New Britain herald., 1925-02-10
By Tho Associated Press.


 Cave City, Ky, Feb. 10.--William B. Miller, reporter for the Louisville Courier Journal, was the, first wit ness summoned before a military court of inquiry today. He was one of the leading rescuers and made repeated trips into Sand Cave in ef- forts to free Floyd Collins before the cave passageway was blocked by slides and rising of the floor. No announcement had been made as to who would be called as wit nesses in the investigation of the imprisonment and rescue efforts at Sand Cave. Brigadier General H. H. Denhardt, commander of the na- tional guardsmen, was in charge of the court.
 Arrives at the Cave
 "I arrived at Cave City about 9 o'clock in the morning of February g." said Miller, in opening his story. .I went directly to the hotel and made inquiry as to whether the man had been gotten out of the cave or not
 T then proceeded to the cave where l found six or eight men standing around the outside and two boys were also there. There were about fifteen men in and around the cave altogether. l met Homer and Marshall Collins, brothers of the en- tonlbed man, Floyd Collins. They came up out of the cave entrance and Homer said he had fed his brother. r.~
 "On the way out to the cave l met Columbus Doyel, brother of B. Doyel, who owns the property on which the cave entrance is located.
 Crawls on stomach
 "I went down in the hole with Columbus Doyel. who directed the way. He stopped at narrow pas- sage where it was too hard for him to get through and I proceeded far ther by worming my way down on my stomach.
 T went down through the pas sage head first until without realiz- ing 1t was right on top of Floyd. l had begun calling when about ten feet from him and receiving only grunt for an answer
 Slides Down to Collins
 Before I realized it I had slipped down the chute. All l could see was Floyds head covered with an oil cloth, which was wet"
 At this point Miller was asked whether at this time he had receiv- ed an information from persons who haG already been in to Collins.
 He said he had been told that Collins had been fed Saturday eve ming and also that John Gerald had been digging around the prisoner.
 Talks With Collins
 "Oh, you and the stone are hurt ing me-" were the first Miller heard from Collins, Miller said. This came when he slipped down the chute onto the prisoner. He lifted the cover from Collins face and Collins asked him to put 1t back to protect him from the fall of dripping wa ter.
 
 describe in detail condition at the point where Collins was found.
 "There are," said Miller, mo pools of water, but constant seepage. was unable to see his feet. l could see as far down at his chest, but could not tell how much of his body was covered below that point.
 Stone Arches Over Body
 A large stone arch over his breast with only about two inches clear ance. I just got my hands under the stone over chest. l carried a nash- light but was unable to see beneath this stone. Floyd said he was cold l believe 1t is colder inside the cave than outside, In addition the seeping water vets anyone who goes ln causing them to feel cold.
 "On this, my first trip, remain ed near Collins about half an hour believed the case to be hopeles: from what I saw and returned te the surface.
 My next trip was made about 5.3O o'clock that afternoon. Homer Collins, a brother of Lloyd, went 1T first. I was second and Lieutenant Robert Burdon, Louisville fire de- nartment, was third. There wert others back of Burdon, but dc not know how many or who they were.
 Heard Them Talking
 "Homer had two sandwiches ant believe some coffee. Homer wen down and heard him talking wltf Floyd. Floyd called him by nam' and I could hear Floyd eating tho sandwiches. Floyd's nerves wer' badly shot and when Homer triet to put on him harness he hat taken in to try to pull him out FIoyc begged his brother not to mak' such an effort for fear his leg nigh be pulled of.
 ''Floyd's head was pointed toward the entrance and he seemed to o' in a semi-rcclining position an' slightly on his left side"
 ''The entombed man told me hi left foot was caught and at variou times that his toes and left hee
 tcontinued on PaSe TweiVe)