The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-10-22
OFFICIAL STORY
. OF NICHOLS CASE
TESTIMONY GIVEN BEFORE IN
SPEcToRS AT MEMPHIS BY
MASTERS AND PILOTS.
REPORT TO PRESIDENT
Aili Be Made BY Supervising Inspec.
tor in Person at Presidents Re-
quest-Testimon Conflicts
as to riartWegs Position.


The case Of the steamer Fred Hart
veg ana Of Pilot Clarence Nichols
rising out OF the trip TO Memphis in
fhe presidents feet is still before the
nblic and probably the most Interest
ing parts are yet to be given Al any
ate thus far little or nothing of the
sstimony given at the hearing in
Memphis has been published, hence
the very copious extracts from the
5nicial reports of the testimony which
ire given below will be read with
isep interest BY the public generally.
4 significant fact is that the on
.ial report Of the testimony Is pre-
'aeed with the following:
TO the L. s. Supervising Inspector OF
Vessels Of the Inspector of Hulls
Memphis Tenn
sir: The president Of the United
states requests that You will repor,
o him in person as soon as prac,
icable. In the matter Of the conduct
capt. Nichols, master of the steam
r Fred Hartweg, who has been guilty
Il reckless navigation and violation Of
Rule VIII Of the Pilots Regulations
Turing the trip from Cairo.
Very Respectfully,
CLINTON B. SEARS,
COL. Corps Of Engineers, " 5. A.
President Miss, River Com.
The witnesses who testified before
.he board at Memphis were stephen
!. Greeuwell, master Of the pres''
Tents steamer, the Mississippi; Wal
ter II. Saunders, pilot Of the Mississ
mi: James F. BrowinsN, pilot Of the
Henry G. Partee, pilot Of
he Alton; Joseph d. Mccullough. pi-
OF on the Alton, Clarence L. Nichols,
master and pilot Of the Hartweg;
rhos. l.. Faudree, pilot on the Hart
veg: Capt. B. b. Bardley. passenger
N the Hartweg; VIM. B. Rogers, pas
enger on the Hartweg; John A.
Nocd. passenger on the Hartweg.
Ii appears that in the opinion OF
Ill excepting Capt. Greenwich and one
# the pilots of the Mississippi, the
Iartweg at no time endangered the
residents boat The testimony of
several of the more important wit
nesses is here produced in full:
THE TESTIMONY.
Office of L. S. Local Inspecors, Mem
,shfo TauuaSSaa
October 5, 1907.
Personally appeared before William
{. Hodge, L. S. Local Inspector OF
Iulls. and Henry C. Waltz, L. S. Lo-
al Inspector OF Boilers. stephen E.
ireenwell. who. after being duly
worn. deposes and says:
Questions by w. j. Hodge.
@. What is your name2
A. Stephen E. Greenwich.
Q. You was master of the steam
r Mississippi while en- route from
cairo, Illinois. to Memphis, Tenn,
let, 3 and 4. 1907?
A. Yes sir
@. Mr. Nichols is charged with |
rossing the bow Of the steamer Mis-
issippi on several occasions, is that 9
act or not?
A. cannot say that saw him
ross the bow OF said steamer. but h.
ID cross the stern Of the boat
@. Did be run within 10 or Is feet
+ your boat on one or two occasions? I
A. hardly think il was that close,
think about SO feet
Q. Was his boat under Roadway or
eating?
A. II was under Roadway
@. What do you suppose would
ave happened while he was within
0 feet Of your boat If your boat
hould have struck bottom or broken
own, do you think the boat could
ave kept from hitting your boat?
A. do not.
Q. Did you notify Capt Nichols
OF to run so close to your boat?
A. Yes sir.
Q. How often did you tell him.
A. All together four times
q. Did Capt Nichols have any In
lination TO do as you advised him2
A. Not until / told him the las.
me-
Questions By Captain Waltz.
q. DO you hold a license as master
nd pilot? /
A. Yes sir.
q When did you leave Cairo
'linois2
A. We left Cairo think about
! 50 a m. on October ,.
q. En- route to Memphis did yoi
ONE straight through to Memphis az
.r leaving Cairo?
A. Yes sir. with the exception Of
wing up about ~ hours for the
torn on the morning OF the 4th.
Q. The steamer Mississippi had
be president Cf the T.. s. and his
nests on board did she not?
A. Yes sir.
e. DID Mr. Nichols or the STEAMER /,
red Hartweg signal TO you at times
hen she wished 70 cross your bow .
A. ] do not remember her crossing
ir bow.
Q. Did she ever pass you without
gnais2
Che r.s..f ~ -. ..,.,.s-,.