Evening star., 1911-05-29
Corone~s Verdict In Case Of
the Dolphin Collision.
VICTIMS BODY IS FOUND
Washed Up by High Tide on Shop
herds Landing This Morning.
NAVAL INVESTIGATION BEGUN
EoGmn1 inquiry Started on BoaE0
DdspeAch Boat Following Inquest
- 1Eorgua.

70 unavoidable aootdent 10 ascribed
ths collision Of the U. S. 8. Dolphin
and the motor boat Culprit Fay in the
Potomac river Saturday night just
above Alexandra, when Alexander
Yeilowlees lost his lffe. This was the
1ndtng Of the coroners jury, which
held an inquest over the body Of Yel-
kowiees at the morgue this morning.
Tho body OF Yellowlees was recovered
from the river early this morning by
the harbor police near Shepherds iand-
inR. q mile above the District line and
not far from the scene Of the ACCIDENT
where the Culprit Fay was cut down oy
the Dolphin.
Aboard the Dolphin this afternoon an
inquiry into the causes Of the COLLISION
il being made The commandant OK
the navy yard Instituted the proceed
ings. which are moro or less formal
John g. Lindsay. owner OF the motof
boat which was lost in the accident
announced himself as satisfied with the
evidence given at the inquest Dy OF
ficers Of the Dolphin. There was little
discrepancy between his testimony ana
that given by the witnesses represent
ing the dispatch boat.
Officers Among Witnesses.
L..
command Of the Dolphin: Lieut. Lamar
r. Leahy, executive onicer; Ensign Thad-
deus A. Thomson, jr.. watch oficer. and
William E. Luckett, civilian pilot, all OF
the Dolphin; Mr.. Lindsay. owner Of the
wrecked boat: his companion and son-in-
law. William III. Butler. and members OF
the harbor police testified.
The Culprit Fay. said Mr.. Lindsay,
did not know Of the presence OF the
nnI- Hn~ hra0
over him tE the night. He veered
around to port. In the hope Of avoiding
a head-on collision, he said. and the
Dolphin's port side struck him seven
or eight feet aft OF tho bow on the
starboard side.
His companions, he said, were both
in the cabin occupied in putting away
provisions for the three days cruise
OF being picked up out Of the water by
, the small boat Of the Dolphin.
Thought Them City Lights
Mr.. Lindsay declared that he had no
knowledge Of the 4prssence Of the Doll
phin The numerous ligfts that the
Dolphin carried In addition TO her run
ming lights, he said. seemed to him like
the lights Of Alexandra, from which
point Of the compass the Dolphin ap-
proached him.
Pilot Luckett. gave detailed account
of the course of the Dolphin. Sighting
the lights of the motor boat long while
before the accident, the Dolphin changed
her course to bring the ship farther to
eastward, q. move the dispatch boat.
due to bend in the river, would have
bad to make within. q short time.
The helmsman of the Culprft Fay said
Mr.SLuckett. was familiar with his busa-
ness for he could see but two OF the
running lights of the motor boat as she
oxo bor
ment before the accident. The approach
of the motor boat was noted on the
Dolphin, but it was assumed that those
aboard were curious to get close 70 see
the government ship.
Not until the green light OF the Culprit
Fay suddenly swung into sight did the
navigating officers Of the Dolphin realize
that the motor boat had changed her
course to bring her into collision with
the Dolphin
Gave Order "Hard Aport."
j. Pilot Luckett gave the order hard aport,
but there was no time in which to make
IL effective In a moment the boats had
| crashed together.
There was no criticism to make Of the
handling OF the Culprit Fay. said Mr..
Luckett, until the wheel of the motor
boat at the very moment before the
Collision. was thrown over. and she came
In a short circle across the bow OF the
Dolphin No power on the Dolphin, he
asserted. could have ayerted the COLI
sion.
Lieut. Commander Laws, who was on
the pilot house top, with Pilot Luckett,
.corroborafed him, as did Ensign Thom-
SON. Lieut. Lehy told Of the search Tor
body Of Yellowlees
Sergeant Pasco of the harbor police
told OF the finding OF the body Of Yellow
lees The body was found floating In the
the dock 1t Shepherds Landing ct $50
O'Clock this morning. There were no
marks Of violence. Deputy Coroner White
The ofleers of the Dolphin went direct
from tho morgue. where the inquest
Wes he1A, 10 the Dolphin. where an in
quiry Il being held into the accident.
Inquiry on the Dolphin.
Cast Beatty. commandant Of the Wash
instsn navy yard. is conducting the in
yestagation. The examination Of naval
Witnesses 10 now In progress. This In
!. ves4ieation win be used rs q basis for
the report Of the commander Of the Dol
pI,in 10 the Navy Department
IAeut. LAWS stated this morning that
he has reported the circumstances OF
thu accident. The report is supposed to
have been forwarded by the comman-
dant as the navy yard to the Navy De-
partment.
Acting Secretary Winthrop who was
n passenger on the Dolphin at the time
OF the accident. said this afternoon
that action by the Navy Department
awaits the receipt Of the official report
of Commander Laws.
Under the naval regulations the COM
mender Of q warship Is required to re-
mort promptly any mishap to his ship.
Although he may be able to show
that the collision was not due to any
fauit Of the officers Of the Dolphin and
fhaf that vessel complied with all the
requirements of the laws OF navigation,
n II more than probable. in order to
remove all possible doubt on those
noiuts, that the Navy Department will
a. once appoint a court Of inquiry for
= thorough and impartial Investigation.
Finding the Body.
Charles D. Little. watchman at the
harbor precinct station. who went to
the scene Of the accident this morning
"A \ member Of the crew az the vigilant
to participate In the search. discovered
the body OF Shepherds landing. just
Is n Was brought to the surface BY the
high tide.