Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-11-15

ISL registry and the jurisdiction OF
the American authorities was uncer-
tain, il was indicated that the Brit
ish authorities might consent to have
the inquiry conducted here. Mr.
Mintzer said he had heard, unoffi-
cially, that the British Board Of
Trade had cabled the consul general
here stating that if the inquiry was
unbiased and exhaustive the board
would abide by il.
United States Attorney Charles n,
futile. in ordering the investigation,
said il was for the purpose of re
cording and pe%rpetuating" testimony
of the rescued passengers and crew
while the facts were still fresh IN
their minds.
Charges Piled Up
The charges piled up soon after the
arrival here yesterday of the steam
ships American Shipper and Berlin
with a total Of 14S persons rescued
from ~lifeboats after the British lin
er, bound from New York to South
America, foundered 24O miles off the
Virginia Capes Monday. Early today
the French tanker Myriam locked N
Brooklyn with 81 survivors, some OF
whom supported the charges while
others denied them or remained 81
lent.
The tragedy in figures today stood
at PA rescued, liz missing and pre-
sumably dead. Twenty-Five bodies
had been recovered. The missing
included 81 women and Is children
All the children who were aboard per
ished apparently. Ten women were
saved. Besides those landed in New
York nine survivors were aboard tho
battleship Wyoming, which was or
dered to put into Hampton Roads
Va.
The cause of the sudden disaster
TO the supposedly seaworthy vessel
remained in doubt.
Many Theories
Several theories were advanced by
survivors. One was that the cargo
matches were not securely fastened
another that the bow was stove in
By a m%ountaious wave, and another
that a coal hole was left open due to
rusted hinges.
David Cook, vice-president of San
derson & Sons, Inc, agents for the
owners, the Lamport and Holt Line
issued a statement expressing the
belief that the cargo Of GRATED auto.
mobiles in the hold had shifted
breaking open a bulkhead and start.
ing n leak which permitted the seas
to rush in.
He said this possible shifting Of
the cargo could nave been caused by
the heavy seas the ship encountered.
He reported the surviving officers
as saying that never in their expert
ence had they seen such gigantic
seas.
Deny List at Start
The captain Of the Vestris, William
J.. Cary, who might have explained il
all, is dead. Several survivors told
Of seeing him at the rail Of the ship
as she took her fatal plunge and
then without a lifeboat he either
jumped or was swept into the water.
Good bye ALL" we're his parting
words as he went overheard.
A charge that the ship was listing
when she left port IA made by
Carlos Quiros. chancellor Of the Ar
gentine consulate, one of the rescued
passengers, who said the list became
moFe and more pronounced as she
continued her voyage south.
This, however, vas denied by Mr..
Cook, who pointed out that the ship
had been inspected three days before
she sailed by federal inspectors and
pronounced absolutely seaworthy."
Den0unce CAPTAIN
Most of the passengers were bitter
in their denu~nciations of the cap
tain's actions and those Of his crew.
They charged the captain was over
confident. citing his failure to send
out and SOS until Monday morning.
hours after the dangerous condition
had become apparent to those expe-
rienced in sen travel. There were
charges that the crew stampeded for
the lifeboats, that the ~lifeboats them
slves were unseaworthy and poorly
handled; that partly filled boats
were rowed cold bloodedly past per-
sons fighting for their lives in the
water.
Most heart-breaking Of the stories
of the sinking told was that Of two
lifeboats loads of women and child
rem, whihc were smashed against the
sides Of the ship al they were being
lowered. The tragedy was that those
two boats, the first away by rule of
the sea were the only ones lowered
which did not get safely away from
the ship. Another boat sprang n
leak and turned over but several of
its occupants were able to save
themselves by ~clinging to wreckage.
Still cruising over the scene of the
disaster today were two coast guard
destroyers and two salvage tugs, but
theirs was believed to be a hopeless