Evening star., 1928-11-22
LEAK ON VESTR|S
IGNORED Sc HOURS
Stream of Water Began to
Pour Through Hopper Sum-
day, Fireman Says.
Continued From First Page)

women. 1IS DOdC WOulu IlOt 20 dlA I1Ic
way to the water, he said, because the
falls were not working. So he and
another member of the crew cut 1t
loose with their knives.
They were about to lower one OF the
boats, he said, when the ship turned
over.
Children Thrown Out.
"The lifeboat rested on the ships
SIDE" he said. "I jumped as the ship
turned over The women and children
who were in that ifeboat were thrown
out into the water as the ship went
over"
Boxill said that after swimming about
In the wreckage for few minutes he
found lifeboat that had tipped over.
Its occupants were in the water, he
said, and some of the men were trying
to right it.
"I held on to the side," he said,
''until I saw some dead children and
women there. That made me kind OF
dizzy, SO I took OFF most OF my clothes,
so I could swim better, and swan away.
Finally, saw one OF the engineer
mess on a large piece of Wreckage-a
niece about six feet square. swan
over and stayed with him until 1t was
dark. There was another man on the
piece of wreckage, too, a passenger.
Caught Deserted Raft.
1--WE saw a raft floating near, and
I said to the engineers meSsman, sim,
come on-let's go over there
"Slim couldn't swim, so / went aiter
the raft and towed it over and got Slim
on it. The other man got on. too,
''Then Slim yelled that he'd got
cramp. He couldn't hold on any more,
so he slipped OF. don't know II
was midnight then or not-but II was
mighty dark. The other telloW Salo
something in Spanish, and ne snpeo
off, too. ~ 49,.
''The raft had lost its ballast then,
so it turned over, and 1 had 10 SWIM
Ground until It turned back again. Then
I saw a fare-a red flare-nut II looAeo
a million miles away.
az went to sleep than never knew
anything more until woke up ION tne
wyoming Tuesday morning.
Heard No Order Changed.
Capt Jessup then asked if any otticer
of the vestris. after it was found that
lifeboat No. could not be low
cred all the way to the water, gave any
orders to get the women ana chuoren
out of the boat.
mo order ct all" Boxill said.
Tr1ttle then remarked that he fnougnt
It right at this time to say that all eVl-
dence SO far adduced tended 10 Snow
that the negro members OF the crew
showed praiseworthy obeolence ana
great bravery throughout: -
IT think it only fair to make tfns
statement" he said, 'in view OF certain
reports which have been circulated that
there was insubordination and coWardlce
among the negroes on the VestrlS.
Interpreter Takes Stand.
Henry Tilford, an interpreter. then
took the stand. He had interpreted 1or
a German passenger who testltleo carry
in the hearing. -,
He said that on the night of the day
the VestriS sank he went to the Lam
port g. Holt Line to ask about a 1rleno
on the VestriS. He was told, ne salo,
that the Office force was exhausted be-
cause it had been working on the
case for "a hours.
He quoted an assistant manager as
saying two aquaplanes had been sent
to the rescue of the Vestrls passengers.
Mrs. Tilford then testified to being
at the Lamport & Holt office at y
o'clock Monday night and being told
all the passengers were safe.
She also quoted officials as saying
the force had been working all Sunday
night and Monday.
Previous testimony had indicated tnat
the line knew nothing OF the VesTls
distress until after the 5 O 5 was sent
out Monday morning.
Charles Gerry, assistant passenger
traffic manager Of the Lamport & Holt
line, next said he had some recollection
of speaking to Tilford.
"I really don't recall the nature OF
the conversation at ALL" he said. I
don't remember saying anything OF
working Sunday night and I know /
said nothing of any aquaplanes being
sent out"
He said he was not at the Office from
Saturday noon until am. Monday and
heard nothing about the Vestris until
about 1918 am. Monday.
Were you the first in your. ONCE 70
learn of the S o So" Tuttle asked.
Apparently I was. I heard from
some newspaper that called up"
Clerk Recalls Couple.
A Lamport g. Holt clerk was then
called and remembered seeing the TIL
fords, but said he told them none OF
the things they said they were told.
Capt. William Banbra, who preceded
Capt. William Carey as master Of the
Vestris, was the next witness.
He commanded the Vestris from Sep
tember 81 to November 8 of this year.
The ship sailed on its last voyage on
November 10.
"She was seaworthy ship" he said.
HAD you been in severe storms with
hero" Tuttle asked.
ION one trip"
Were any reports made to you of
1eaks?"
Never"
did you ever inspect the lifeboats
personally?"
"We had a drill on each trip, swing
ing the boats out empty, but not lower
ing them into the sea-"
Capt. Banbra said he was still in
command of the Vestris when it un-
derwent it's inspection before sailing on
its last voyage.
Praises Captain Who Died.
He said the ship was unchanged
by slight contact with freighter in
the harbor.
How long had you known Capt
Carey?" Tuttle asked.
oh, 20 years"
What was his reputation as cap
tain?"
"An excellent seaman"
"If reports about needed repairs were
made by members of the crew of a
ship you commanded, who would they
go to?"
"To the head of his department, and
if they were important, to me or to the
superintendent ashore"
Were any reports given to the super
1ntendent after your last trip?"
"I believe so-by the chief officer
who is now in England"
when did he sail for England?'
November 10, the same day the
Vestris sailed"
what was his reputation?"
"Good"
PrObers Still in Dark.