The New York herald., 1922-01-12
Vessel, 1t Is Said, Minus
Life Savers, Left Port in
Storm Deterring Others.
ACCUSED MAN ARRESTED
U. S. Alleges Violation of
Criminal Code by Knowlton
of the WestbrOOk.

? Capt. Parker r. Knowlton, former
commander of the Westbrook. United
States Shipping Board vessel operated
by the Kerr Steamship Company. was
arrested yesterday on complaint
charging that through negligence two
seamen washed Off the deck were per-
mitted to drown at sea. He was held
in $2,500 bail by James H. McCabe,
United States Commissioner. in Brook
lyn, charged with violation Of the
United States Criminal Code. He en-
tered a plea Of not guilty.
Nathan Newman, dealer in print
ing supplies. of 154 Nassau street,
made the complaint on which Ralph
C. Greene. United States Attorney OF
Brooklyn, caused the arrest. Mr.. New
mans son. Herbert Z. Newman, aged
"a years, a former service man, was
one of the seamen washed from the
after deck of the Westbrook. The
other was Norwegian, p. Norvold.
Affidavits of two members OF the
crew OF the Wcs.brook on the voyage
from Hamburg to New York In the
hands of the United States Attorney ac-
cuse Capt. Knowiton of failing to have
life RATS or life buoys, preservers or a
life gun on the deck; OF sending New
man. Norvold and several other seamen
out to make fast an ammonia tank on
the after deck. although seas were
sweeping over the ship and the storm
was such that no other vessels had
yentured from rcrt: Of failing to stop
or take other measures to give imme-
date aid to the men, and Of taking the
ship out with the wireless apparatus
out of order so that no call could be sent
to other ships ID rescue the lost men.
All these, 1t was charged. are violations
of the United States criminal code.
The Westbroos passed out or the
mouth of the Elb', River into the North
Sea October 23. according TO the COM
plant. with heavy gale blowing.
Matthew Baldwin Of 6 South street.
Manhattan, who was boatswain of the
westbrook. in an affidavit said that he
had protested to the chief officer
against the order sending the men out
to the tank, but he was overruled.
"I was standing by the after we'll
deck and saw a big wave coming" said
Baldwin. II shouted to them. and New
man saw 1t and shouted, and
started to run aft. Just then the wave
struck. / was thrown against the rail-
ing When / recovered / saw Newman
and Norvold In the sea.
'T notified the captain that men were
overheard, and ! saw him go toward his
telegraph instrument, but he could not
have reversed the engines without en-
dangering the ship. We ran on to a
lightship, about ten miles out. and an
chored and remained there two days.
No effort was made to try to rescue the
men,"
The wind was blowing ashore and the
boatswain said that IL liferafts or pre-
servers had been thrown out the m 81
might have drifted to land safely.
ION that trip" he said, there were
only three life belts aboard. when there
should have been eighteen. and they
were in the boatswain's locker. The life
preservers were slowed away in the fore
peak TO save wear and tear There wa5
no life raft, although there should have
been one, and no life gun. These migh
lave saved the men,"
Mr. Newman, the complainant. for-
merly a compositor for many years on
THE New YORK HERALD, did not learn
of the loss OF his son until November
81, from one of the crew. 1t was said
at his home, TAI Ocean avenue, Brook
lyn. last night that Mr.. Newman had
sent his eldest son to Europe to searcr
hospitals along the coast In the hope tnat
Herbert managed to reach shore alive.