The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-11-21
CREW IGNORED
ORDERS, SENIOR
OFFICER SAYS
Vestris Crew Members Testify
Leaking Ports Had Not
Been Adjusted.
VALVES SHIPPED WATER
Waiter Says Water Poured Into
Coal Bunkers from Open
Hatches
VALVES SHIPPED WATER

New York, Nov. .1.-(AP)-A re-
tired United States Naval officer
took over the questioning at the fed
eral inquiry into the sinking of the
British steamer Vestris today and
elected from the senior surviving
officer of that ship that his SUBJ
ordinates ignored his orders when
the vessel was sinking, that crew
members were absent from their sta
tions at the lifeboats, and that
women and children passengers
were placed in the most dangerously
situated boats.
The United States Naval officer
was Captain E. T. Jessup, Ameri-
can nautical adviser to United
States Commissioner O'Neill, who
is presiding at the hearing. The
witness he questioned was Frank
Johnson, chief officer Of the Yes
iris.
Before Jessup took over the ques-
tioning, johnson had testified in
reply to U. s. Attorney futile, who
is conducting the inquiry. that the
release mechanism of lifeboats was
mot successful"
AS Jessup Intercepted johnson
Captain Henry McConkey, British
nautical adviser at the hearing, sat
on the other side of Commissioner
O'Neill, silently listening to the ex-
change of questions and answers
and watching the witness closely.
United States inspectors reported
that the British liner was seaworthy
before she left on her last voyage,
yet members of the crew told Fed
eral Commissioner O'Neill yesterday
that various ports through which
the sinking ship took water had been
out of-repair.
The testimony was given by Gil
bert Ford, chief fireman; Isaac
James, a saloon waiter, and Thomas
Connor, head waiter in the first
cabin.
Valves Shipped Water
Ford testified that the ash eiector
valve in the stokehold shipped water
and always had during rough wealth.
er. He said he tried to tighten the
screws on the valve but they were
rusty and had been that way through
out his two years service on the
ship: He said he had never made a
formal report because Everybody
knew about it."
Officers of the Vestris previously
had testified that water coming in
through this pipe and other places
in the coal bunkers contributed to
the laundering of the vessel.
Scott and Connor told Of half
door on the starboard side of the
vessel, about 10 feet above the water
line, through which the water poured
in such a stream after the ship
started to list on Sunday night, 20
hours before she sank, that the bail
ing efforts of several men could not
keep up with it.
Water Covers Berths
Scott said the water which came
in through the door poured down
into the coal bunkers through
matches which were not covered until
Monday morning. The water was so
deep in their quarters Sunday night,
he said, that they could not use the
lower berths.
Frederick Sorenson, a passenger
on the Vestris who himself holds
masters papers, repeated the denials
he had made before the steamboat
inquiry of published
stories which quoted him as criticiz-
ing the handling Of the boat and the
actions of the officers and crew. He
characterized the reports as "abso-
lutte, rankest lies"