The San Francisco call., 1906-10-23
SAYS MATES PLOT
To RUIN HIM.
Mongolia's Master Charges
Subordinates With Effort
to Effect His Disgrace
BULGER Is OUTSPOKEN

For nearly four hours yesterday
United States Local Inspectors
Bolles and Bulger struggled with
the conflicting evidence in the
matter of the investigation into
the stranding of the steamer Mon
eolja on coral reef at Midway Island
ON Sentember 15 The only conclusion
apparent was that if the course as
given by Captain w. p. S. Porter was
correct the soundings made by
First Mate A. Martin were wrong. The
fact that the logbook had been tam
pered with by the erasure or ngures
denoting the time of night and that
the substftutions were against the cap
tain was conceded. Captain Porter re-
heated that when he thought he was
coming to a place where soundings
could be got he slowed down the en-
gines and went ahead at rate of
about three miles an hour, intending
when he reached forty-fathom
sounding to lay up the ship for the
night and attempt to make the landing
by daylight.
General Manager r. P. Schwerin of
the Pacific Mail Steamship Company
said that it was difficult to approach
the island in the daytime, much less at
night.
Il nave D66H -SCFCH years SO-
ing to sea-" said Captain Porter, "and
this is my first accident except being
crushed in the ice in the Arctic, and
that might happen to any man. Yet
Mr. Schwerin says I'm a poor nayi-
gator I acknowledge that the ship
may have been mile ahead of its
course. No man can tell within mile
or two his exact position. I acknowl-
edge breaking your orders, Mr..
Schwerin."
SHIP PART OF HIS LIFE.
At another stage of the proceedings
Captain Porter said: II tell you it
hurt me when that ship touched. The
ship is to me part and parcel of my
life and I thanked even the Cinnamon
and the boys for getting her off
again"
Local Inspector John K Bulger
turned to First Mate Martin and said:
There has been good deal of talk
about doing Captain Porter up, and
don't propose that he or any other man
shall be done. UP through me. 1 am
neither for nor against him and l will
show no partiality. All I want is fair
play and a square deal, and every man
that comes before me is going to get
that Now, did you say that he was
going to be done up?"
Did you say that you were trying
to do him up?" asked Mr. Schwerin, of
Martin.
No, sir" responded Martin. IT said
that everything / put in I'd swear to
and that when Captain Porter tried to
twist everything around he was only
twisting himself up said that to
several people.
Anything 1 say in this or any other
place l am ready to back up, and no
man can question my honesty" said
Mr.. Bulger. II have been told of a
good deal of talk that has been going
on in relation to this case"
Then Manager Schwerin took the
floor and said: II discussed this ques-
ton with three naval officers in my
house the other night and / said: I
cannot understand how Captain Porter
went in there under this system of navi-
cation. Captain Porter pledged me his
word of honor that he would obey all
my orders and take no chances with
that ship. So far as this other matter
is concerned, I want to say that l don't
Pacific Mail service to do up their su-
perior officers. What the mate said
might be simply his opinion as to the
result of this examination.
MATES IN CONSPIRACY.
Captain Porter remarked that he be-
lieved that the first. second and third
mates would try to do him up. He
had heard enough to convince him of
that
Martin proceeded to relate that
after the stranding and just before the
ship reached Honolulu Captain Porter
accused him of having made wrong
soundings and of having tried to lie
out of it. 1t developed also that Mar
tin had refused to comply with an
order given by Captain Porter to show
a Japanese doctor through the ship on
leaving Yokohama.
It appeared also that Captain Kilt
gard who was passenger, was en-
ployed by Captain Porter to assist in
getting the Mongolia off the, reef, his
compensation to be fixed later by Man
ager Schwerin.
Letters were read from Rear Ad-
mira1s Melville Miller and Fl. w. Lyon
and others complimenting Captain Por-
ter on his excellent seamanship and
courtesy to his passengers.