The San Francisco call., 1904-06-28
NEW WITNESS,
DIFFERENT TALE
Purser Carey of Steamer
Colon SwearS That Officers
We're Never intoxicated
QUESTION OF VERACITY
Testimony of StOrekeeper
Stevens Is Denied and
Captain Is COntradicted

When former Storekeeper Harry G.
Stevens Of the lamented Colon gets
back in port he may have to face a
charge OF perjury. if the feelings dis
played by Purser George ]. Carey. Mate
]. L Wilson and Chief Engineer w. d.
z. Sullivan continue along the lines dis
played at the continued hearing into
the causes Of the wreck of the steamer
April 10.
Purser Carey was on the stand yes
terday morning before United States
Inspectors Bolles and Bulger, and ap-
peared to have been familiar with all
that happened prior to the going ashore
OF the steamer. AS the man indirectly
in charge Of the liquors on board the
Colon, he swore positively that there
was no drunkenness among the officers
or crew prior to the wreck Under close
questioning by both inspectors Carey
said there had been drinking on board
in honor of the marriage of First Of
ficer Wilson, but that the chief en-
gineer had not taken anything stronger
than ginger ale, that he himself had
three OF four glasses of wine but was
not intoxicated. He was positive the
first officer was not drunk, nor even
affected by the two glasses of wine he
had taken. AS TO Chief Engineer Sui
livan, he swore positively that that Of
ficer had not taken anything stronger
than ginger ale, and in all the years he
had known him he was positive that
Sullivan had never used intoxicants.
QUESTION OF VERACITY.
A question Of veracity arose when
Carey testified that the captain knew
Of the drinking going on, as one Of the
quartermasters had notified the mas
ter the day before putting TO sea. That
statement Captain Irvine emphatically
denied, and with such force that In
spector Bolles warned him TO confine
his remarks TO the case and avoid all
side issues and references.
Inspector Bulger wanted to know how
First officer Wilson came to be charged
S74 for wine. Carey said that was the
bill handed to him by Storekeeper Ste
vens. and although he believed the bill
was excessive Wilson had told him TO
pay il rather than make any fuss about
il. Carey said he had understood that
part Of the s74 was for the services of
the minister who tied the knot which
caused the jollihcation.
Carey was not present when the first
hearing was held, hence Inspector Bull
ger informed him that the first officer
had testified that he paid the S74 for
liquors. and rather startled the witness
by saying: We want the facts in this
case We have been fooling long
enough" Carey proceeded 10 give the
nature Of the duties of the storekeeper,
and brought out the fact that that Of
fetal was directly under the orders of
the purser. To his positive knowledge
there was no whisky ordered during the
night. He had inspected the storeroom
and wineroom, and there were only
twenty quarts of wine on the ship
when she left San Francisco. To the
best of his knowledge there were eight
or nine quarts Of wine and seven or
eight pints consumed UP TO the time
the ship was lost Every one who saw
or heard Of the bill for $74 considered
it excessive, but as Wilson had told
him 10 pay il he did so without any
further question.
CONTRADICTS STEVENS.
In direct contradiction of Storekeeper
Stevens. Carey swore that none of the
officers were drunk, and, further that
none of the engineers had taken any
strong drink of any kind
Sunday morning prior to the disaster,
and while the ship was still at anchor
Carey gave orders to the storekeeper
not to issue any more liquor to any
one. as he thought the thing had gone
far enough. In answer TO a question /!
by Inspector Bulger he said he did not /
know the mate was married until after /
the ceremony had been performed, as
he had turned in, and was called by .
the groom shortly after the knot had /
been tied. Then it was that the diff /
ferent officers repaired to the store
roam and began to enjoy themselves,
quietly, very quietly. There was not
the least bit Of noise, for if there had
been the captain would have known
it. as his room was directly overhead
and he was in bed.
FORGED ORDER FOR BEER.
After the ship had been beached and
the passengers and some of the crew
were ashore, Stevens sent out an order
for a keg Of beer, but Carey would not
allow it to be taken ashore, as the
captains name had been forged to the
order
Although Carey had given the store
keeper orders not to issue any, more
liquor wine was served at a dinner
given Sunday night by First officer
Wilson. Carey was told by Wilson
hat he had asked the captain for per-
mission to give the dinner and invite
he clergyman and his wife, who were
n the steerage, and also the first, sec
md and third assistant officers, and
hat the captain had given him permis-
sion to do so.
That is not so" broke in Captain
irvine He did ask me if he could
give a little dinner. but 1 did not tell
him he could invite the steerage pas
'engers or the crew"
At the suggestion Of Inspector Bolles.
captain Irvine questioned Carey as to
Who it was that said the captain had
1een notified about the doings in the
toreroom. Carey could not remember