Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-10-23
BRAVE CAPTAIN
DEFENDS HIS MEN
Inch Denies All Stories of Cow
ardice Told by the Vol
turnO's Survivors.


hoyish looking Brlton who commanded
the burned steamer Volturno, came to
port tonight bringing with him - sur
Nivors, passengers and crew, Of his Ill
starred vessel His story of the disaster
In which 1886 lives were lost. had preceded
linn by wireless, but in a cabin of the
Kroonland. which brought him here, Inch
told his tale in simply phrascd and mod
,stlY spoken detail. that described more
wildly than the wireless could picture the
panorama of the Nolturno's loss and the
rescue of more than 800 of those she
had on board.
CowardiCe there was none on the Vol
turno, either among officers or crew,
Inch said. There was no rush of sea-
men which made it necessary for him
to warn them back with his revolver.
Ills only weapon, he left in drawer In
his cabin and it burned with the ship.
Nnd no one on board drew a revolver.
These statements he intended should
flute the stories told by stccragc pas
scngers who arrived Yesterday on the
Grosscr Kurftust.
The Noturno's master besides defend
Ing his own officers ana men, said he
had no criticism to make of the tactics
If any of the boats that stood by
The Carmania did it's best. the same
as the others" he said There is none
but praise for every one. | didn't cX-
poet a boat could live in those seas when
the Carmania and the other first few
ships came up
The Carmania did drop "a boat. Inch de-
clared. but it could not get near for the
Nolturno drfted faster than the crew
could row. Later the Carmania sent
CT hpN
the Nolturno's bow and disappeared.
More than that the Carmanla could not
10, said Inch.
CREW DID NOT RUSH IN.
Eighteen cabin and two steerage
passengers entered the first nfcboat
that vcnturcd to leave the Volturno.
only enough of the crew stepped in
to man it, said Inch; they did not rush
to it and it was not overcrowdcd. IT
ontanglcd itself in its after tackle
and capsized. All in it We're drowned
and swept from sight by the seas cN-
ccpt chief officer Miller and stew
ard. who climbed into the boat after
she had rightcd and We're rescued.
Into the next boat went 80 passon-
gers and 10 sailors. This boat cot
away all right 1t has not been
heard from. The third boat took off
40, ten of them sailors. As she set
tiled into the water 10 moro jumpe
aboard from the Nolturno's deck. y
wave swept it under the Volturno's
stern
She just sat ON II ana crushed II OUT
OF sight SAID men The Dos Owed
III" WIS 'hc OILY one l." escape. lie
was rescued"
men denied reports of rotten tackle
ana IRE nose ana OF unsafe lfeboats.
The ropes are renewed once year and
the nose ana the boats were inspected
before the voyage began, and were in
H"oo cohditlon' ne SAID He counted
only three explosions the last one
WfecklnS wheel and compass that
mana gear had to be riGed up.
ihch 'clu OF the bravery of Fourth
~ lleeF ldoN" in NenturinG out in the
N"i'urho last boat with four sailors
~ S"o" the ~ shlps that stood by that
t'o seas could ne hNed upon.
"P'oSe" ms SUGGESTION inch
S"'"' 'ol" MN II was sure death.
ne would CO. however. Let me show
'''N'' ne Salu' let nm go. Then
Nun urst Wlrelessed us
A'V' anu ms men had arrived
NV" "''I'" S'olieS oi SteeraSe pas
'H'' women were swept over
"''' '','i'' t'"i"l'lc" on III Il rush
~ '"' "'oHSer NuriufSt
-, D0"' .n'' Sa"'' III response TO
,, a'i' o''''''S urea men ana
,,,, ..,, '','P ''' "'''" loi inc me-
~" '''""1n loi ''ei"
Ell, -,''U II. ->O',' "d'eu 10 jump,
,i, an,, Nv" " Jump men 'o'u
We w at " ""lc tHeE leapeu
.aa, III " "'' =" sd" 'heih
,rt,, t,, .o wa, ivy io,o"eu 'heH'
some ,,.a,., r,..,',", NUNS ana va
doa,b No ,,,,,,,, "S'' ~ 'iei
way - '''''
TAX. this dou,, ., sat, ,.,, -.
newnancr mon in doscrihi, ~, ''
of Friday morning.
"A woman crying for joy threw her
chlid toward one of the boats. 1t fell
snort ana cropped INTO the water. y
sailor or the hteooat dlved in after it. lie
to' IT. fiere' take the KID he said to
mate III 'l'e po7''- lheh ne cllmoed In 1t
was al uohe SO quickly that the ofhcer
comma "oi'S 'he HIeoo"t knew hothlng or
!"
BEFORE chinoeu uo"h went over the
sup |" see II any one remained men
Sa'o, NJ I'i' ia" 4'a''n us way peyohu
"''"s"'P ""''i we "''hS'' iouh" no
"' awe '"'"s" '"e.' were p""le9 III 'hc