New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-17
KENDALL ACCUSES
STORSTAD SKIPPER
investigation of Empress of
Ireland Disaster Begins
in Quebec.
WITNESS LIMPS, BUT
DECLINES A SEAT
Commander of Sunken Liner De.
tails HIS Passage Down the
st. Lawrence River.

Quebec, June 16.-Captain Kendall, com
mander OF the Empress OF Ireland, was
the first witness called to-day at the
opening of the governments investigation
into the collision between his steamer and
the Storstad, I'm the lower St Lawrence
River, and the loss of more than a thou
sand lives. Although Captain Kendall
still limped from the injuries he received
in this disaster and walked with stick,
he refused a seat and faced the court on
his feet
Evidence simplifying the known conten-
tons in regard TO the cause of the dis
aster to the Empress of Ireland at Father
Point in the st. Lawrence OH May % was
brought out at to-day's opening session
Of the investigating Dominion commits
sion, Of which Baron Mersey, of the
British House of Peers. is chairman. So
far the main arguments OF Captain Ken
dali Of the Empress that he was sta
tionary when rammed by the collier Stor
stad, and OF the owners of the collier
that the Empress placed herself in front
of the Norwegian vessel, which had the
right of way. were only emphasized
Captain Kendall was on the stand for
several hours and gave a straightforward
account of the disaster.
Counsel for the owners Of the Storstad
I'm an oral statement Of the case declared
that when the Storstad first sighted the
Empress the latter was off the Storstad 4
port. Two minutes later the fog shut
down. the Storstad signalled by whistle
that she was under way and keeping
hn
statement continues.
Storstad Slows Up.
when the whistles OF the Empress
we're heard again the mate in charge OF
the Storstad put his wheel to port while
the ship slowed up. The wheel was put
hard to port, and when she did not an
swer II assistance was given by steaming
UP sufficiently. Two Ions blasts were
given TO indicate that the vessel had lost
steerage way. About the same time the
engine room was ordered to go slow
ahead, so that the vessel would not be-
come unmanagable.
when the captain got on deck he saw
the mast lights OF the Empress three
points to port He Immediately ordered
Iull SledlI dSltI IL liiC NSSSN'S "NiS '''Ni'
about 500 feet apart The green light OF
the Empress then appeared. Three min
utes later the vessels came together.
The master of the Storstad heard hail
from the Empress telling him TO keep
going ahead. He had ordered this, but
found he could not keep the GOLFERS nose
in the Empress's wound.
"The Storstad was swung around until
she was parallel with the liner. and the
Golfers master was afraid his ship would
be struck on the port side by the star
board quarter Of the Empress. He had
to swing around in a complete circle,
and in the meantime the Empress dis
appeared The Storstad blew signals to
the liner, but it did not answer. About
ten minutes afterward the master OF the
Storstad heard a chorus OF cries and
proceeded toward them with care, his
four boats ready 10 launch. The Stor-
stad's boats saved several hundred Of the
Empress survivors and manned entirely
an Empress boat on its trip back to the
scene of the wreck and another boat
partially"