The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-01
Drunkenness Charged
Against Officers
in Charge.
MetcaIf Prepares for
Rigid Prosecution
of Case.

Sensational statements regarding the
circumstances surrounding the drown
ing from tug or Narragansett Bay.
Mass, recently OF Privates steenerson
and Mcintosh, Of the Marine Corps. are
contained IN the report OF the naval in
vestigating board which reached the
Navy Department yesterday.
The board reached the conclusion that
the two men were drowned under cir
cumstances which it is unable 10 de-
teTmine, but which on their face. n
view OF the statements made before i.
and the attendant circumstances ara
more or less suspicious; and that ths
drowning OF Stevenson under the cir
cumstances was due 10 culpable inca
pacity or culpable ineffciency on the
the part of the master OF the tug. VINO
should also be held responsible for the
condition of affairs which led up 10 the
DISAPPEARANCE OF the two men,
Proceedings Planned.
Acting upon this report. Secretary
Metcalf has forwarded a copy CT IL %
the Department OF Commerce and La
Dor with a view 10 the institution Of
ter Of the tug boat. by that department
under the provisions of the navigation
laws bearing on such cases. 1t is prob
able that Master Rich's license as
pilot and master will be revoked
Stevenson. and his companion, AIcIn-
tcsh. were drowned from the tug, Feb
ruary 16, and stories were sent OUt q
the time alleging suicide. These were
all controversies, however, and it was
said that the naval board had returned
an opinion of accidental death, which
coincided with the opinion Of Represen-
tative STEVENSON, father OF one II the
bows. who made an investigation on his
own account
Reported as Disappeared.
It seems. however, that the report as
received at the Navy Department yes
terday says that the evidence submitted
shows that the two marines left New
port on the morning OF February Is on
the tug boat Anne r. Wood, Of Provi-
deuce. (. l., with f. W. Rich. master:
that the tug boat was bound for
dredge at work of Fort Greebie, Il. J..
and had on boerd IN addition to the two
marines, seven other men, including
three members Of the crew; that the
tug did not go TO the dredge, and that
on the return Of the tug 10 Newport
between 3 and 6 o'clock In the evening
the master. reported to the police that
Mcintosh had disappeared somewhere
between Newport and the wharf at
Conanicut Park. in which locality Steeu-
erson jumped overheard and was
drowned.
The board expressed the belief that
nearly every one on the tug was mora
or less under the influence OF liquor On
this trim. and that it had not and could
not obtain a straightforward account Ct
the events OF the cruise.
Even admitting that the disappear
anCe OF the two prtvates was accideIi-
tai" the board says, "and due more OK
less to a state OF intoxication. it can
hardly be possible that everybody on
board that small tug could have been in
such a state of incapacity as not 70
know more Of what happened than has
been told"
Statements Differ.
DISCREPANCIES occurred in almost al
the statements as TO the condition Of
the party on board. says the report
and as to the circumstances surround
ing the row which is admitted 70 have
occurred and stated to have been be-
tween Champion and Olse-- During this
row, It was claimed, the blood was So.
ten on Steenerson's Overcoat- There
were also discrepancies as TO the facts
the drowning OF Stecner-
sin in sight of everybody on the tug.
The board, therefore, determined tha:
the two men were drowned under cir
which e was unable %
a.tar-r,l-.a