The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-11-21
WITNESSES SAY FIT TY|
LEAKS HAD NEVER
BEENREPMRED

} were uncovered until the day the
ship sank, when they had canvaa
placed over them.
''Do you know from your expert.
ence as a seaman" futile asked,
whether these matches should have
had covers?"
"No."
Shows Position Of Lifeb0at
Scott then marked on the diagram
the position of 1ifeboat No. 4, from
which he jumped into the sea and
which went down with the Vestris,
with about 40 persons aboard.
After he was picked up by the
motor 1ifeboat, he said, five other
persons were taken aboard from the
water. The American nautical nd.
wiser, Capt. T. r. Jessup, u. s. N,
retired, then took over the ques-
.tioning.
When were the crew generally
assigned to Iifeboat stations2p he
asked.
''on the second day out"
$50 this was no different from the
usual custom, that they had not
been assigned when the ship got
into trouble on the last trip7'"
No different"
why couldn't boat No. be
lowered all the way to the water?''
"No axes. =
"And the boat went down with
the ship?''
Eyes"
''On previous voyages, had the
VeStris showed any tendency to-
list?'s
Not on any voyage / took.
Ropes Had damned
futile took up the questioning
again and asked il any search had
been made for axes to cut Iifeboat
No. loose.
Eyes, we looked" Scott said.
why were axes needed?''
.'The ropes had janned some
where above"
There was detaching apparatus,
Scott said. designed to free boat
in just such an emergency, but 1t
did not function.
did you see officers giving any
orders about the lffebOats or taking
charge OF the work. .Jessup asked.
There was an officer directing
lowering boat A from apoye.''
And he just left It swinging
there2"
Yes, SIR
''Do you know where he went,
what happened to him."
Mo-
scott was then excused from the
stand.
Tne next witness was Thomas
Common. second waiter on the Yes
iris.
T,u.1.S. Ia 49, .ti,. ...o,,~t <,.ea
bad weather off Sandy Hook. He
slight list to starboard on his
previous trips on her.
1T was an inclination to star
board" he said. hardly noticeable.
Struck Heavy Winds
Conner said they struck heavy
winds shout five hours after they
left port.
futile then questioned Conner
about the half door which had
played 80 prominent q part in
SCOTS testimony. Connor corrob-
Grated SCOTS testimony about the
doors leaking whenever they struck
a heavy sea on previous voyages.
He said he had reported the need
for rerubbering the parts as a part
OF his duty, in writing at the end OF
the last two voyages preceding the
fatal trip. These reports, he said me
understood, went to the land office OF
the Lamport and Holt Line.
How many ports did you repoct?"
Covers COuldn't He Used
Fourteen on the port side"
"In addition to rerubbering the
ports. were other repairs needed to
the ports?"
MOT more than half OF the dead
light iron covers on the port side
could be lowered"
DO you know the reason why
these covers could not be Iowered?"
'"rhey were out Of repair
How high above the water were
these ports?"
About four feet"
when did you notice an in crease
in the ships list?'
1.-THE big increase came about 1880
Sunday night-when two seas hiG
her. She never came back right"
When did you notice an increase
in the permanent list?"
Saturday night"