Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-11-16
WARNING OF
PUNISHMENT
IS SOUNDED
Notice Help Lik ely
To Be Needed Sent
Sunday, Radio Man
Tells u. S. Attorney
fRy the Associated Pressl


Revised figures issued by San
derson and Sons. agents for the
Lamport and Holt line, show:
Aboard at sailing: 326 persons.
IFS passengers. los crew.
Rescued: so passengers, iSS
crew, total Ill.
Presumably dead: Passengers
6s. crew a., total Ill.
Bodies recovered: -.
Missing: SO.
Dead and missing include ~
women, Is children.
NEW YORK, Nov. 16.-(AP)---
United States Attorney Charles N.
Tuttie announced today that he had
received reports from confidential
sources that led him 10 say that
any one attempting TO prevent the
full testimony Of witnesses as tO
the sinking of the steamer Nestris
would be most severely dealt with.
FEDERAL BUILDING, New York.
Nev. l6.--tP)-CharleS Neschere.
youuT Scottish radio man on the
liner Nestris, testified today at the
investigation into the steamers sink
ing, that he had told the United
States Attorney Charles N. Tuttle
that. befors the s 0 went out.
message left the Vestris saying, "We
may need help"
Neschere said on the stand that he
did not send IL himself, however, and
he could not remember who sent IT
when IL was sent, or how he knew
about ii.
Afr prolonged questioning, Mr..
Tuttle demanded:
"Son. didn't YOU tell me downstairs
| that. before the q 5 was sent, n
message went out from the Nestris
saving. we may need helpT"
( The boy. who was third assistant In
| the Vestris radio room nodded.
isn't il n fact ~ Tuttle demanded
"that when you went on duty Sunday
night at = o'clock the message hac
gone out and that you read il then XII
al don't remember" Veschere re-
piled.
The private inquiry into the dis
i aster which had been started by
| Lamport and Holt officials, has beer
dropped, said David Cook. managing
director OF Sand7rson and Son, th'
lines agents. He explained that
the company's investigation was not
regarded as necessary in view Of the
! board of federal inquiry.
Six Tell Story
| Six survivors of the NestriS. al
passengers. were questioned in the
first day of the hearing.
Among their charges were;
That there were general incompe
tence and lack Of discipline amoni
Officers and crew.
That two filled boatloads were left
hanging in their davits and carried
down with the ship.
That no orders were issued to dor
lifebclts and that no competent Off
GERS were assigned 70 lifeboats.
That some lifeboats were improp
: crly equipped and leaked like sievei
at every seam.
That in some cases the launchin;
| tackle was out Of commission.
That rescuing steamers passed sew
| eral lifeboats occupants being un
/ able to signal because Of defective
J flares.
Can Fix Blame
: The six witnesses were Fred "
Puppe. an electrical engineer "
!, Brooklyn whose wife and baby wer
! lost: Jose Santa Anna Of Brazil.
former New York elevator operate
who goes by the name Of John San
tone; Wallace vi. Sinclair. of Boun
Brook. N. u; Herman Ruckert,
German paper manufacturer; Carlo
Quiros. chancellor of the Argentin
consulate in New York, and Waite
Spitz, Of Berne, Switzerland.
In n statement at the close OF IN
= hearing. Mr.. Tuttle said;
From the testimony taken in "a
days hearings il is fully apparer
that we shall ultimately obtain CIV
dence to fix blame for the wreck an
= the great loss of life. You can stat
4 that this office will make every r.
y fort to place the responsibility wheI
u IL belongs and TO the extent Of a;
4 certaining whether the United State
r. inspection service permitted the shi
" Continued on page twelve)