that he may also be decreed to pay TO the hpei,
liant the damages mentioned, with interest ana
the costs of the action.
The libel is sworn to by Paul Faguet repre-
me-