Evening star., 1922-02-09
SUSPECTFOU[ PLAY
in TRANSPORT FIRE
Captain Declines Statement
and Prohibits Crew From
Talking.
By the Associated Press.


and circumstances Accompanying
the FIRE which yesterday destroyed
the former Army transport NORTH
ern Pacific on the New Jersey
coast was understood to-day to have
been Instituted By the government.
OAcinIs Of the Department Of
Justices bureau Of tntestigatfsn.
however. would mot discuss the
inquir, further than to say the
bureau expected to receive re-
port from its New York oflee ON
the IRE.
NEWPORT NEWS. Va. February
S-Survivors Of the steamship North
Nrn Pacific. burned at sea early yes
terday morning with. a loss Of four
lives, are not satisfied that the burn
ing Of the steamer was wholly ac-
cidental q -'E-.'1 49,
Capt. William Lusti. master of the
Northern Pacific. declined this morn.
Ing to make any statement. but mem.
bers of his crew were not quite so
re,:cent. They suspect foul play be-
fore the, ship left her berth on the
iii-iatsL yc. ase. but, reauzins that
they can. rrove nothing. decline to
make any direct charge or state
dnent. -
The Northern pacifc's destruction
took new turn this morning when
an attorney Ter the Sun Shipbuilding
Company attempted to get sworn
statements from the survivors. The
crew, evidently having been eau
toned by the master. had nothing
"natsoeveE to say. however.
ct han -;
the Shipping Board orders prohibit
their telling anything Of the acci.
dent, and those who at one time ap.
peared willing to give further details
OK the disaster now are Silent.
Captain Declines Statement.
The master was asked point blank
concerning reports that the ship
might have been fixed" by some one
before she left her berth. He quickly
demanded to know whence the report
came, ands on being told that Il, could
not be traced to its source said that he
n,,.. Illus. aechne TO answer any and all
He did not know that the Shin
ping Board has ruled that the ship
was regarded as the property Of the
eharterers. or operators and inti-
growing out of this phase Of the
situation. The .thip was insured to
the account of the charterers but
was not to be finally delivered. it
was intimated, until reconditioning
was completed.
Capt. Lusti now is debating . CON-
ndential report to tho Shipping Board.
The statement is q lengthy one and
goes into. details. III the Shipping
Board makes Il public after they
receive It you will then have the full
story" the captain said.
A conference between Capt. Lusti
shipping Board officials Of this dis.
trict, officials Of the Barbour Steam
ship Company and off1cials Of the
Admiral line will be held here this
morning.
I'VE probably will determine a..
that time where we are going from
here and what time we will leave"
the captain said Just before going
into the meeting.
TweAtx.Tws Survives Lana.
The steamship Transportation,
which docked here early this morn
ing. brought with it twenty-five sur
UP from Ares lMeboats. Five other
survivors. all of THE Inflated steam.
er's skeleton crew, except the four
men believed to have been lost, were
taken On board by the steamship wy
Iie. now lying at Old Point Comfort
One of the three boats picked up
by the Transportation contained
thirteen men and in the other two
were distributed the remainder of
those saved. including Capt. Lusti.
tive Officer. Clyde Smith The rescue
ship, commanded by Capt. Seth
Chase of Boston, was on her way to
Hampton roads to load a cargo Of
coal for Boston.
vr,1f
from the Northern Pacific. came into
Hampton roads. unannounced last
night and transferred her passengers
to one of the boats of the Virginia
Pilots Association. The survivors
we're taken to. Sewell Point and
names cannot Oe learned here.
The WyIie, after transferring the
Ave men, headed back to sea and
out the Virginia capes early this
morning. -
Survivors aboard the wylie de-
clarcd that they have not the slight
est idea how the fire started. They
also are at Z a loss to understand how
the Sun shfpyard men lost their lives.
The four men were all sleeping near
but the crew thinks they had ample
time to get out unless thsy were suf.
focated by smoke.
Not Aboard wyIie.
Unless the shipyard men :nox A
small boat all by themselves. rhey
were lost when the Northern Pacifi.
burned. for they were not aboard the
wylie, according to marine men who
talked with the survivors brought in
by that craft.
Capt. Seth Cl,ase. master Of the
Transportation. was seen this morn
ing by the Associated Press corre-
spondent while he was dressing, and
described, In, safdonic phrases, the
rescue Of survivors from the proud
Northern Pacific, which was on its
way at the time of destruction to
the Chester shipyard to be recondi-
toned.
The sea was very rough" he said.
but We did not have great difficulty
in picking up the three boats. An
other steamer had seen the blaze and
responded, picking up one boat with
ave men. When we first sighted the
Northern Pacific CHE was In flames
from end to end. We made haste to
her assistance and found the life-
boats floating about when we reached
the scene"
One Of the crew of the Transporta-
tion, q cabin boy. who refused to give
his name, described the scene as
ohhrrihIe and heautifi,1" saThA