New-York tribune., 1921-10-08
Ship Management Disci-
plines Captain Randall
for Refusing to Help
Fishermen i'm Distress
Had Mail, CouIdn's
Stop,'' His Excuse
Trio Finally Rescued Far
Out at Sea Through Aid
of Amateurs Wireless

Captain Albert Borland Randall. Of
Whitestone, L. l., commander of the
steamship Hudson OF the United States
Lines, was suspended yesterday for
| failing to stop his vessel last Wednes-
day to rescue the crew Of small fish
| ing boat in distress in the ocean ten
miles east Of the Ambrose Channel
| lightship. Captain Randall, who has a
service record Of distinguished achieve
lnent as the master of United States
| auxiliarie5 before and during the war,
faces the possibility OF losing his ship.
the greatest stigma that can befall a
sea captain The case is said to be
without precedent in modern shipping
annals.
Suspension OF the Hudson's master
was announced after a preliminary
hearing at . o'clock yesterday before
I. II. Rossbottom. general manager Of
the United States Lines, at the latter's
Offices, ID Broadway. Mr.. Rossbottom
then said he had heard evidence sufi-
Gent to warrant the suspension Of
the officer on a charge of failure to
comply with duty under the circum-
stances. A. report of the case, he
added, would be drawn up and pre-
sented before Commissioner G. T.
Charlton of the United States Steam
boat Inspection Service of the Port
of New York, with headquarters in the
Custom House Whether Captain
Randall will be dismissed from She
service OF the company depends now
upon the result Of r hearing before
the cOmmi ssioner
Three Fishermen Testify
His actions OF last Wednesday when
ne sighted the frantic signals Of the
three fishermen stranded in small
boat many miles beyond the harbor
limits and proceeded to port without
stopping to effect rescue were re-
ship line official The three men, who
were later rescued and carried aboard
the steamer Nantucket to Philadelphia
testified
Captain Randall, the chief officer,
S. f. Cummings; tile second officer,
J. l.. Cox; the wireless operator, G. j.
Carr; the deck boy and two members
OF the crew were present. The three
rescued men were Edward Young,
thirty eight, of 348 South Fourth
Street, Brooklyn; Albert r. Tuveri,
Sheepshead Bay, and the latter'a
brother, William i. Tuveri, twenty
TOUR. Of 348 South Fourth Street.
Brooklyn.
The captain told Mr.. Rossbottom
that he had observed the men early
Wednesday morning at about four
points Off tie vessels beam, waving to
him with white cloth. The captain
said he believed the Lackawanna Val
ley. a freighter which was trailing,
was much nearer the stranded boat.
the second officer to tell the wireless
operator TO send radio asking the
frei ghter TO render assistance it it
was needed. Three times the operator
tried to reach the LackaWanna Valley
without avail before he sent general
message, which was picked up By the
Naval Communication Service Then
the Hudson steamed away.
According to Mr. Rossbottonl. Cap
tain Randall declared that he had seen
fishing boats often in the vicinity, and
though lie knew the men needed assist
ance he didn't think it advisable to
stop, as he had mail aboard.
Story of Rescued Men
The story told by the three men is
as follows:
iNey started out on LueSudy morn
ing in the 26foot motor boat Virginia
J. and fished near the Ambrose light
ship until O'clock. They had only
had breakfast, and carried no pro-
visions except a half gallon bottle OF
water, expecting to be back by evening.
When they started back they found a
leak in the gasoline feed pipe, and ob-
served that the gas tank was empty.
They had two oars. out could make no
Roadway against the rising seas. All
the while they we're drifting in the
wind from the northwest. They spliced
.wo anchor lines together. but one Of
them gave way and they continued to
drift. Chen they signaled the hghtshiD
with lantern for several hours with
out success.
At , o'clock in the morning a bright
ly lighted passenger ship passed them
within 200 yards without noticing them
Then at 6:35 d. m they observed the
Hudson and the Lackawanna Valley
coming, one on either side Of them.
The men exhausted themselves with
their efforts to attract the attention OF
the passing vessels
AT noon another freighter came into
view and for time gave evidence Of