The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-11-04
VERDICT OF THE JURY.
SAYS BRITISH SEAMEN WERE
SLAIN BY RUSSIANS WITH.
OUT PROvOCATION.
AT Governments REQUEST
CORONER'S JURY AT THE HULL
INQUEST RETURNS A coNsER.
NATIVE AWARD.

Hull, Eng. Nov. 3.-"That George
Henry Smith and William Leggett
We're at about 1890 a. m. on Oct
p, while out fishing with travis
aboard the British steam trawler
Crane with board of trade marks eX-
hibited and regulation lights burn
ing. killed by shots fired without
warning and without provocation by
several Russian warships at dis
lance of about quarter of mile
This is the text of the jury's YER
dict at the coroner's inquest on the
fishermen victims of the North sea
tragedy. At the request of the
British government representative,
the Earl of Dysart, solicitor general
of the treasury, this conservative
award was made by the first court OF
inquiry preliminary to the proceed
ings of the international tribunal. The
government asked the jury not to find
verdict of wilful murder or man.
slaughter, because delicate negOtia-
lions are going on which should not be
made more difficult, and they ought
not to let anyone think they had pre-
judged the case before having heard
both Sides
In consequence the jury set forth
the facts proved by the evidence Of
physicians, experts on explosives and
the trawlers themselves. To the YER
dict, the judge added the following
rider:
No Parallel in History.
"On this occasion. probably the
most momentouS in the annals of the
British empire, the jury would record
their appreciation of the efforts made
by the governments interested to ar
rive at satisfactory conclusion of
the matter, which we feel has no
parallel in the history of the world"
st. Georges hall, large auditorium,
which had been especially fitted up for
the occasion, was quite inadequate to
accommodate the crowd that wished to
listen to the evidence. The interest
was intense and there was some ex-
element, but no demonstration Oc-
Cured A great number of people
gathered in the vicinity of the build
ing to await the verdict and the space
inside the hall was filled. The Brit
ish government, the board of trade,
the owners of game cock" fleet and
the relatives of the deceased and
wounded fishermen were represented
by counsel but the Russian govern
ment did not participate. The pro-
ceedings occupied only about three
hours.
The testimony consisted of medical
evidence by which it was proved that
the death of Smith and Leggett was
the result of shell and machine gun
wounds; then an expert identified frag-
ments of shells by private marks,
which he said were undoubtedly Rus
sian, and the stories of the captains
and mates of the trawlers.
Fishermen Got No Warming.
These latter related that while they
were engaged in their regular work
the ships of the Baltic fleet in two
souadrons emerged suddenly from the
haze and throwing the glare of their
searchlights on the game cock fleet,
without warning and disregarding
fare green lights, the fishermens sig
nal, and though within actual speak
ing distance of one vessel, commenced
a cannonade, which the fishermen at
first. not realizing the danger, enjoyed,
thinking it was a sham fight. The
firing lasted half a hour.
To each of these witnesses was put
the vital question regarding the pres
ence OF a foreign vessel or torpedo
boat. Each, with positiveness, de-
MED that at any time preceding or
during the firing was any Japanese,
British or any foreign vessel seen by
them or the accompanying fleet. 1t
was also stated that there were no
Japanese among the crews and none
of the trawlers carried arms of any
description. One of the shippers, re-
plying to a question by the coroner,
said that during the five weeks he was
in the North sea, he had not seen any
warships unil that night. This closed
the evidence.
Counsel for the treasury then made
the suggestion with regard to the ma
ture of the verdict, with which the
coroner agreed and without delay it
was so returned with an added ex-
preston of sympathy for the relatives
and friends of the dead and injured
and of appreciation of the calm and
courageous manner in which the fish
ing feet remained at it's duties after
the terrible experience.