South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-06-16
Lord MerSey. British Admiral
ty Judge, Opens Searching
Investigation of Sinking of
Empress of ireland.
CAPTAIN KENDALL IS
FIRST WITNESS CALLED
Commander of Wrecked Liner
Gives His Version of Crash
Which Sent More Than
1000 Persons to Death.

QUEBEC. Que. June 16-The most
searching inquiry ever made into
marine disaster in Canada opened here
today when a commission headed by
Lord Mersey. the British admiralty
judge, began its investigation TO fix the
responsibility for the Empress OF Ire
land disaster in which more than
!, 600 persons lost their lives
With Lord Mersey on the bench
were Sir AdOlph Ruetherie and Ezekiel
McLaid, Of Quebec and New Bruns-
wick.
seldom has there been gathered to-
gether at one time in the Canadian
courts such an imposing array OF
counsel as assembled here to represent
the dominion and British governments
and the respective owners of the Emp
ress Of Ireland and the collier Stors-
tad, which rammed the liner and sent
her 10 the bottom of the st. Lawrence.
In addition there were scores of wit
nesses, including officers OF the two
ships, survivors, shipping experts and
marine officers.
Imposing Array OF Lawyers.
Among the lawyers representing the
Canadian Pacific railway. owners OF
the Empress OF Ireland were Butler
Aspinwall, X. C, OF London; A. r.
Holden, X. c., OF Montreal; +. K.
Meredith, X. c.. Of Montreal. and +.
w. Beety, X. g, of London, general
counsel for the line
Among the lawyers representing the
owners OF the Storstad were ]. W.
Griffin and J. w. Craight, Of New
York, who figured in the Titanic inves-
tigation IN the United States; :. L.
Patrick, OF Quebec. Norman Beecher,
of New York, and Capt O. Lange.
Capt. II. J. Kendall, Of the Empress.
and Capt. Thomas Anderson, OF the
Storstad were both in court prepared
10 testify.
After Lord SIersey had announced
the object Of the inquiry and its scope,
Edmund /. Newcombe, K. G., repre-
senting the dominion government
gave a brief sketch Of the disaster and
said that the inquiry would involve the
whole problem OF navigation In the
st. Lawrence, conditions prevailing al
the time of the risaster, precautions
taken by the masters OF both vessels,
the life-saving equipment on board
both ships, the conduct OF the crews
and the technical points involved.
Kendall First Witness.
Capt. Kendall was the first witness
called. Before he was called, G. ;.
Straight, OF counsel for Storstad's
owners. submitted a brief giving their
version OF the disaster According 10
the version the Empress came down
upon the Storstad head-on, the dlsas-
ter occurring in a pocket of fog.
capt. Anderson tried 70 keep the
Storstad in the hole the Prov OF mis-
ship made" said Straight but his
ship was swung around at right angles.
The Storstad's crew saved several hun
dred passengers and manned entire one
of the Empress lifehoats on its return
Journey, and partially manned an
other"
Capt Kendall was in uniform. His
wife, dressed in black, sat near MN.
Intended TO Pass Collier.
"I intended to pass the Storstad on
by starboard bow" said Kendall IN
answer 20 questions "As we ap-
preached saw fog hank coming on
and ordered full speed astern 70 take
the way of the Empriss As the fog
closed down ! saw the cOllier's green
lights. I Ggured we would clear each
other I heard three long blasts from
the other ship and answered with two
A little later there was another eN-
change OF signals the sound showing
there was still distance 10 pass
blew two long blasts 10 let the other
ship know j had stopped 1 got one
long blast in rep.y. Then I gave Two
more but got no answer looked
through the mist and saw tho red and
green lights OF the other ship bearing
down uDon US. II was about 100 reet
away and coming fast The captain
must have put his helm down harc-a-
mort %