Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-11-07

Hull, England, Nov. 3.-"That
George Henry Smiun and William Leg
gett were, at about 1890 a. M, Oct.
%, while out fishing with trawlers
aboard the British steam trawler
Crane, with the board of trade marks
exhibited and the regulation lights
burning, killed by shots fired without
warning or provocation from certain
Russian war vessels at distance OF
about a quarter of a mile"
This is the text of the jury's verdict
at the coroner's inquest on the fisher
man victims of the North sea tragedy.
Mild Verdict Rendered.
At the request of the British govern
ment, represented by Earl OF Dysart,
solicitor of the treasury, this conserva
tive award was rendered by the first
court OF inquiry preceding the sessions
of the international tribunal. The
government asked the jury not to find
a verdict of wilful murder Or man,
slaughter because delicate negotla
lions were going on which should not
he made more difficult, and they ought
not to let any one think they had pre-
Judged the case before having heard
both Sides" In consequence the jury
simply set forth the facts proved by
the evidence of physicians, experts on
explosives and the trawlers them
selves.
Government on Hand.
The British government, board OF
trade, owners Of the Game Cock f1eet
and relatives of the deceased and
wounded fishermen were represented
by counsel; but the Russian govern
ment did not participate. The testl-
mony consisted of medical evidence
by which it was proved that the death
of Messrs. Smith and Leggett was the
result of shell and machine gun
wounds; then an expert identified
fragments of shells by private marks
which he said were undoubtedly Rus
sian, and the stories of the captains
and mates of the trawIers.
Fleet Dsregarded Lights.
These latter related that while they
were engaged in their regular work
ships of the Baltic fleet in two squad
rons emerged suddenly from the haze
and throwing the glare of their search
lights on the Game Cock fleet, withou,
warning and disregarding the flare OF
green lights, the fisherman's signal
and though within actual speaking dis
lance of one vessel, commenced q
cannonade, which the fishermen, al
first not realizing the danger, enjoyed
thinking it was a sham fight.
Only Fishermen Present.
The firing lasted half an hour. Tt
each of these witnesses was put the
vital question regarding the presence
of any foreign vessel or torpedoboat
Each with equal positiveness denied
that at any time preceding or during
the firing was any Japanese, British Of
any foreign vessel seen by them o.
accompanying the fishing fleet
was also stated that there were M
Japanese among the crews and tina
none of the trawlers carried arms o
any description. One of the shippers
replying to a question by the coroner
said that during the five weeks he wa
in the North sea he had not seen an.
warships until that night.
This closed the evidence. The coun
sci for the treasury then made state
ment with regard to the nature of thj
verdict, with which the corone
agreed, and without delay it was 81
returned, with an added explanation
of sympathy for the relatives an
friends of the dead and injured and O
appreciation of ''the calm and courag
eous manner in which the fishing flee
remained at duty after the terribl
experience"
Treated as Russian Admission.
London, Nov. 3.-The mornin
newspapers consider the fact tina
Russia was not represented at TIL
coroner's inquest ait Hull as a virtua
admission of her inability to contrc
vert the fishermen's plain, unvarn
ished story of the North sea affair.
It is reported that the channel Med
iterranean and east Indian squadron
have received Instructions to shadoy
Admiral Rojestvensky's feet through
out it's progress.
A British man of war at Malta i
busily coaling, preparing to watch tn
Baltic squadron.