Evening star., 1928-11-23
SAY VESTR|SL|STED
LEAVING NEW YORK.
Survivors Tell of Confusion
in Lowering Lifeboats
Before Sinking.
BY the Associated Press.

FEDERAL BUILDING, NEW YORK
November 23.-An affidavit submitted
at the resumption of the Federal inquiry
into the sinking of the liner Vestris by
Edward Miles Walcott, British citizen
and survivor of the disaster, today said
he noticed a slight list to starboard
when the vessel left New York. He said,
however, he attached no Importance to
his observation at the time, as he had
often seen such lists on other vessels.
The affidavit, submitted through the
British consul general in New York, was
read by Federal Attorney Charles Tuttle,
who is conducting the inquiry before
United States Commissioner Francis A.
O'NeilI.
Walcott's affidavit said the liner ran
into rough weather Sunday and the list
increased steadily. When fellow passen-
gers suggested interviewing the captain,
William Carey, Walcott said he told
them it would be unnecessary, as the
skinner would realize the ship was in
danger"
Walcott said that when he came up
he saw Capt. Carey about tlve teet
away.
Captain Disappears.
st Just remember seeing him with
an overcoat on and no lifebelt" wal
colts affidavit read. After second
he disappeared"
Walcott stated that he believed that
properly trained men, with proper
emergency equipment, could have got
the lifeboats over much sooner than
they we're lowered.
His last recollection of the captain on
board, he said, was seeing him on the
hurricane deck, shouting hoarsely his
directions to the loading of No. life
boat.
His voice was so hoarSe," Walcott
said, that it broke on the last orders.
This was just as the ship went down"
Says List Increased.
The list continued to increase, he
said, and between z and 8 am. on Mon
day he heard some stewards and petty
officers talking outside his cabin.
Aren't you going down to bail?"
Walcott said he overheard one Of the
petty officers ask steward.
mo, it's no use," he said the steward
replied.
He said several passengers came on
deck soon afterward wearing lifebeltS,
and one of the petty officers said, What
are you wearing lifebelts for? There's no
danger, and you'll only upset the other
passengers" About the same time,
Walcott's affidavit stated, rumor was
going about that a steamer was less
than SO miles away and coming to
their assistance.
No Crews for LifebOats.
walcott in his affidavit stated that
the lifeboats to which the women and
children were assigned contained no
crews to manage them. No. boat, he
said, contained only one white seaman
and one colored man.
Walcott said he and another male pas
senger dragged two woman passengers
up the sharply Slanting deck and helped
them into lifeboat No. 8. He was help
inc anotner woman, colored woman,
he said, when he became entangled in
Wreckage. While be was struggling to
free himself the ship turned over and
sank, dragging him with her. He freed
himself under water, he said, and after
a terrific struggle managed to rise to
the surface.
Following the reading Of Walcott's
affidavit. H. G. Johnston, hwo had been
mentioned several times in the affidavit
too the stand Johnstone is general
manager of the Trinidad Leashold, an
concern in Trinidad.
Also Noticed List.
JoflnStone said, he too, noticed a
slight list to starboard hen he boarded
the Vestris, and he noted that all the
passengers baggage avs put on the port
side.
Johnstone said that Monday morning
about z o'clock he suggested that
delegation of the passengers go and see
the captain and ask what was being
done to insure their safety.
But nobody agreed with me, so that
matter was dropped" he said. i
thought the passengers ought to be IN
formed"
For Gods sake, lower some of the
starboard boats" Johnston said he told
one of the officers while they were
struggling to get the port ifeboats
down.
Says He Warned Captain.
"soh, no." he said the ships Of
ficers replied. "'we can get those down
any time and were lowering these first
because they are the most difficult
We'll if you don't watch out, they'll
all 20 down with the Ship" Johnstone
said he told him.
Jol1nstone said he got the impression
that when the lifeboats were loaded,
"alE previous arrangements were scrap
ped
''They simply huddled the women
NEE ~