The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-06-13
LONGWILL CLEARED
SAILORS RETRACT CHARGES
AGAINST HIM.
Make Afidavits in the Investigation be-
fore British Consul Hoare Directly
Contradictory of their First Stories,

The investigation into the charges
made by the boatSWain and the crew
of the gig against First Mate LOngwill
of the Fannie Kerr in which they stated
that the first mate deliberately deserted
them without provisions, has been clos
ed by afIidavits of the accusers to the
effect that they have no grievance
against the first mate and that the in
ability of the gig to keep in touch with
the life boat was due to the bOatswain's
bad eyesight and consequent error in
steering,
First mate Longwill seems to have
been done an injustice by the stories
of the boatswain, Robertson, Murphy
and others as originally told. The fol-
lowing affidaVits seem to clear Mr.
Longwill of any stigma of deserving his
fellow sailors in distress.
The men We're to decide this morning
by eleven o'clock whether they would
accept checks on the owners at Liver
pool. The men say it may be three or
four years before they reach Liverpool
again and do not see any other way Of
redeeming them. About $500 is due to
the men on wages. The amount can
not be raised at local banks on account
of the owners being little known here.
They are better known in San Francis
co and it is thought that the money
would be forthcoming there more rapid
ly. British Consul Hoare has arranged
for the passage of the men on the So
mona and has also provided them with
clothing. The men, being British sailors
with the prOverbial privilege of grumb-
ling, are doing so most heartily and
are threatening to bring suit for their
wages. They seem to think that the
consul should have provided them with
their money under any circumstances.
Statements sworn before the British
Consul, June u, 1902:
James Robertson, boatswain of the
late bark Fannie Kerr, of Liverpool,
o. N. 99447, beng duly sworn, deposed
as follows:
On the 5th of June, 1902, between l
and in the afternoon, the mates boat
was far asteTn of us, We then made
up our minds to run down and talk to
him and see where we We're. When we
got abreast of him he was a good bit
to windWard of us. We then put about
and went after him; we continued on
that way till dark, We saw a light
between half past nine and ten o'clock.
We saw no more of him until We land
ed at Niihau. We were too far off
when we got abreast to speak, because
we were too far away from each other.
l had had no trouble at all with Mr..
Longwill the mate, at any time. We
were not IN want or provisions or wa
ter before we got to Niihau l make
no charges against him.
(Signed). JAMES ROBERTSON,
* His Mark)
Samuel Murphy, seaman of the late
bark Fannie Kerr, of Liverpool o. N.
99, 447, one of those in the boatswains
Robertson's boat, being duly sworn, de-
posed as follows
l have heard the statement made by
James Robertson, the boatswain of the
Fannie Kerr, He Is correct in what he
says about our running down to the
first mates boat on the afternoon of
the 5th of June, 1902 The mate went
away from us 1t is true, but it might
have been our own neglect in our boat.
Robertson could not see at night to
steer-I and Kollmann steered all the
time. Robertson was steering when
we were making for the first mates