Evening star., 1934-09-13
Liners CAPTAIN
ACCUSED Of DELAY
First and Third Officers Of
President Cleveland
Make Charge.
CONTINUED From First Page,

nave been py Drowning.
still another Macabre note was
struck when all that remained Of the
body of Capt. Robert r. Willmott was
brought ashore yesterday from the
liner, beached of Asbury Park, N. j,
and ordered held for examination by
Government chemists.
The ONCE of the Federal district
attorney, which is conducting grand
Jury investigation Of the tragedy here,
declined to discuss the purpose OF the
chemists examination.
It has been testified by officers OF
the MORO Castle that Capt. Willmott
died following an attack Of acute in
digestion Friday night--Several hours
before the fire broke out on the liner. |
Some reports said today that the
chemists would seek to determine II
Capt. willmott was poisoned.
Capt. Carey First Witness.
Capt. Carey was called as the first
witness on the fourth day of the
investigation directed by Dickerson N.
Hoover, assistant director of. the Bu-
reau Of Navigation, in an effort to
determine whether licenses of any
surviving officers of the ship should |
be cancelled.
Sitting with Hoover on the inquiry |
board are Steamboat Inspectors Karl
G. Nielsen, James Smith and John
L. Crone.
Capt. Carey, ,ruddy faced and husky. |
told Of heading the President Cleve- |
land toward the blazing MORO Castle
after receiving wireless message
from land station.
The message came at 4:50 am.
(E. s. T.) and the President Cleve- |
land reached the Morro Castle at 6:2o |
an. Capt. Carey testified.
His ship did not receive the MORO
Castles s o s, Carey said.
I'VE lowered two lifeboats to pick /
up people from the water" he went on. |
Half Mile From Morro Castle.
The shipmaster said he passed the |
Morro Castle and pulled up half
mile to the lee of the burning ship.
Capt. Carey was asked If his boats |
were lowered as soon as possible.
I'VE got them out as soon as we
could" he answered.
How many people did your boats !!
pick up?
I'VE didn't pick up any"
Capt. Carey said his men reported
seeing no one to rescue He said that |
it required between 6:20 and 7:08"
to lower the lifeboats.
Have you heard of your deck on
GERS taking any action for failure to |
lower the boats earlier?" Hoover asked. |
mo, SIR"
Saw No One Jump.
Capt. Carey testified he saw no one
Jump from the MORO Castle.
THE City Of Savannah was on the |
scene and the Monarch Of Bermuda |
was steaming In as we reached the |
Morro Castle" he said.
Both vessels were closer to the |
Morro Castle than we were. The Mon |
arch was between US and the Morro |
Castle. g@se
I'VE did everything humanity pos
sible but We got there too late"
Next called was James A. Hender- !
son. first officer Of the President |
Cleveland.
He said he was called about $50 |
eastern stand time) to be informed |
of the Moro Castle fire. He went at |
once to the bridge with Capt. Carey, |
he said.
He suggested to the captain they
get the boats ready. His crew was al
ready on deck.
did the captain order you to clear |
the boats away?"
mo, sir. suggested they be cleared
away"
Hoy close did you come to the
Morro Castle when you came IMP"
1T seemed about three-quarters of |
. mile"
Henderson said he saw persons
hanging from TIE stern Of the MORO
Castle and the crew on the foredeck.
Awaited Captains Order.
He said the boats were lowered and
cleared at 7:0s.
why weren't they lowered sooner?"
demanded Capt. Nielsen.
Il didn't lower away until the cap
tain ordered me-"
DO you mean to say you stood there
from $40 to 7:08 beside this big
wreck without doing anything?"
II was waiting orders, SIR"
Henderson said when he put out the
and the men had to row it. The wind
olew them SO they could not get under
counter Of the Moro Castle.
Where were the people hanging on
the stern?"
II presume they were taken OF by
the Monarch"
How long were you in the water?"
II don't know, SIR
Were you under way at 8 o'clock"
II don't know"
did you hear bells struck when
you got on board?"
7 don't recollect."
VIII Asked to Be Relieved.
Henderson said he thought there
was too much delay" in getting the
hfeboats away.
I'VE got to do something!" he
quoted another officer of the President
Cleveland as saying.
And you did nothing?"
Il stood by for orders"
Have you asked to be released from
the President Cleveland and assigned
to any other ship?"
mo, sir: not as yet"
DO you expect to?"
"Thst depends on developments"
What do you mean by that?"
IF he (and he explained he re-
ferred to Capt. Carey is not taken
OF that vessel, I'll ask to be relieved.
I have no longer any respect for the
MASTER" Henderson said.
Error Of Judgment.
why did you not make any sug-
gestion to the master?"
II judged he was competent. After
we had laid there a while judged he
did very good job"
WAS he drunk?"
mo, SIR"
well. was anything wrong with
him?"
mo, SIR
what do you think them"
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