Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-06
COLLISION DUE TO FOG
Jury Criticises Both Captains
for Lack of Care.
DEBRIS KILLED BELANkEN
Verdict Rendered Yesterday After.
noon After Hours Deliberation.
INSPECTORS INQUIRY NOV. 10
Witnesses Before Inquest Give Con-
ficting Accounts of Accident in
Potomac Last Tuesday.
INSPECTORS INQUIRY NOV. 10

I'VE believe the collision was caused
principally by the heavy fog which sud-
denly enveloped both boats. We do not,
however, feel that the captains took the
proper precautions to prevent the collision
which they should have taken
This criticism of Capt. Phillips of the
Norfolk liner Washington and Capt. Hen
bricks of the Alexandria ferryboat Lack
awanna was contained in the verdict OF
the coroners jury investigating the death
of Samuel Belanken, who was killed in
the collision of the Washington and Lack
awanna on the Potomac river Tuesday
morning. The verdict, however, does not
hold them responsible for the accident.
The cause of death, as explained in the
verdict rendered last night, after the jury
deliberated for over an hour, was as fol-
lows:
Samuel Belanken came to his death on
board the steamer Lackawanna in the
Potomac river near Giesboro point d. c.,
at 1:4O am, November D. as result OF
ruptures of the intestines and liver
Said injuries or ruptures were inflicted
by flying or detached debris as a result of
collision at the aforementioned point
between the Norfolk and Washington
steamer Washington and the ferryhoat
Lackawanna.
Inspectors Inquiry November l3.
The investigation TO be held by the Of
hcers of the steamboat inspection serv-
ice into the collision between tn Nor
folk liner Washington and the ferry
steamer Lackawanna has been set for
Friday, November Is
The hearings will be conducted by Capt
Charles w. Wright, Inspector of hulls
and Capt Edward White inspector of
boilers. for this district, and will take
place at the Georgetown custom house
The officers of the two steamers and
other witnesses will be summoned to tes-
ufy- The examination will be search
Ing one from d marine standpoint.
The inspectors will endeavor to ascer-
tain II the masters of the steamers fol-
lowed the regulations set down for their
guidance. and should either or both Of
them be found at fault suspension or pos
sibly revocation of their licenses will be
the punishment. This means that the
man losing his license cannot be en-
ployed as master or pilot on any steam
boat in American waters
The death OF Samuel Beanken, killed
when the boats came together, is the
tirst death from accident to steamboat
in this district in several years.
Yesterdays Inquest Witnesses.
On the reassembling of the jury inves-
tigating the death of Belanken, after the
recess yesterday afternoon, Capt. Frank
Phillips again called TO the stand.
Capt. Phillips, using little models of
pasteboard showed that his boat struck
the Lackawanna with her port bow. and
that the impact caused the Washington
TO rake the starboard side of the ferry
boat. He also. using d chart, marked the
course OF his steamer coming up the river
from Alexandria, and gave his position
rs little to the eastward of the center
of the channel.
Capt Kendrick. recalled contradictec
Can't Phillips as to the manner in which
the boats struck. using the tmodss Of
the boats to show how they came together
The witness stated that the wheel anC
shaft dropped soon as the boats struck
Cant Kendrick reiterated some of hi.
previous statements and said the captain:
Of both boats did all they could to avoit
the collision.
When he examined the shaft after tn,