The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-10-17
APTA|N INCH
TELLS Of LOSS
Of HIS VESSEL
Declares There Was No Cow.
ardice on Volturno, Either
Among Officers or Crew,
in Time of Stress.
DENIES TALES TOLD
BY THE PASSENGERS
Has No Criticism to Make Of
the Tactics of Any of the
Boats Engaged in Work
of Rescue.


the boyish looking Briton who con
manded the burned steamer Volturn
him eighty.sevcn survivors, passenger
and crew, of his ill-starred vessel. Iii
story of the disaster, in which 1875 live
were lost, had preceded him by wire
less. but in A cabin of the kroonlanC
which brought him here, Inch told j
simply phrased and modestly spoke
detail that described more wildly tha
the wireless could picture the panorama
of the Volturno' loss and the rescu
of more than 500 Of those she had OF
board.
Cowardice there was none on th,
Folturno, either among officers OF crew
Inch said. There WAS no rush of sea
men which made it necessary for hin
to warn them back with his revolver
Ills revolver was in a drawer in hi,
cabin, and it burned with the ship
And no one or board drew a revolver
Has Praise for All.
This statement, he said, should re-
fute the stories told by steerage pas
sengers who arrived yesterday on the
Grosser kurfuerst, The Volturno Is
master, besides defending his own off
GERS and men, said he had no criticism
TO make of the tactics of any of the
boats that stood by.
The Carmania did its best, the
same As the others he said. "There
Is nothing but praise for everyone. |
did not expect boat could live in
those seas when the Carmania and the
other first few ships came up
The Carmania did drop a boat, Inch
declared, but il could not get near, for
the Volturno drifted faster than the
crew could row. Later tho Carmania
sent of life craft. but it drifted
across the Foiturno s bow and disap-
peared. More than that the Carmania
could not do. said Inch.
Boats Launched.
Eighteen cabin and two steerage pas
sengors entered the first lifeboat that
ventured TO leave the Folturno. Only
enough OF the crew stepped in to man
1t, said Inch. They did not rush to it,
and It was not crowded. Entangling
itself in its after tackle, it capsizcd.
All in it were drowned except Chief
Officer Miller and steward, who
climbed into il after il had been
righted and were rescued. In the next
boat went thirty passengers and ten
sailors. This boat got awav all right,
but has not been heard from. The
third boat took off forty, ten of them
sailors. As she settled into the water
ten more jumped aboard from the
Nolturno S deck. \ wave swept il
under the Volturno S stern.
She just sat on IL and crushed il
out OF sight, said Inch. 'fThe bos n
dived and was the only one to escape. -
Denies Stories.
Inch denied reports of rotting tackle
and fire hose and OF unsafe lifeboats.
saying all of these articles were in
good condition. He counted only three
explosions, the last one wrecking wheel
and compass so that handgcar had to
De riggcd up.
Inch denied stories Of stecrage pas.
sengers that people were swept over
board and babies were trampled on
while being rescued by the Grosser
kurfuerst : first boat. Officers urged
men and women To jump overheard, for
The lifeboat could not get near enough
Tor them to be lowered into il. None
dared TO jump.
.'Show them how 20 jump" Inch
told his crew. Two at a time tbey
Ica2ed over the rail When passengers
"a" them reach the lifeboat they fol.
lowed them into the sea.
With b0athooks and oars some of
them were rescued Others went 10
their deaths. No women were removed
in this way.
Last to Leave Ship.
Before ! climbed down went over
The ship 10 see If anyone remained -
Inch said. 'The fire had eaten its way
beyond anidships under tho decks, /
FOUND no one alive, though there were
bodies III the forecastle, men who had .
been cut of and burned to death. [
vent to the rail with my dog, wrapping
i in a blanket. leaned over. Here
said, catch my baby | dropped the
log into the arms Of a Kroonlnnd Off.
ger IN the ltfehoat He opened the
blanket tenderly. WHY, IL a dog. he
aid thought il was your kid. -
Inch S three "kids'' and thoir
mother are in London. Que Of his
1rst acts upon arriving here was 20
,end them a cableerara: Their father
drinking. refusing 70 leave the work OF
dredghting
II smoked smoked. about ell the
time, cigars, pipes, cigarettes, ANYTHING
! could get, Inch said A bias. OF
neat blinded his ewes with pain. and
the skin peeled from his face when he
lee3iFed his first medical attention