Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-10-17
INCH DEFENDS CREW
Captain Of lll-Fated Vo!turno Says
Men Acted Bravely-Denies Report
that Guns Were Used to Awe Pas
sengers.

New York, Oct. I7-F'rancis Ii,ct1,
the Briton. who commanded the burn
ed ship Volturno came to port las.
night bringing with MIN eighty-seven
survivors, passengers and crew of his
1ll-starred vessel. His story of the
disaster, in which 1876 lives were lost.
mad preceded him by wireless, but in
a cabin OF the krocnland. which
brought him here. Inch ,oid his tale in
simple phrased and modestly spoken
oetail that described more vividly than
the wireless could picture the piano.
rama OF the Voiturno's loss and the
rescue of more than five hundred Of
those she had on board.
Inch said there was no cowardice on
the Volturno. either among officers or
crew. There was no rush of seamen
which made 1t necessary for him to
warn them with his revolver. His
revolver was in a drawer in his cabin
and 1t burned with the skip; and no
one on board drew a revolver.
These statements. he intended. should
refute the stories told by steerage pas
sengers who arrived yesterday on the
kurfuerst Is
The Volturno's master besides de-
tending his own officers and men said
ne mad no criticism to make of the
tactics Of any Of the boats that stood
by.
carmania Did Her Best.
The Carmania did it's best the same
as the Others" he said. There is
nothing but praise for every one. did
seas when the Carmania and the other
first few ships came up"
The Carmania did drop a boat. Cap
tain Inch declared. but it couldn't get
near for the Volturno irdifted faster
than the crew could row. Later the Car
mania sent forth six RATS but they
drifted across the Volturnos bow and
disappeared.
More than that the Carmania could
not do, Captain Inch said He denied
reports of rotting tackle and fire hose
and unsafe lifeboatH. all of which were
in good condition. he said. He count
ed only three explosions, the last one
wrecking wheel and compass so that
a handgear had to be rugged up.
Captain Inch denied stories that
steerage passengers We're swept over
board and babies trampleo upon while
being rescued Officers urged men and
women to jump overheard, for the life
boat could not get near enough fol
them to be lowered into it.
None dared to jump. "Show them
how to jump" Inch told his crew. Two
at a time they leaped over the rail
When the passengers saw them reach
the lifeboat they followed them into
the sea. With boat hooks and oars
some were rescued, others vent t
their death. No women were removed
! in this way.
Went Over Ship.
Before l climbed down I went over
the ship to see if any one remained,
Captain Inch said. The fire had eaten
lis way beyond amidsnips under the
decks. I found no one alive tho there
were bodies in the forecastle men who
had been cut off and !blrned to death
l went to the rail with my dog, wrap
ping it in a blanket. I leaned over
Here I said. catch my baby
Il dropped the dog into the arms Of
a Kroonland officer in the lifeboat. Ht
opened the blanket tenderly. Why its q
dog he said. I thought it was YOU
kid"
Inch's three "kids" and their mother
are in London. One Of his first act:
upon arriving here was to send them
cablegram Their father went thirty
six hours without eating or drinking
, refusing to leave the work OF nre fight
ers. A blast Of heat blinded his eyes
! with pain and the skin peeled from
his face when he received his hrs
medical attention after being rescued.
| They had to drop cocaine into hi
ewes before he could see again. Among
the survivors on the Kroonland wer'
three children, the whereabouts o.
their parents are unknown.