The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1904-11-03
RUSSIANS ARR HELD
RESPONSIBLE BY JURY
RESULT OF THE CoRoNER,s IN
QUEST At HULL

Were killed by shots Fired without
Warning or Proyoeation from Cer-
tain Russian War vessels-Russian
Government Fails to Participate in
the Proceedings.
Hull, Nov, 2.-"That George Henry
Smith and William Leggett were, at
about 1890 a. m. on October %, while
out fishing with travis aboard the Brit
ish steam trawler Crane, with board of
trade marks exhibited and regulation
lights burning, killed by shots fired.
without warning or provocation, from
certain Russian war vessels at a dis
.tance of about quarter Of a mile"
This is the text of the jury's verdict
at the coroner's inquest on the fisher
men victims of the North Sea tragedy.
AT the request of the British govern
ment, represented by the Earl of
Dysart, solicitor of the treasury, this
conservative award was rendered by
the first court of inquiry preceding the
sessions Of the international tribunal.
The government asked the jury not to
find verdict Of wilful murder or man
slaughter, because delicate negotia-
tions are going on, which should not be
made more difficult; and they ought not
to let any one think they had prejudice
ed 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 themselves.
TO the verdict the jury added the fol-
lowing rider: On this occasion, prob
ably 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
arrive at a satisfactory conclusion Of
the matter, which, we fell, has no par
allel in the history Of the world"
st. Georges hall, large auditorium
which had been specially fitted up for
the occasion, was quite inadequate to
accommodate the crowds that wished
to listen to the evidence The interest
was intense and there was some excite
ment, but no demonstration occurred.
A great number Of people gathered in
the vicinity of the building to await
the verdict, and the space inside the
hall was filled. The British govern
ment, the board of trade, the officers of
the Gamecock fleet and the relatives of
the deceased and wounded fishermen
We're represented by counsel; but the
Russian government did not partioi-
pate. The proceedings occupied only
about three hours. The testimony con-
sisted of medical evidencey 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 fragments of shells by pri-
Vate marks, which, he said, were un-
doubtedly Russian; and the stories of
captains and mates of the trawlers.
These latter related that while they
1 were engaged in their regular work the
tBaltic fleet in two squadrons emerged
suddenly from the haze and, throwing
the glare of their searchlights on the
Gamecock fleet, without warning and
disregarding flare and green lights. the
hsherman's signal, and though within
actual speaking distance of one vessel.
commenced a cannenade, which the
fishermen at first, not realizing tie dan
ger, enjoyed, thinking it was a sham
fight. The firing lasted half an hour.
To each of these witnesses was put
the vital question regarding the pres
ence of a foreign vessel or torpedo boat
Each with equal positiveness denied
that at any time preceding Or during
the firing was a Japanese, British OF
any foreign vessel seen by them or the
accompanying fishing fleet. 1t was also
stated that there were no Japanese
among the crews, and that none Of the
trawlers carried farms of any 1escrip-
tion. One Of the shippers, replying to
question by the coroner, said that
! during the five weeks he was In the
North Sea he had not seen any war
ships until that night.
This closed the evidence. Counsel
for the treasury then made the suga
lgestion with regar to the nature of The
verdict with which the coroner agreed
land without delay it was SO returned
with an added expression of sympathy
for the relatives and friends of tire
dead and injured, and of appreciation
Of the calm and courageous manner Ii
which the fishing fleet remained at its
duties after the terrible experience
Il see --------.----- 5sf5