The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-11-03
HULL JURY BRINGS
IN THE VERDICT
Fishermen Fired Upon During
Night Without Warning
THOUGHT IT WAS A JOKE
Each Witness States Positively That
There Was No Foreign Vessel
of Any Kind Among
Them.

Hun, England November 2.-'That Geo.
Henry Smith and VIM. Leggett were at
Z;sO a. m. on October %, while out fish
ing with travis aboard the British steam
trawier Crane, with board trade marks
exhibited, and regulation lights burning,
were killed by shots fred without warm
Ing or provocation from certain Russian
war vessels at distance of about quar-
ter Of mile"
Ihis is the text of the jury's verdict at
lne coroner's inquest on the fishermen vic
TINS of the North sea tragedy. At the re-
quest OF the British government, repre-
scented by the Earl of Disart, solicitor of
the treasury, this conservative award was
rendered by the first court of inquiry pre-
ceding the sessions of the international
tribunal The government asked the jury
not to find verdict of wtilful murder or
manslaughter because delicate negoti-
atons are going on which should not be
made more difficult; and they ought not
to let any one think they had prejudiced
the case before having heard both sideso
In consequence the jury simply set forth
the facts proved by the evidence of physi-
clans experts on explosives and the
trawlers themselves.
Judge Adds a Rider.
To the verdict the Judge added the fol-
lowing rider:
On. this occasion. probably the most
momentous In the annals of the British
empire, the jury would record their APP
probation of the efforts made by the
governments interested to arrive at a sat
isfactory conclusion of the matter, which
We feel has no parallel in the history of
the world"
st. Georges hall, a large auditorium
which had been especially fitted up for
the occasion, was quite inadequate to ac-
commodate the crowd that wished to lis.
ten to the evidence. The interest was in
tense and there was some excitement, but
no demonstration occurred A great num-
Der of people gathered in the vicinity of
the building to wait the verdict as the
space inside the hall was filled. The
British government, the board of trade,
the owners of the Game Cock fleet and
| the relatives Of the deceased and wound
ed fishermen were representa- by coun-
81, but the Russian government did not
participate.
The proceedings 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 Russian, and
the stories of captains and mates of the
| trawlers.
Thought 1t Sham Fight.
| These related that while they were en-
| gagged in their regular work, the ships OF
| the Baltic heet In two squadrons emerged
suddenly from the haze. and throwing
| the glare OF their searchlights on the
Game Cock fleet, without warning and
disregardins flare of green lights, the
fishermen's signal, and though within ac-
rual speaking distance of one vessel, COM
menced a cannonade which the fishermen
at first, not realizing the danger, en-
| joyed thinking 1t was a sham fight The
firing lasted half an hour. To each of
these witnesses was p;It the vital ques-
ton regarding the presence of a for
| eign vessel or torpedo boat Each with
equal positiv eness denied that any time
preceding or during the firing was any
| Japanese, British or any foreign vessel
seen by them, or accompanying the fish
| ing fleet
| 1t was also stated that there were no
Japanese among the crews, and that none
| of the trawlers carried arms of any de-
seription One of the SHIPPERS replying to
question by the coroner, said that DUR
ing the seven weeks he was in the North
sea, he had not seen any warships until
| that night, This closed the evidence
| Counsel for the treasury then made the
| g11uRastion with re0ard m tho ,att1ra M
the verdict with which the coroner agreed
| and without delay 1t was so returned with
| an added expression of sympathy of the
relatives and friends of the dead and in
| jured and OF approaching of the calm
and courageous manner in which the
fishing fleet remained at its duties after
the terrible experience"