The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-10-17
CAPT. INCH DEFENDS
VOLTURNO'S CREW
He Arrived in New York Last Evening
and Told His Story Again of the
Rescue Work at Sea.

New York, Oct. l7.---Francis Inch, tbs
boyish looking Briton, who commanded
the burned steamer Volturno, came tc
port last night bringing with him 81
survivors, passengers and crew, OF his
| ill-starred vessel. His story of the dis
aster in which 1876 lives were lost, had
preceded him by wireless, but in a cab
| in Of the Kroonland, which brought him
here, Inch told his tale in simply phrased
and modestly spoken detail, that de-
scribed more wildly than the wireless
could picture the panorama of the Vol
turno's loss and the rescue of more than
500 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 seamen
which made it necessary for him to
warn them back with his revolver. His
only weapon, he left in drawer in his
cabin and it burned with the ship. And
no one on board drew revolver. These
statements he intended should refute the
stories told by steerage passengers who
arrived Wednesday on the Grosser Kur-
furst.
The Volturno's master, besides defend
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 none
but praise for every one. | didn't ex-
pect boat could live in those seas when
the Carmania and the other first few
ships came up"
The Carmania did drop boat. Inch
declared, but it could not get near, for
the Volturno drifted faster than the
crew could row. Later the Carmania
sent forth six RATS, but they drifted
across the Volturno's bow and disap-
peared. More than that the Carmana
could not do, said Inch.
Eighteen cabin and two steerage pas
sengers entered the first lifeboat that
ventured 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 overcrowded 1t en-
tangled itself in its after tackle and
capsized All in it were drowned and
Chief Officer Miller and steward who
climbed into the boat after she had
righted and were rescued.
Into the next boat went 80 passen-
gers and 10 sailors. This boat got away
all right 1t has not been heard from.
The third boat took off 40, 10 of them
sailors. As she settled into the wa
ter 10 more jumped aboard from the |
Volturno's deck. A wave swept it un-
der the Volturno's stern
"She just sat on it and crushed IL
out of sight" said Inch. "The bos'n
lived and was the only one to escape. |
He was rescued"
Inch denied reports of rotten tackle |
and fire hose and of unsafe lifeboats.
The ropes are renewed once year
and the hose and boats were inspected
before the voyage began, and were in
good condition, he said. He counted
,nly three explosions, the last one
vrecking wheel and compass SO that a
land gear had to be rugged up. h
Inch told of the bravery of Fourth
officer Lloyd in venturing out in the
yolturno's last boat with four sailors
o show the 10 ships that stood bv
hat the seas could be lived upon.
81 opposed his suggestion" Inch said.
7 told him it was sure death. He
would go, however. let me show them
le said. let him 90. Then the Gros-
er Kurfurst wirelessed up that LLOYD
md his men had arrived"
Inch denied stories of steerape pas-
engers that women were swept over
,oard and babies trampled on in rush ID
o be rescued in the Grosser Kurfurst's Il
irst boat that came in response to
.loyd's errand. Officers urged men and