New-York tribune., 1918-05-08
o.rt of Blame Is Laid to
Lost Commander by
Naval Court
Vessel Overloaded;
Equipment Faulty
aMore Important Work
Prevented Repairs
Being Made

WASHINGTON, May 7.--Loss Of the
,srv tug Cherokee off Cape Henlopen
NJ, February &c last with twenty
.;cbt men is blamed by naval court
:, INQUIRY upon the age and condition
- the craft and the failure of her
.ommsnding officer to report that she
rss overloaded. and to heed storm
warning
The report Of the board was made
,sblic to-day by the Navy Department,
snd copy has been sent to the House
Naval Committee in response to res
,ln.ion by Representative Lufflin, of
Massachusetts,.
Responsibiity of the commander,
y;sutenant Edward D. Newell, of the
Naval Reserves, who went down with
the ship, appears to be greatly miti-
oated," the board reported. ain view
# his youth lack of familiarity with
navy methods, and an undoubted desire
N obey his instructions as soon as pos
sble."
Ship in Bad Shape
Referring to the condition of the
vessel the report said that the history
of the Cherokee from the date of her
acceptance by the government indicates
that she was not suitable for general
service at sea because of her size, age
and condition. She was in need of
very extensive repairs.
The failure to make all of the re-
pairs Seems justified by the press of
more important work at the navy yard
Philadelphia and the urgent need of
the services of the boat, and for these
reasons no blame attaches to any one
for such failure"
The board recommended that no
further proceedings be taken, it being
Of the opinion "that the death of any
individual due to the laundering of the
Cherokee was occasioned by an act Of
duty in which he was engaged when it
occurred, and was not the result of his
own misconduct"
Report of Warning Ignored
There was no reference in the finding
Of the board to letter made public by
Lieutenant Newell's father, in which
the officer wrote before the Cherokee
put to sea he had written to Secretary
Daniels setting forth that the vessel
was unseaworthy.
The letter, according to the father,
referred particularly to the steering
gear which, the board found, became
disabled before the vessel foundered
Two separate Investigations of the
sinking OF the tug were made, the first
bya naval board appointed by the COM
mandant of the Fourth Naval District.
The finding of this board did not differ
materially from that of the special
board ordered by Secretary Daniels.
The second inquiry was instigated be-
cause the board first appointed did not
examine witnesses under oath. The first
board held, however. that the breaking
Of the stering gear was not responsible
iur the laundering of the craft
In Service Twenty-seven Years
The Cherokee was twenty-seven years
cid, built of iron, and was 12O feet
Nng. She was taken over from the
tackenpach company last October by
The navy. and after. some repairs was
ordered to Philadelphia for service
Nth her squadron, which was assigned
ior duty overseas. Later she left
Philadelphia for New London, Conn, in
nsd trim. After reaching New London
she went to Newport, R. l., where she
loaded coal and stores before starting
tor Washington.
She ran into a heavy storm off the
coast and after an all-night battle. in
Which water went below through leaks
10 the decks, doors and bunker plates,
sae foundered, only ten Of her crew
0elng saved. They were picked up by