The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-10-31
ENSIGN WADE
TEST|F|ES


teresting day of the court-martial OF
Commander Lucien Young OF the Ben
nington was today's session, which Wit
messed the appearance of Ensign Chas.
IT. Wade of the Inflated warship on
the witness stand. Although Wade has
been sick almost unto death since the
terrible explosion, he appeared well and
strong while on the stand. He refused
10 answer many questions, as they
might be used against him in his court
martial. which is to follow that of his
commanding officer.
In answer TO question by Judge
Advocate West, Wade stated he had
had no engineering experience aboard
ship previous to being assigned to the
Bennington on October %, 1904, and that
ne was in command of the engine-room
of the ship from that date until July
21.
Wade testified that the boilers of he
bennington had been tested at the
Bremerton navy yard about year
ago and that later boiler A was tested
at Magdalena Bay with pressure up
TO 200 pounds. Wade stated that on
the morning of the explosion the boil
ers were filled with water from
lighter and that he had given orders
10 the chief machinist to start the hy-
drokimeters on boilers A and when
the water showed in the gauge glasses.
He said that he ordered the fires start
ed slowly in order to raise 125 pounds
of steam by / p. m. that day. The
hydrokimeters were started about a.
m. and were supposed to be in good
condition.
Wade said he knew of no reason why
steam should form quicker In boiler b
than A, unless the fires were stronger.
The steam gauge had been turned at
$50 a. m. and at that hour there was
about 120 pounds of steam. Water
tender Hunt was relieved from watch
about a. m. by De Curtoni.
Wade stated that he had made ad-
verse reports on the boilers in the log
of the ship previous to the explosion
first the boilers were fair, then good
and lastly poor.
A soiled sheet of paper from the log
book. dated July 81, was handed to
Wade and he identified it as one found
by him in the ship on the day follow
ing the explosion. Its contents were
not stated but it was admitted as evil
dence. Regarding Sunday inspection,
Wade remembered not more than five.
his station on Sunday being with the
deck division and he did not go below
except by order of the executive ofil-
Ger. Wade qualified this statement by
saying that shortly after Young joined
the Bennington he had accompanied his
commanding officer on an inspection or
the engineerig department.
The day after the explosion Wade
visited the engine-room with Fred
erickson. They found the main and
auxiliary stops of boiler b closed
Frederickson found that the main stop
of boiler B would not open and at
tempted to knock 1t off with wrench,
but could not do so. Asked If he were
aware of the regulation which demands
that the stops and cocks be moved once
a week when not under steam, Wade
answered only after long wrangle be-
tween the counsels that he was, but
tina, Young had never called his aten-
ton to this rule, The rule had been
carried out
At the morning session Lieutenant
Commander Bartlett completed his
testimony and appeared in an entirety
different mood than on the day pre-
vious. He said that he was willing
to answer the questions to which there
had been objection on the day previous
There was little discussion over this
admission and the defense smiled
confidently and said that as the boaro
desired no further expert testimony
from Bartlett that they would not In
ferring that they believed that Bart
lett had been discredited as an eX'
pert.
After Bartlett had completed his tes-
timony, Judge Advocate West arost
and announced that, without sugges
tion from any one, he had sent tele
gram to the Navy Department re-
uuesting that on the conclusion o.
Bartlett's testimony he be retained al
an assistant counsel for the prosecu
tion. The department had wired III
assent. Thus was briefly explained
what had been heralded as an attemp
of the Navy Department to convict
Young by furnishing additional talen
for the prosecution.
EVIDENCE OF STRUCTURAL
WEAKNESS.
VALLEJO, October l9.-Commande
George b. Ransom, at the Benningto
court martial, this morning gave 1t a
his opinion that, from the condiuo
of the crown sheets of the middle fur
mace, the combustion chamber and tn
tube sheets, after the explosion, ther
was no evidence of low water in tn
boiler.
Lieutenant Commander A. S. Ha
stead OF the flagship Chicago, anoth'
expert witness, was then called b
the defense. He was a member {
the board which investigated the Bel
ington explosion. He examined boi
er B at San Diego and later at Nal
island. There was nothing to ind
cate overpressure. The rivets wei
not in good condition and the poin
were very short when driven. I'll
examination of tubes did not indica
leaks which would occur from owe
pressure.
Careful examination of the safe
valve of Boiler B, after it was remov
at San Diego, gave no evidence that
would lift at the pressure set. VIII
he was junior engineer officer of t
bennington the valves were consider
unreliable.
Commander Halstead was recall
for further technical examination.
Ill ~