Evening star., 1928-11-18
Water Poured Into Ship,
They Admit, Though Pumps
and Buckets Were Believed
to Be Keeping Liner AfIoat.
CAPTAIN so INFORMED
JUST BEFORE DISASTER
Chief Engineer Adams Tells of
Struggle in Boiler Room-First
Officer Grilled on Failure to In.
spect Coal Port Holes-Resume
Hearing Tomorrow.
By the Associated Press.

@~'F ~SS4S ANOfSA44AOA
Sea water poured into the steamer
Vestris through leaky ports and
matches for a day and a half be-
fore the ship sank, the two senior
surviving officers testified today,
but almost until the very end they
thought she could be saved.
The only witnesses at today's
session of the Federal inquiry into
the disaster, which cost more than
100 lives, were First Officer Frank
johnson, a wind-bitten little mar
iner, who was making his first trip
as second in command, and the
burly chief engineer, James
Adams.
After this testimony adjourn
ment was taken until 2 pm. Mon
day. Before the hearing resumes
the staff of United States Attor-
ney Tuttle, who is conducting the
investigation, will go over prelim-
mary statements they have taken
from prospective witnesses.
Contradicts Radio Men.
johnson fatty contradicted the pre-
vious testimony of two wireless men
from the Vestris and even took excep-
tion to the accuracy OF the last wireless
report about the sinking ship sent by
Capt. William j. Carey, who went down
with his Inflated command.
Adams told of reporting to the cap
tain at IL o'clock Monday morning, an
hour after the S o S had been sent out,
that he believed he could keep the ship
afioat indefinitely although at that time
il had been living almost on its side for
hours and was steadily filing with water.
Both testified about ports and doors
In the side of the ship that let water
pour in so fast that the combined efforts
Of the machine pumps and a bucket
hsigade Of crew members could not keep
up with it.
Ship Lurched Heavily.
1t was also told how the ship lurched
in heavy sea and part of the cargo,
Grated automobiles, went Splintering
crews quarters.
johnson was produced at the Federal
Building by offcials of the Lamport 81
Holt Line on request of MIR. Tuttle, after
Department of Justice agents had sought
for him in vain for two days to serve
him with subpoena.
He sat with crossed legs, and as the
questioning went on and on he showed
recurring flashes of irritation that raised
his voice nomentarily from the raspy
monotone he used for the bulk of his
testimony.
Appointed Before Sailing.
He told Of being appointed second in
command just before the Vestris sailed
and acknowledged to Tuttle that part
Of such an officers duty was to see to
the proper securing of coal and cargo
ports before the ship left its dock.
johnson said that Sunday evening
when the ship lirched heavily, he in
spected and said he found that half
door" near the blkhead, hinged OPEN
ing in the side of the ship slightly larger
than the coal ports and about the same
distance from the water, was leaking
On one side of the door, he said, about
rs much water was coming in as is car
ried In a pinch pipe. He had men try
TO tighten up the bolts, which on this
door were on the inside, but the door
seemed to be sprung and the leak could
not be stopped.
Johnson said that the cargo that
went through the bulkhead weighed
about Is tons, but that the shifting of
this weight could not make the ship
list. He agreed with Tuttle that water
entering the ship was responsible for
the list, which increased during Sunday
night to about 80 degrees.
Cannot Explain Sinking.
IS ~1a
Tuttle said. Have you no explanation
as to what made it Sink?"
NO"
What time was this you heard
water between decks?"
I'm vague about that"
oh" said Tuttle, "are you going to
be- vague about time, too?"
Yesterday the two wireless operators
were unable to say at what time the
SOS message was dispatched.
Asked when he began to think the
hailing Of the ship with buckets TO sup
.plement the pumps was useless. he re-
piled that he Thought there was a
chance all along" He said that in his
opinion the chance of sinking did not
become greater than those of staying
afloat until noon Monday, two hours
before the ship went down.
At o'clock Monday morning, he
continued, he decided there was serious
danger and went to the captain on the
bridge and told him things looked Sc.
rious. He said he did not urge the
sending of distress call then or al
any other time, leaving such decision
entirely to the judgment of the captain
The captain, he added, never discussed
the matter of an SOS with him.
Only Six Boats Lowered.
Whether the captain sent any mes.
Aeges to the line Offices or TO othel
ships before or after the SOS he die
not know, he said. When the tiInt
came to launch the lifeboats the frs
officer assigned members of the crew
10 the work. but only of the /
boats. he said. we're lowered away wher
the Vestris sank.
Chief Engineer Adams big, pom
6erous man. slow-moving and slow
Rpeakins. with voice that even tn
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