Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-06

accident he found there was a hollow in
il: it was not sound. In the opinion of
the witness the momentum of the big
boats would have been sufficient to do
the damage done and break the shaft,
though the engines of both were shut
down.
Capt. James Marmadukc. first officer of
the steamer Washington, the next witness,
was on duty aboard the Washington when
the accident occurred. The witness was
in the pilot house with Capt. Phillips, and
kept sounding the whistle.
When the fog lifted witness said, the
Washington was In the middle of the
channel. The shaft and wheel dropped
from the Lackawanna almost Immediately
after she was struck. When the anchor
of the Washington was hove up it was
found about in the center of the channel.
Chief Engineers Account.
Henry Chessen. chief engineer of the
steamer Washington, next on the stand,
was in charge of the engine room of the
Washington. Leaving Alexandria the
boat was first run at full speed. Then
she was slowed down and stopped several
times
The engine of the Washington had been
stopped ABOUT a minute before she struck
the other boat. Witness received a signal
TO back before the collision came. Sig
nails came one after the other close to-
gether His boat was moving at near
full speed, the witness thought when the
collision came. Witness stayed in the en-
CINE room until his boat came to an an
Choir.
The last signal TO go ahead at full
speed was received about five or six
minutes before the collision.
Howard c. Ethridge quartermaster on
the steamer Washington, was next called
Witness was at the wheel OF the Wash
ington at the time of the collision
1t was his duty to steer the course di-
rected by the captain. In the opinion of
the witness the accident could not have
been avoided after the ferry was seen
through the fog.
Willie Evans. colored. lookout on the
Washington. the next Witness was acting
as lookout on the morning of the COLI
sion. He was on the forward deck when
the boat struck. When the collision oc-
CURED the Washington was drifting.
me boats were SO close together when he
saw the LackaWanna that he did not
nave time TO report her before they
struck lie was thrown from the deck of
the Washington TO the LackaWanna by the
force of the collision.
+. J. Doyle. sailor in the navy attend
ing the seaman gunners school at the
navy yard, was passenger on the Wash
ington Tuesday morning He saw the
boats come together.
He saw Miss Smith floating in the wreck.
and called to her to hold on. He was one
of the crew of the boat that picked up
the people who were thrown overheard
from the ferry steamer
In the opinion of the witness the acct
dent could not have been avoided after
the Ldckawanna was sighted
In the Lackawanna's Pilot House.
K. III. Brawner. ticket collector on the
steamer Lackawanna, was called The
witness was in the pilot house CT his
steamer al the time of the collision, with
Capt. kendrick and Clifford Brice, in
the opinion of the witness the accident
could not have been avoided.
Clifford T. Brice, deckhand on the Lack
awdnna, was sworn He was acting as
quartermaster on the ferry when the col
liSon occurred.
His boat was not running very fast the
witness said. when the collision occurred.
The witness thought that the wheel and
shaft of the Lackawanna fell at once.
after being broken off, from the fact that
she listed almost Immediately after being
struck.
j. X. Webster. chief engineer of the
Lackawanna. was sworn He was on
duty on the morning of the collision.
After leaving the steel plant wharf,
within fifteen or sixteen seconds. the
sounding fog whistles. About two min
utes after leaving the steel plant he re-
ceived Il signal to slow down and the
stop signal followed almost immedi-
ately.
The collision came within short time
after he had stopped the engine. The
list of the steamer followed Immediate
ly after the wheel and shaft were cut
away.
Edmund a. Coats. living at the Cairo.
Washington, a retired army officer, tes-
tilted that he was a passenger on the
Washington the morning of the collision
He gave d description of the debris
flying through the air as the boats
struck, and stated that the Washington
was moving slowly. In the opinion of the
witness the accident was unavoidable
Fl. w. Smith also testified that he was
a passenger on the Ldckawanna and was
looking out of the door at the forward
end of the mems cabin when he saw the
Washington coming about twenty-five
feet away. Both boats seemed to be