New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-19
QuartermaSter TestifeS the
Liner Did Not Always
Answer Her Helm.
GEAR WAS TANNED
AT MOMENT OF CRASH
Witness Hints Attempt Was Made
to Get Him Out of Canada
C.P.R r. Official Denies IL.


ship Empress OF Ireland in the St Law
renee River. with the loss OF more than
thousand lives, startled the commission
which is investigating the disaster with
a statement to-day that word had
reached him that on the night OF the
disaster the steering gear OF the Empress
was disabled He had been so Informed,
he said. by Quartermaster Galway, of the
Empress, about 20 depart for England.
Galway was on the bridge at the time Of
the accident and, according to Mr..
Haight's statement, said the Empress's
steering gear was jammed. Mr.. Halght
added that Galway had informed him the
Canadian Pacific Railway wanted to send
him home to England on the Canadian
Pacific Railway ship Montreal.
The references to the steering gear
came out while Haight was cross-exam-
ming William Sampson, the chief en-
gineer of the Empress.
Did you hear before arriving here on
the last trip up the river that there was
a sheer on your vessel and you nearly
ran down a vesse?" asked Mr.. Haight.
mo, sir"
This led Lord Mersey to ask Mr. Haight
what nc was insnuating. At this point
Haight related what Galway, the quar-
termaster, had said.
Lord Mersey: "WelI, get that man here
here and this matter settled the better"
Galway Story Denied.
Captain Kendall was then recalled by
Lord Mersey and Mr.. Haight examined
him about the Galway story. Captain
Kendall said he was on the bridge all the
time from Father Point. He said he had
never known the Empress to steer badly;
he denied that on the westward trip she
had nearly colided with a vessel
Lord Mersey interrupted to say that he
did not attach much Importance to the
Galway story, but he wanted to get to
the bottom OF it, He called Captain
Walsh, who was cross-examined by Mr..
Haight. Captain Walsh, marine superin
tendent of the c.. p. r., denied that any
attempts had been made TO get Galway
out OF the country and said it had been
arranged to send Galway back to England
later on either the Corsican or the Asa
tian with all the other men sent back who
were not required as witnesses.
Galway he said. had complained about
the steering gear Of the Empress, saying
ii had damned for five minutes after
leaving Father Point westbound. He was
told that II he had any evidence to give
10 go to the Canadian Pacific Railway
lawyers
Captain Walsh said that Galway, after
the collision occurred, so he had heard.
rushed to his room to get his lifebelt and
not 90 the boats, as it was his duty to do.
Galway on the Stand.
When the hearing was resumed after
luncheon recess James Francis Galway,
whose accusations Mr.. Haight had re-
lated. took the stand.
He said that he had made certain state
ments about the steering gear OF the
Empress to Mr. Haight at the suggestion
OF the representative OF sailors and
firemen's union whose name he did not
know. He contended that the Empress
sheered round in opposition TO her helm
when coming up the st. Lawrence and
while in the traverse on her last trip
westward she sheered three points off
her course.
The witness said that he had had other
trouble with the wheel in the river on the
night of the disaster, between 10 and 10.
1t had damned, he said, for about three
minutes He insisted that he had report
ed the matter to Second officer Williams,
who was on the bridge. and who was lost
I'M the wreck. Mr.. Williams, Galway
claimed, said that the gear would come
all right"
The witness said the first time he saw
the Storstad she was only one hundred
feet away Coming down to the time
when. it was alleged. there had been an
attempt to get him out of the country,
Galway asserted that he had seen Captain
Walsh and Mr. Beattie In Montreal and
told them what he knew about the steer
ing gear of the Empress He asserted
Captain Walsh said 81 see nothing wrong
IN this I know all about it. On the
other hand, Mr.. Beattie told him, said
Galway. he thought he should keep his
own counsel
Some Conflicting Testimony.
In reply to questions by Lord Mersey
Galway said that on the occasion when
the Empress narrowly missed colliding
With another vessel because the steering
GEAR was not working properly strong
current was running in the St Lawrence
River. Galway then said he had told the
oua rtermaster. who relieved him at the
wheel that the Empress was steering
badly.
Galway underwent a severe cross-eXam-
ination at the hands OF Lord Mersey and
PutIer Aspinwall, representing the owners
/ ~ tbe Empress. He stuck to his story.
however.
After questioning Galway for some time
Lord Mersey severely condemned what he
| said he thought was an attempt on the
mart of counsel for the owners OF the
/ storstad to keep back the mans testi-
n,onv until the last moment.
John Murphy, the quartermaster named
,yas called. He denied that Galway had
eoid ANYTHING 10 him about the steering
GEAR The witness added, however, that
! once. about two years ago, when he put
the helm over, the Empress did not re-
spond He explained that the wheel Of
ary steamship was likely to do the same
thing at any time.
Robert Henry Brennan. second engineer
On the Empress. gave an account OF the
=, .,ot,.nd nv telegraph from the