Evening star., 1928-11-20
U. S. AGENT DENIES
BEING INTOXICATED
IN PASSING VESTRIS
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vious testimony. the Vestris was max
ing water rapidly, was listing at a
dangerous angle ard was in what her
captain was quoted as saying, "a seri-
Gus condition"
Radio Logs Read.
The radio logs were read before the
inquiry by Arthur c. Costigan of the
Radio Marine Corporation and John F.
Smith of the Marconi Wireless Co.
The r. M. c owns the land stations
which were in communication with the
VeStris the Gay she sank and the Mar
e conf Co.. an English concern, controls
and operates the wireless equipment
on all LamporC & Holt liners which
included the Vestris and the Voltaire,
which was the nearest of the lines
ships to the Vestris when she sank.
They were about $50 miles apart.
The radio log from the Voltaire, as
read by Mr.. Smith, showed that at
Ass am. Monday, November IL, the
day the VeStris sank. she sent the
signal "QRU." which means: I have
nothing to communicate. The 5 o S
was sent at 10 am. The log also
disclosed that similar answer was
received from the VestriS by the Vol
taire the evening before and that a
later message, at 1852 pm. Sunday, ask
ing, Have you anything to communi-
cate" brought no response. This was
an hour and q half after the cargo
had shifted and warned the officers
for the first time, according to Chief
Officer JohnSon'S testimony, that some
thing was wrong with the vessel
The logs of r. M G. disclosed that
the italian steamer Giorgio Ohlsen was
only 35 miles from the Vestris when she
went down and had received the S Q S
and the Vestris' position. The italian
vessel was not mentioned in any of the
rescue attempts. Costigan gave it as his
opinion that she went to the rescue
but couldn't find the boats and didn't
say much about it," She was on her
way from New orleans to Bremen, Ger
many.
The detailed reading of the logs
showed that on Sunday, November IL.
the day the VeStris had to heave to
and began to tip, there was no record
of any message from the ship to its
line offices or from the line to the
ship. There was no record OF any in
terchange between the two until after
the S 0 S, when the line wirelessed
the ship for details and the ship re-
piled with a brief description Of its
perilouS condition.
Terse Account of Disaster.
The reading of the log gave as terse
a description of the disaster as there
has been in the following entries:
9:10 am. Monday-The Vestris in
formed the Tuckerton station that it
was keeling over and might need help
Tuckerton broadcast the massage. gen.
eraI standby warning to all ships.
958-Vestris sends its S o S.
10:37-A second S o S, giving its
position.
iO:58-vestris reports condition get
ting worse.
Il:OO-"Oh, please coms quick" !"
pleads the vestris.
1915 pm.-The vestris says: "Can
hardly stay and receive"
1:1o-Vestris reports steam going
and shift to emergency radio set.
1:29-In rapidly fading signals
going to abandon ship soon"
l:30-Vestris reports ship being
abandoned.
And at 1:35-Commercial wireless
traffic permitted to resume, the radio
stations keeping ships speeding to the
rescue informed of each others
progress and receiving their reports of
speeding to the scene. end later. Of
their rescue OF more than 200 of the
Vestris survivors.
The other witnesses at yesterdays
hearing were Herbert G. Welland, 23-
year-old third mate and a 20-year- old
S>5ista:4. steward in the second class
Welland testified that the lifebcats were
an good condition and that there was
no confusion in lowering the boats. He
was in charge of those on the star
board side, which was nearest the
water
He also testified that he saw Capt.
Carey between 4 and am. Monday
and that the captain admitted to him
that the situation WIS serious and
ordered him to make an inspection of
the ship to see if ne could discover where
she was taking water. Ee said he found
nothing. Other officers had testified
the ship was leaking in five different
places. He said he had examined the
lifebcats before the ship sailed ard that
thoy were all in good shape.
The assistant steward testified only
to his assignment to investigate a leak
in the side of the ship on Sunday.
United States Attorney Tuttle, who is
conducting the inquiry, planned to in
troduce more radio messages at this
afternoons session and said he would
call several passengers to the stand
Six were questioned on the first day o1
the hearing, all teStifying that the life
beats were poorly handled, that there
was great confusion aboard the ship
end that the officers appeared to bs
excited and to have little control ovel
the crew.
Sitting with Commissioner O'Neill are
two nautical advisers. one named ny
the United States, the other by the
British goveri- Capt. E. P. JessuO
q graduate OF Vho Naval Academy and
wartime conn., "nder of the U. S. S
Bridgeport. is thc american representa-
tive Capt. Henry McConkey, marine
superintendent of the Cunard and allied
lines in New York. was appointed by
Great Britain. They are allowed tc
question witnesses and name any one
they wish subposnaed, but final decision