Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-18
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
Coroner investigates the Sink
ing of Steamer Trenton.
TESTIMONY OF WITNESSES
Verdict Is That Accident Was Caused
by Open Portfolios.
VOTERS REGISTER TOMORROW
Charles Heltch Charged With Rob-
bling Freight Cars-Tsstimonial
for Master Mechanic.
TESTIMONY OF WITNESSES
VOTERS REGISTER TOMORROW
Special Correspondence Of The Star.


| Special Correspondence OF The Star.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. May IS. 1908.
Open portfolios were responsible for
the sinking of the steamer Trenton at
Reardon's wharf May last. according
to a decision reached last night by
coroner's jury after an examination OF
thirteen witnesses to determine the re-
sponsibility for the death OF Stanley D.
Posey, the eighteen months-old son Of
Mr.. and Mrs. E. Maury Posey Of Brook
lyn. N. Y, who was drowned with the
sinking of the boat It now rests with
the jury to determine who was respon--
sible for the opening Of the portfolios.
The responsibility for the accident will
undoubtedly be- placed tomorrow night
| by the jury after it concludes the
| examination of several other witnesses.
| including Noble Smith. engineer Of the
Columbia fire engine company, who will
testify as to the finding OF the child's
body
| At the conclusion Of the examination
of witnesses last night Attorney G.. A.
Perry, who. with Rosa F. Downing,
interest Of Capt. Davis and Mate Beach.
offered to read an affidavit alleged to
have been made by colored deckhand
employed on the steamer, in which the
s is seged to ina have he anena
or the portfolios. Juryman Hopkins OBJ
jected to the reading Of the affidavit and
suggested that the deckhand be brought
o 5ns }sfy b to aa Mr.
Perry told the jury he would make an
| effort to produce the witness.
The first witness to take the stand was
John E. Taylor of Washington, president
and general manager of the Potomac
Navigation Company. He told Of the boat
having been inspected a year ago. and
the inspection certificate. he stated, ex-
pired yesterday. Mr.. Taylor said the
purser kept list of passengers. except
children. in a book. and he found the
book yesterday morning. The book. he
said. contained the names Of twenty-three
passengers. A general description of the
boat was then given by the witness Mr..
cident he was standing on the wharf
watching the loading Of freight. The cap
tain and mate. he said, generally super
wise the loading of freight. Witness was
ing. He said the mate generally looked
after that end. In the opinion Of wit
ness the boat sank at s:42 that morning,
as a watch which went down with the
boat stopped at that hour.
Small Amount Of Freight.
Less than a ton of miscellaneous freight.
consisting of trunks and baskets, was
taken aboard the steamer in Washington.
and about ten tons had been placed on
it in this city. The boat. he said. was
evenly laden.
Witness told of having called the at
tention of the captain to the fact that
the propeller was about fifteen inches
out of the water The captain replied,
That will be all right when we load
aft Mr.. Taylor said he paid no
further attention to the matter, as
the keel was on even water and 1t was
no, an unusual condition. He then spoke
Of Diver Wanner having told him the
day following the accident that the for
ward port holes had been open. 1T was
probably ten minutes after we began to
load freight that the boat began to list. :
said the witness. He was unable to tell
who .lrst discovered water coming into
the boat.
On cross-exanination Mr.. Taylor said
that Capt. Davis was supervising the
Beach. he said. was assisting in the
load ding. while the fireman was trucking
freight aboard the steamer. Il asked
the fireman If he wanted to make an
extra quarter trucking freight" said wit
ness land he replied that he did. and
went to work" Mr. Taylor said 1t was
not customary to use the fireman in that
/ capacity.
Il u,
he declared he refrained from interior
ing with the loading OF the freight He
recalled having recently told both Capt.
Davis and Mate Beach that he wanted no
i friction and would thereafter let them
look to the loading Of the boat
h Capt. Davis admitted that Mr.. Taylor
called his attention to the propeller be-
ing out of the water. but ad led that 1t was
made an inspection of the boat before it
left Washington and all of the portfolios
were closed He also told the Jury that
on one occasion he caught deck hand
that they were never to be opened Wit
ness never knew the portfolios to be
open.
Other Testimony.
John r. Edelin, told of the boat sinking
in about two and half minutes Capt.
Davis. he said. was on the wharf at the
time.
Harry Aitcheson testified to seeing Mrs
Posey and her child being handed through
a window of the boat and Of the child
being washed from her. He said he as
sisted Mrs. Posey to the wharf. The bow
Of the boat he said. went down first
Il Mrs. Posey gave graphic description
Of the sinking OF the boat, telling Of how
she lost her baby boy In the water. Mr..
Posey also testified to being in the saloon
Of the steamer at the time
responsible for the opening Of the port
holes He declared that the placing OF
the freight forward was not responsible
for the accident.
Purser w. w. Dancer told the jury of
his duties aboard the boat. He said he
sold about twenty-four tickets that morn
ing and that eight or ten got aboard who
did not purchase tickets. while four or
Ave boarded the steamer in this city. Wit
ness was unable to tell who looked after
the freight that morning. At one time.
he said the captain was assisting in the
loading OF trunks. At the time of the
sinking witness was in the middle of the
warehouse on the wharf.
Among the other witnesses who testf-
fed were Andrew Aitcheson. Edward
Wildt. Samuel E. Lindsey. Engineer T. H.
/ Hewitt and Harry a. Downham.
i The jury was composed of r. NJ. Ora
ham, foreman: T. A. Fisher, August
Oehlert. Maurice Wilkins. r. Lee Field
and George D. Hopkins.
Registration Of Voters.
i The registration books in the four wards
will be opened tomorrow from sunrise
until sunset and those who fail to avail
themselves Of registering will be unable
| to participate in the congressional prt-
mary which will be held June q next It
| 10 said that a large number Of voters hou e