The Washington herald., 1908-05-18
CorOEer's Jury Begins In
sGuest in POsey Case.
PRESIDENT TAYLOR ON STAND
Capt. Davis Tells of Portfolios Being
Left Open-Deck Hand Reported to
Negro Arrested, Charged with Rob
bling Car-Mechanics Mrke Gift.
WASHINGTON HERALD BUREAU,
BELL Telephone 63.i
a-A.....L

SO King Street.
Alexandria. Va, May IA coroner's'
jury, summoned by Or. s B. Moore, met
tonight at Wheatleys undertaking es-
tablishment for the purpose Of placing
the responsibility for the death of stan
ley D. Posey. the eighteen -months-o1d son,
OF Mr. and Mrs. +. Maury Posey. who
was drowned with the sinking Of the
steamer Trenton, belonging TO the Poto-
mac Navigation Company. OF Washing
ton, at Resrdons wharf. May 3. a bes-
sion Of several hours was held, and Wit
nesses were examined until II 80 o'clock
At ll:i5 O'Clock the jury adjourned 10
meet again Tuesday evening, al O'Clock
when additional witnesses viii be exam
med.
At the conclusion Of the hearing to-
night Attorney Terry offered to read an
affidavit alleged 20 have been made by
colored deck hand, in which he admits
having been responsible for opening the
portfolios of the steamer.
Following this statement. Coroner
Moore directed the city sergeant 20 make
an effort to get the deck hand before the
jury.
The jury was composed Of R, N. era
ham, foreman; Thomas A. Fisher, George
d Hopkins. August oehlert, Maurice Vii
kins, and r. Lee Field.
Tells of Boats Inspection.
John f. Taylor, president and general
manager OF the Potomac Navigation
Company. was the first witness to take
the stand He told the jury that he
thought the steamer Trenton was in
spected one year ago, and that the Ger
tificate Of inspection expires to-day The
boat he said, was Inspected under the
super ision Of the Baltimore inspectors,
and tile inspection was made in Wash
ington.
The pGrser. he said had a list Of the
passengers aboard the boat that morning.
II was lost with the sinking Of the steam
er, but he found it to-day, and an exam
ination revealed that it contained twenty
three names, The ''twenty-three" caused
many Of the jurymen TO smile He said that
he left the book aboard the vessel. it be-
ing covered with mud. Witness was IN
able 10 tell how many passengers got of
In this city. No record was made of
children's names. as no fare was collect
ed for them. Since the accident witness
said he had redeemed several tickets.
He knew Of no one being lost but the
Posey child
Mr. Taylor was unable to tell who first
discovered water coming into the boat.
although he added that the boat began
TO list about ten minutes after the crew
began 10 load freight.
Capt. Davis Called 10 stand.
Capt. Davis was the next witness. He
said the boat left Washington at 7.23.
reaching here at 7.55. and started AZ once
to load freight
Capt Davis said he supposed it was
his duty TO see that the portfolios were
closed. They were closed when the
steamer left Washington, as he had pre-
viously made an inspection. He told of
having or one occasion rebuked q deck
hand for opening the holes. and telling
him to never again open them without
orders. IN concluding his testimony.
Capt Davis stated that if the portfolios
had been closed there would have been
no trouble.
John R. Edeline. Harry Aitcheson, Mr..
and Mrs. Z. Maury Posey, Peter Aitche-
son. and several others testified
Capt. Davis and Mate Beach we're rep
resented at the hearing by Attorneys G.
A Perry and Rossa T. Downing. both OF
Washington