New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-11-16

erly equipped and leaked like xieves
at every seam.
That in some cases the launching
tackle was out of commission.
That rescuing steamers passed
several lifeboats. occupants being,
unable to signal because OF defec-
tive flares.
The Witnesses
The six witnesses were Fred W.
Puppe. an electrical engineer Of
Brooklyn. whose wife and baby were
lost; Jose Santa Anna of Brazil. q
former New York elevator operator.
who goes by the name Of John
Santonee;;" Wallace NJ. Sinclair. of
Bound Brook. N. j.: Carlos Quiros,
chancellor Of the Argentine consul
late in New York; and Walter spitz,
OF Berne. Switzerland.
In statement at the close Of the
hearing, Mr.. futile said:
From the testimony taken In to-
days hearings: 1t IN fully ap-
parent thae We shall ultimately OBJ
tain evidence to fix blame for the
wreck and the great loss of life.
To Place Blame
You can state that this office will
make every effort to place the re-
sponsibility where it belongs and to
the extent OF ascertaining whether
the United States inspection service
permitted the ship to leave New
York in an unseaworthy condition"
Mr.. futile said some of the Off
| GERS and members of the crew al
ready had been questioned privately
and would be put on the stand to
tell their stories publicly. He said
also that he was inquiring into re-
port that the anti-rilling tanks were
out of repair.
"Fastening the blame will not be
a light task" he continued. "As far
as what transpired on the high seas
on board British ship is concern
ed. we have no direct jurisdiction.
property were lost, and We must de-
termine whether there was criminal
negligence. If there was, We shall
determine whose negligence it was"
Highly Nervous
Most of the six passengers who
testified were still highly nervous
and Mr.. futile said it was probable
that few more of them would be
called as he did not wish to harrass
their feelings further by making
them recount the terrible ordeal
they had been through.
Mr.. Puppies voice broke at times
as he spoke of his wife and baby. He
told how they had to go without
food Sunday because he could find
no one to cook it for them, he told
also of seeing his wife and baby be-
! ing lowered in a lifeboat and how
he tried to follow them.
Ordered Out of Boat
".Keep that man out of that boat.
don't let him 60 down there" he
said the captain called.
II shouted back: my wife and
child are in that boat
"'That makes no difference. That
boat is too full. the captain replied
! back"
That was the last he ever saw Of
the two.
Puppe testified that two filled
lifeboats were still hanging to the
ship when the vessel went over.
What happened to their occupants
he did not know.
No Intelligent Plan
Sinclair. who has travelled much
at sea. said what impressed him
most was the 'lack OF any intelligent
plan Of lowering the lifeboats or get
ting the passengers into them" He
also testified that the lifeboat in
which he finally escaped was unsea-
worthy, its paint gone in many places
and it's equipment either missing or
in poor shape. The canister contain
ing the flares was so rusty the lid
had to be chopped off he said.
Quiros testified to one instance Of
mutiny in the crew. A Negro men,
i Der he said. jerked a pistol from an
officers hand and throwing it over
board. He had words Of praise only
for Alfred Duncan. the second stew
ard, to whose clear headedness in
helping load the lifeboats he credited
the saving of many lives.
Captain Hesitant
The captain, he said. appeared
hesitant throughout and uncertain
what to do.
Santa Anna, who said he was one
of the last men to leave the ship,
told of seeing the captain running
along the side of the capsized vessel
just before she sank. The captain
was wearing no lifebelt and was
drowned.
Lifeboat Is Subpoenaed
A federal subpoena was issued to-
day for lifeboat Number b of the
foundered steamer Vestris. and de-
partment Of justice agents were as
signed to take it to the federal
I building from the pier where it was
deposited by the rescue ship Berlin.
The lifeboat was wanted to check
up on sworn statements of passen-
gers as to it's unseaworthiness.
The manifest of the Nestris was
also subpoenaed to permit a study
of the nature of the ships cargo,
shifting of which is believed pos
sibly to have had something to do
with the ships tipping over.
Has Minor Accident
Captain William Heasley. assis-
tant superintendent at the Lamport
and Holt offices here, confirmed re-
ports that four days before the YES
iris steamed away on its final voy-
age 1t collided with another vessel
| in Erie basin.
He said the collision was Of no
| severity. however, the Vestris and