Evening star., 1934-09-24
W|LLM0TT'S FEAR
Of ALAGNA TOLD
Capt. Warns TeStifieS Mas
ter Warned Him to Watch
Radio Man.
CONTINUED From First Page.)

Continued From First Page)
George I. Alagna, assistant radio
offcer)."
II asked Capt. Willmot to let me
iron him out" Warns said, but he
said not to, that he had notified the
Office. Remember, he held us up an
hour and As minutes at Havana the
captain said"
Warns said he thought for a min
ute the boys had got the fire" but
when he saw fire break out No. door,
and then burn through 2 and 4, he
knew he had lost Until then he
had hoped to win out.
When did you give abandon ship?"
After the S o S was sent OUT
Deck Officers at Posts.
Warns then said his deck officers
went to their posts, but ne called
Second Officer Hackney back to the
bridge when the fire endangered him.
Both First Officer Freeman and Third
Officer Hanson were at their posts
on the deck
Warns said there was real flic-
Capt. Willmot mad real fear Of him, u
Warns said.
Mr.. Freeman (the first mate) took
bottles of sulphuric acid from Alagna
the captain told me, testified Warns
Il asked the captain to let me
search his quarters, but he said:
Hes too damn smart 60 keep any
thing there"
Hoover then asked Warns about
Alagnas testimony of his pleading 70
get Warns to send out his S OS
You deny Alagna's testimony of
disorganization on the bridge"
Absolutely
How many times did Alagna come
to the BRIDGE"
About three times"
Did you agree or did you instruct
Alagna to send the S o So"
Il instructed him. I was still mas
ter of the ship"
when did you order Alagna to
send out the S O 50"
Places o S Time at 3:1s.
1T was 3:l8, I know, because Alagna
came rushing back into the wheel
house after l had given MIN his in
structions. He was mumbling and
tried to use the bridge telephone. At
the same time I asked the time and
a quarterma ster flashed uis light on
the ships clock"
"Alagna said Rogers couldn't send
the S o S and was burning in his
room. said for Gods sake get him
out"
When was the fire discoverc6?"
Just before 3 o'clock. I remember
because it struck six bells 6 o'clock
just as l sent out the alarm
Could Not Leave Bridge.
Warns said that his bridge fire in
dicators did not indicate fire until the
fire broke out through a bulkhead
door to the deck Then, he said. "the
whole top row of lights showed up
and the bell started ringing.
The reason, he said, was the fact
there were fire thermostats in the
"A" deck staterooms, which recorded
oAA wiz blA0SS, 4LCAC NCAC 4lOLlC All
the public rooms.
He testified he had sent Hackney,
the second mate, down to "a" deck at
once.
Were you impressed you had a
large hre?" asked Hoover.
Eyes, sir, was"
why didn't you come down off
the bridge to look at this fire your
self?"
Because by this time was trying
to steer my ship with the engines and
had to stay on the bridge. had
her pointed inshore."
When did you get her stopped?"
"Oh, about II minutes after 3, I
can't tell exactly. She was headed
toward the beach then-at slow
speed"
"Yes, sir, she was making about l6
knots, but when she was steady on
the beach she was making no more
than 3 knots. We kept this up until
the steering gear went out"
Ship Out of Control.
At about 3:11 or 3:12, Warns said,
the gear let go and he had to use his
engines.
II was steering pretty good with
the engines when the c. Q. (stand by)
went out
How do you know the c. @. went
out?"
"Alagna came back to the bridge
and said Rogers had sent it. 1t was
then told him to send the S o S."
1T was about 3:l8 that you knew
the ship was lost?"
Eyes. sir"-in a low voice-"I knew
she was out of control
Warns said he decided to anchor
then.
Questioned about the use made of
fire doors, the witness said he instruc-
ted new members of the crew how to
close them and that he closed them
himself every two weeks"
Asked why they were not closed
when the fire broke out, Warns said
the passengers might have been
trapped. He could not explain why
all the doors had been left open.
Then" Said Hoover, "the discipline
of the crew was not such as to be
organized to close all fire doors In
case of need?"
Unframed Men, Factor.
Warns replied in the affirmative,
and to Hoover's suggestion that the
large turnover of crew members and
unframed men on the Moro Castle
might be responsible, he said: That's
been one of our troubles"