New Britain herald., 1928-11-17
NEW BRITAIN DAILY HERALD SATURDAY. NOVEMBER IT, ls2a
"About fifteen feet"

II can't speak any louder.
 When you're on shipboard don't you speak so your captain can hear you." Commissioner O'Neill asked.
 'If I can have some water. I'll try" The officer responded.
 A bailiff brought water. Johnson's voice. however. remained scarcely audible above the roar of Broadway rising to the courtroom's open win doWs.
 Fridays Hearing
 Evasion in testimony by the two surviving radio operators of the Vestris led to a vigorous effort by federal officials today to determine whether sos. calls were delayed by orders from the owners of the ves- sel, featured yesterdays hearing.
 Wants All Messages
 United States Attorney Charles H. Futile asked steamship companies whose vessels assisted in the rescue work to submit at the inquiry which he is conducting copies of all mes- sages exchanged with the Nestris The navy department issued similar orders to all its stations, while the Radio Marine corporation. which produced one message, continued a search of its files for further ex- changes between the Vestris and its owners.
 Under Summons to testify at this afternoons session were Chief Offi- ce. Frank NJ. Johnson. surviving ranking officer of the Vestris, and the commanding officer of the Vol taire, another Lamport & Holt liner, which was bound north and, if it had not been delayed. would have been near the Vestris at the time it sank. Radio messages between the Nestris and the Voltaire were order ed produced.
 Evasive Answers
 Attorney Futile at yesterdays hearing questioned Charles Yer chere, IS year old third wireless operator of the Vestris. and James T. F. Mcdonald, second wireless man. in an attempt to learn what radio messages had been sent prior to the sos. He was met with eva sive answers.
 Maybe" He Admits Verchere. when questioned by Futile, finally said that maybe" Captain Carey of the Vestris had sent message to the lines agents , Sunday night telling them the ship was in bad condition. Didn't you tell me downstairs there was one reading We may need help'?" MT. Tuttle's question indi- cated that Verchere had hold him a message was sent out Sunday night, hours before the vessel sank. Says He Forgot
 "Yes. ] forgot" Verchere an- sWered.
 "Who told you to forget?" the attorney pressed him.
 No one."
 Mir. Futile then turned to the commissioner and aid:
 Your Honor this bears out q statement made to you before this hearing began"
 Remarking "it does" the commits sioner warned Verchere as to his oath to tell the truth. Later he was ordered to turn his face away from the court room and ook at the com- missioner. evidently to prevent any exchanges of glances between him and anyone in the crowd. Operators Testimony Verchere testified that when the :, Nestris was leaving the drydock ir Brooklyn. where she had had heI hull chipped and painted. she col i lided with another ship. He did not k low whether any damage had been done to her.
 Macdonald denied knowledge oi any messages sent to the owners telling of trouble the ship was hay ing prior to the general call to all ships Monday to stand by and then the sos.
 But One Message Found Arthur s. Costigan of the Radio Marine corporation testified the corporation had found only one message sent by Captain Carey tc the line offices and this was after the sos. had been sent.
 The message had II a. m. Monday November 12, stamped on it and read:
 Hove to from noon yesterday During night developed 32 degree list. Starboard decks under water Ship lying on beam ends. 1mpos. sible to proceed anywhere. Sea moderately rough" | Pictures Are shown
 Alfred Hanson, a pantryman. told of the listing of the ship and of his own experiences in getting ava, from the sinking vessel Several pictures he had taken of the lower ing of the lifeboats were introduced
 While one inquiry is proceeding before Commissioner O'Neill. twt other inquiries as to the seaworthi. ness of the Nestris are being held. Another Investigation
 The board of underwriters of New York is seeking information tha might have a bearing on the pay. ment of $2.000,000 of cargo insur. ance, while officials from the depart ment of commerce, the fedora agency charged with inspection o steamships. have arrived iron Washington to take charge of an in quiry already launched by local off | cials.
 1 Lifelpats Were o. K. | In the inquiry. before the steam 1 ship inspectors. Captain Fredericl Sorenson, passenger on the Yes iris, testified that so far us he could tell the lifeboats were in good con dition and that the crew launched them in as efficient manner a. possible.
 I Previously he had been quoted il newspaper reports as saying th'