The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-02-16
one MORE
VICTIM DEAD
Captain Claims Ship Chang.
ed Course.
LINER RAN THEM DOWN
Cactus Brings In Main mast Ct
Foundered 5 amer and sto
Locate Wreck.
LINER RAN THEM DOWN

NEW LONDON. Conn. Feb. To-
While Captain Mcvey Of the Larcl-
mont has yet to give an official yer.
sion OF his story Of the collision be-
tween his vessel aud the schooner liar.
ry Knowlton on Block island. the ties
tlmony OF Captain Haley Of the schoon'
or and his crew, taken before The 10.
cal government steamboat inspectors,
seems 10 show that the burden " ex'
PLANTATION lies with the l.archmont
James vann Of Fayetteville. y. C.. n
coiored steward OF the l.arclimout. died
last night OF pneumonia nj the East
Side hospital. where he was taken with
several other survivors OF the wreck
on Wednesday night This leaves only
seventeen whose lives were saved from
the wreck.
The lighthouse tender Cactus has
brought In the mainmast Of the steam
/ or Larchmont. IL was broken on six
| ~ feet below It's top. evidently 10y some
passing steamer OF large craft. which
had snapped about n dozen thick wire
guy ropes and an Inch iron holt A
portion Of the gan and some of the
castings Of the mast were attached TO
H. The Cactus returned this morning
20 hunt for the sunken steamer
The identification ~ the seventy six
bodies that have been recovered Las 20
far progressed that only eight remain
ed unclaimed ~ the morgue. A few
days more will be- allowed for ldenti-
fication. and then the unknown dead
will 10 buried by the city AZ the gov.
eminent inquiry those on the schooner
claimed that they held their course
straight down the sound aud that the
steamer tried 10 cut across the bow of
their boat. Captain McNey aud his
quartcrmastcr declare that the schoon.
or altered her course and lufed into
their vessel. The controversy l. like
/ ~ 10 continue for some time
Captain whitley aud Captain Stew
art. before whom the hearing was held.
seemed impressed with the frankness
aud direcine-- with which Captain lin.
ley ana his men testified. They told
the story clearly aud conld not be
trlpped M on any details. The mate
aud two sailors told practically the
same story NJ the captain. All four
have spent their lives NJ sea.
They were all agreed that the iarch.
mont changed her course aud that that
fact alone was responsible for thu col.
ision. The schooner a. a sailing YES
sel bad the right Of way. according 90
the laws Of navigation. aud II was the
business Of the steam vessel ~ look
ont Zoe her.
II According 10 the testimony. the
Larchmont was one eighth 90 a quar-
ter Of n mile away when she changed
her course.
Previously the green. OF siarboard.
light ~ the steamboat had shown over
the siarl,oard quarter Of the schooner.
These relative positions bad lIecn main.
talned hy the two vessels for twenty
minutes. The schooner was headed
east by north and was travelling a.
the rate 81 abOu, seven knots. sud
denly ~ the i.archmoni drew nearer
going ~ full speed. the green ilghi dis.
appeared. and the rel or port. light
came into view. showing that the
steamboat had changed hsr course and
was trying 20 cross the schooner's bow
4 few minute. later the crash came.
No whistles were blown. the men
testified. or any other indication given
that the officers Of the Lsrchmoni real
lied the danger until the steamboats,
how had crossed the schooner's bow
spirit. Captain Haley said he heard
but one short blast. hut the others 70
called two quick toot. on the siren
While the night was dark. said the
captain. the stars shonc and the lights
~ vessels could ~ easily picked NJ 4
mile aud q half away.
when the green lights ~ the steam
boat suddenly changed 10 red. the
mate. Frank Govand. who was IN CON
mand 81 the deck. became alarmed and
called the captain from below 60 tell
him 81 the steamboats, peculiar ac
, lions
"she will never clear me-" he re-
marked
Keep her on straight course
J were Captain iialey's Instructions.
Captain whitley pat the mariners
through severe crOss examination
but could not shake their story In H.
essential details.
Asked M 10 the condition ~ his owl
lights. Captain Haley said. drawing
himself NJ proudly
They were burning bright. sir. aud
they were burning bright until 1.
O'Clock yesterday. when she was coins
~ pieces on the beach"