Evening star., 1933-10-25
CRUISER OFFICERS
DESCRIBE CRASH
Tales of Mystery Ship Mark
Chicago Collision in Which
Three Men Died.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
SAN FRANCISCO, October 25.
Tales Of a mystery ship in the fog
about Point Sur. ITO miles south OF
here. and death OF three officers in the
crash of the U. S. S. Chicago and the
British freighter Silverpalm were told
today by officers of the cruiser as it
prepared to proceed to Mare Island
Navy Yard to have 40-foot hole in
her port bow repaired.
The two ships collided at Am. yes
terday while Vice Admiral Harris Lam
ing. Capt Manley Simons and Capt.
Herbert E. Kays said the Chicago ma
neuyered to escape a large freighter
of our starboard side. which disap-
peared in the fog few minutes later.
Hearing the whistle Of the mystery
ship of the starboard side. Capt. Kays
said he ordered the cruiser stopped.
The fog lifted and there she was. 800
or 900 yards off our starboard going in
direction that would cross our bow.
Another Ship Strikes.
II ordered the Chicago to go ahead. "
he said. 'and then almost immedi-
ately there came another ship out OF
the fog on our port bow. close aboard
and headed directly for the Chicago. l
signaled for emergency full speed
astern. footed the whistle. but the ap-
preaching vessel crashed into the port
bow Just forward of No. / gun turret.
which stopped her cutting of our bow.
The Silverpalm crashed l8 feet deep
into the cruiser. crushing nine state
rooms. The freighter struck forward
Of the armored plate which protects
only the engine rooms Three oficers
met their death and another was
critically injured. mashed in their state
rooms as they struggled to answer the
collision call"
Chief Pay Clerk John W. Troy. U S
N. of Newport, r. l., was found
crushed to death in his cabin.
Bursting in doors with hatchets o.
cutting the wrenched steel with torches,
sailors found Lieut. Frederick S. Chap
pelle United States Marine Corps,
Waterloo, N. Y. alive but conscious.
He died six hours later Of internal
injuries and compound fractures Of
both legs.
Third Body Discovered.
The crushed body Of Lieut.. Harold
4 MacFarlane, U. S. N, Of Haverhill,
Mass. was found as the ship entered
his port. Il hours. later. His state
com had been obliterated.
Machinist Joseph A. Oehlers. q. S.
N. of Camden, N. j., was found IL.
the wreckage of a passageway, an arm
fractured and hand mashed SO badl;'
the arm was amputated just below
the elbow.
Lieut.. w. E Pennewill gave a graphic
description of the collision as he felt
it while hurrying from his state room
to answer collision call
L leaned backward to glance out of
the port, grabbing the door at the
same time" he said. Il saw nothing
but water but a moment later there
was a terrific crash. My state room
opened and there not feet away came
the bow of the Silverpalm with her
anchor hanging over me. Fortunately
for me. she struck the gun turret above
and that stopped her Fortunately also
I wasted a moment in glancing through
the port hole or I would have been
outside In the passageway and would
have been crushed"
Electrician L. G. Giard said:
Il too headed for the door when 1
heard the call AS got 1t open the
ship struck. throwing my locker against
me and knocking me into the passage
way. 1t was all water out there but
l didn't wait for it to carry me up the
stairs I climbed up the hatch faster
than anv water could rise"
The Chicago is the new $4,000 900
flagship of the scouting force of the
battle fleet.