Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-07-19
BOAT Grew WAS
DRUNK, ASSERT
THE WITNESSES
Testimony Before Public Utili-
: ties Commission About
Lahaina Drowning
SAY STEERSMAN TOOK
BOAT OUT OF COURSE
Saffrey Declares He Warned
the Man, But Received No
Answer of Any Kind

That members OF the second boat
crew of the steamer Kilauea were
drunk on the night of the drowning or
the two steerage passengers at La
haina last May, and that the boat
steerer was heard to remark to them
that they would get good ducking at
the Lahaina landing, was some of the
evidence brought out from the ques-
tioning of two of the passengers OF
the second boat, at the investigation
by the Public Utilities Commission
which was continued from last Satur-
day at 10 o'clock this morning.
Mr.. and Mrs. John Safrey, Hawai-
ians who live at Lahaina, were the
witnesses who gave this evidence.
Raffrey, the first witness called stat.
ed that the Kilanea on the night Of
the accident was anchored 200 or
more yards from the usual place. The
sea, he said. was calm, and there was
no wind. Saffrey, who has made the
harbor entrance many times as a boat
boy and a steersman. said that the
second boat was out of her course on
this night, and that he told the steers
men SO.
Saffrey, his wife and Kate Akiau all
testified that no answer was made to
Saffrey's warning, but that the steers
man seemed trying to turn the boat.
AS it swung sidewise to the bfeakers
a wave hit it and sent it over. SAT-
frey stated that he dived from under
the boat soon after he found himself
in the water. He took with him
small child and Chinaman, whom he
thought at first to be his wife.
The Chinaman was shown the way
to shore as soon as the two gained a
footing, and Saffrey says he thought
the man would have no trouble in
getting there II was this Chinaman
who was afterward drowned. The
witness said that If the sailors had
not of the opinion that their drunken
ness had anything to do with the boat
turning over. The wave, he said, was
large enough to have done that
The testimony by Saffrey that the
boat steerer had threatened the crew
with ducking at Lehaina was not
given at the coroner's inquest be-
cause there was no time for it, ae-
cording to his own statement when
cross examined by Attorney Sutton for
the Inter-Island Company
S. G.. Noda, Japanese milkman of
Laflaina, WIS under the boat for I5
minutes He felt people struggling
about him, but did not help any one
because of the fact that he was fright
ened Noda did not know whether
the crew was drunk or not.
Mrs. Papu Saffrey was the third
witness. She testified that her hus.
band had spoken to the steersman but
had received no answer. She said the
ship had not anchored in the usual
place, and that the boat seemed off-its
course in coming in.
Kate Akiau was close to the SAT-
freys before the accident, and with
Mrs. Saffrey yelled loudly for help
when upset.
Wal Chong Kong. laborer who lost
all of his personal effects in the acci-
dent knew but little in regard to the
saving of the other passengers.
AHA Moeponi, the last witness
called, is sailor with the Inter-Island
but was unable to help because of a
lame leg which he had hurt previous
ly. He got ashore with the aid of
an oar, and sam the passengers COM
ing out from under the boat before
he .eft