The San Francisco call., 1913-11-28
PASSENGERS BLAME
OFFICERS AND CREW
Of STR. PRESIDENT

oChSdlioHdi SHdl SCo VI iiCHlIiCiSy
defective life saving apparatus and
unseamanlike handling of the life
boats will be Incorporated in a COM
plant which Is to be. filed with the
United States shipping inspectors
against the Pacific Coast steamer
President. which arrived from the
north this morning with one xpassen-
ger and three of the crew missing.
. The passenger was washed over
board and sank after floating in sight
of the passengers for more than half
an hour. The three sailors were
drowned when their boat upset while
being lowered to rescue the passenger.
/, A statement was issued by the Pa
cific Coast Steamship company this
morning denying all responsibility for
the accident and declaring that every
thing was done by Captain Paulsen
and his crew to effect a rescue in a
terrible gale and heavy sea.
DEARTH Or LIFE LINES
According to the passengers, there
was dearth of life lines. The search
light broke down ut crucial moment
seamanship in lowering the boats wa'
lacking,
OFFICER FLOATED
| Fourth officer Shane fioated for some
time, during which he cheered the
men who were attempting to lower
the boat. Later he became impatient
and warned them to hurry, that he
could not hold on much longer"
Clarence sLeachham, the passenger
who was washed overheard, is be-
lieved to have been swept under the
propeller and killed when an effort
was made to keep the lines near him
The passengers say that Leacham
f,oated face upward within speaking
distance of them for some time. and
reiterated his appeals for help and
need Of haste on the part of the crew
in lowering the boat.
A government officer, who was ont
Of the passengers, is said to have Sc
cured the names of the passengers tt
a complaint which is to be filed will
the inspector of hulls and boilers.
Inspectors James Guthrie and JOSEPH
Dolan, under direction of Captain
John X Bulger, United States super
vising inspector of steam vessels
commenced an investigation into the
condition of the lifeboats and life
preservers this morning, and the in
vestigation will be completed before
the President continues the voyage
south.
BEGGED FOR HELP
"Leacham was standing on the for
ward part of the ship when he was
swept overheard" said f. H. Var
Koolberger. vice president and CON
sulting engineer of the Holland-In.
dian railroad. who is making a tour
of the world with his wife. 1--WE
heard ( his cry for help as he SWEEP
past the starboard side of the ship
The ship came to stop. Then We
heard Leacham's voice on the porr
side of the ship. He was in plail
sight We could have thrown a bis
cult to him. He begged that no tins
| be lost in throwing him line. Bu
no lines could be found. This wa!
about 7:25. At 1850 boat was low.
cred. There were seven men in it
Through some oversight one of th'
falls was not fastened. When th'
boat struck the water it was upended
OFFICER A HERO
I'm the meantime Leacham ha'
fioated to the stern of the ship. Som
| one gave the order to start the pro
peller. That was the last we saw o
him. But he was in plain sight an,
hearing for more than half an hou
before this happened.
The fourth officer. who was among
the men thrown into the water by til
| capsizing of the boat. drifted ava
| from the ship. He called to US cor
| tinually to let him alone for the tim
and save the others. His voice becam
fainter and fainter and fainter. The
he disappeared.
"A member of the stewards depar,
E.nkfAxrAA Da<>