Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-11-23
SAYS VESTRIS
Was LISTING
BEFORESTART
British Citizen Also
Ayers Life Boats
Had No Crews; Saw
Captain in Water

|
FEDERAL BUILDING. nv York.
nov. 23-Pl-An affidavit submitted
=. the resumption Of the federal in
qAnIry into the sinking Of the liner
A~estris by Edward Miles Walcott. n
brltish citizen and a survivor q the
disaster. today said he noticed a
slight list 70 s~tarboard when the
vessel left New York.
The affidavit, submitted through
the British consul general IN New
York. was read by Federal Attorney
Charles futile. who IN conducting
the inquiry before United states
Commissioner Francis A. O'Neil.
Nalcott's affidavit said the liner
ran into rough weather Sunday and
the list increased steadily.
Walctot stated the life boats %
which women and children we're as
signed contained no crews 20 man
age thine. No. S boat, he said. cor
tanned only ono white seaman and
one negro.
Walcott said he and another male
Passenger dragged two women pas
sengcrs up the sharply slanting
deck and helped them into life boat
No. 6. lie was helping another
woman. ne said, when the ship turn
Cd over and sank.
Walcott said that when he came
UP, he saw Captain Carey about i've
feet AWAY.
IL Just remember seeing him with
an ovcrcoat on and no life belt.
Walcott's affidavits read. After a
second, he disappeared
Malcott stated that he believed
that properly trained men, with prop
or emergency equipment could have
got the life boats over much sooner
than they were lowered.
Following the reading Of Nalcott5
affidavit. II. G. tombstone, who had
been mentioned several times In the
affidavit. took the stand. tombstone
"a general manager of the Trinidad
Leasehold. an oil producing concern
IN Trinidad.
tombstone said ne. too. noticed r
slight list TO starhoard when he
boarded the NestrIs. and he noted
that all the passengers baggage was
put on the port side.
Captain William Banbra, com
mandcr OF the Ncstris Oh the voyage
previous u her fatal journey, testi-
fying az yesterdays session declas-
ed he was loathe 20 criticize a
dead man. but he likely would have
taken more precautions than did
Captain William Carey, who went
down with his ship.
Chief Officer III
He said II was unfortunate shat
the life boat drill was no. held, that
he would have launched the boats
sooner than was done but that the
CAPTAIN was an able seaman and
that cts one thing 70 decide here
and quite another % decide On the
scene"
TIC also testified that British
methods Of inspection probably were
more severe than those used by
United States inspectors in that
-~lifcboats would have been actually
tested in the water.
The inquiry being conducted by
officials OF the department Of com
merce. which Is concerned with the
inspection made If the Nestris, CON
tinued "a search for an explanation
of how so much water leaked into
the ship as 20 sink her. The inves-
tigators questioned several members
~ the stokchold crew, the third mate
and the carpenter without discover
ing hte answer.
Chief Officer Johnson, survi, NO
ranking officer Of the Nestris was
n have testified al the hearing but
was reported I'M and unable ~ at
tend. He was said "a have suffered
p nervous collapse after his testi-
mony before the other investigating
board Wednesday.