Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-28
Cook Testifies Threat Was
Made as CIuett Was on
Way to Hospital.
DECLARES COMMANDER
OF CUTTER WAS SOBER
Members of Board Ask Speed Test
Of Josephine K Be Made
at Once.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, January ga board
of inquiry investigating the Smelling of
the Canadian rum-runner Josephine K
by the Coast Guard Saturday night
was informed today that one member
of the crew threatened vengeance for
the killing of the master, Capt. Will
liam P. Cluett who was slain by Coast
Guard shell.
The threat, the board was told, came
from Alfred Cluett, cook aboard the
Josephine K and brother of the captain.
Bennett Walker, cook of the Coast
Guard cutter 16l, which arrived at the
scene of the Smelling in the wake of
Cutter las, the boat which made the
capture, told the board the threat was
made while Capt. Cluett was being
taken to a hospital on Staten Island.
IF our captain dies, your skipper
will die too Walker quoted the brother
of the mortally wounded captain.
Walker was the first Coast Guards
man aboard the Josephine K. He was
assigned to guard the members of the
crew He was equipped with a re-
volver. he said, and so far as he could
tell there were no firearms aboard the
rum-runner.
Says Schmidt Was Sober.
He added to evidence educed at yes
terday's session seeking to establish that
Karl Schmidt, boatswain in command
of Cutter las and the man who fired
the shot that killed Capt. Cluett, was
sober.
Walker said he saw Schmidt a few
minutes after the Smelling, and he was
sure the boatSwain had not been drink
ing.
Testimony that Schmidt was intoxi-
Gated when he boarded the Josephine
K, after its capture Saturday and that
in the forecastle of the Josephine K,
was given before Coast Guard in
quiry today by members of the crew
of the Canadian vessel.
Seven members of the crew of the
Josephine K, accompanied by counsel
and a representative of the British con-
sui general, appeared before the inquiry
board.
William Selig, the first member of
the crew questioned, a seaman of Hall
fax, Nova Scotia, said he saw Schmidt
shortly after the Josephine K. was
boarded.
He seemed to be very intoxicated"
Seiig testified.
1t was brought out that Selig was in
the forecastle at the head Of a small
table when he saw Schmidt, and at
no time did he get close enough to the
boatswain to smell his breath.
Schmidt staggered" he said in re-
ply to question.
''Much?" he was asked.
Quite a bit"
Selig said later that all members of
the crew of the Josephine K. were in
the forecastle at one time or another
during the night, that all saw Schmidt
drunk" and that he saw Schmidt
drink six or more" bottles of ale and
"a couple of whiskies."
Asked where the liquor came from he
said the crew of the Josephine K. had
case of ale and bottle of whisky in
the forecastle of the ship.
Members of the board asked Capt.
Cecil M. Gabbett, commander of Base
2, Staten Island, where the inquiry is
being held, to run off a speed test Of
the Josephine K as soon as possible.
The speed of the rum-runner is an i'm
portant point In the proceedings be-
cause Gerald Campbell, British consul
general, IN New York, has asked wheth-
er it would not have been possible for
the cutter to capture the rum ship
without resorting to Smelling.
Under Suspicion Since 1928.
Coast Guard records produced as evil
dence showed the Josephine K had been
under suspicion as a rum-runner since
1928. She was trailed by patrols 20
times and twice, the records said, was
seen by Guardsmen in the act of trans
CONTINUED on Page 2, Column ID