Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-25
BY CHARLES L. HOFFMAN
Star staff Correspondent

By CHARLES L. HOFFMAN
Star stat1 Correspondent
BALTIMORE, Aug. 25.-The
battered. weather-worn remains
of the schooner Levin ]. Marvel
were viewed here yesterday by
Coast Guard investigators.
The Board of Inquiry. delving
into her sinking on August IL
with 81 aboard, moved to Pier 4
in the Baltimore port to look at
a 10-foot-square section believed
to be a part Of the ship.
Capt. John H. Meckling. skip
per of the Marvel. identified the
section as a part of the
schooner's deck. Coast Guard
officials said the timber had
been taken of the ship by Navy
divers.
The three-masted wooden hull
ship succumbed in a Northeaster
that was the vanguard for Hur-
ricane Connie on her way up the
Chesapeake Bay.
Fourteen of the % passengers
aboard died as the boat capsized,
throwing them into the waters
of Herring Bay off Fairhaven.
Planks Examined
Investigators probed and
kicked at the wood of some of
the deck planks and supports.
Capt. Meckling pointed out
"douhlers" that had been placed
alongside some of the decayed
supports in 1914 during a repair
job.
Capt. E. H. Thiele, investi-
eating board member, pulled at
one of the deck plankS. 1t broke,
dropping pile Of wood rot to
the pier.
1t seemed an uniting ending
to the 64-year old ship which
brochures had described as the
''last of the Chesapeake rams"
The inspection brought to a
close a three-day hearing by the
Coast Guard into the sinking
of the old schooner converted
to passenger service in the mid
1940's after spending most of
her life carrying lumber and
fertilizer.
Rams Of her type were built
around the turn of the century
to haul cargoes through the
Chesapeake & Delaware canal
For three days the board hao
questioned Capt. Meckling anc
other witnesses about the sea-
worthiness of the schooner. Or
Tuesday, three persons attacked
her.
Defender Speaks
Yesterday, however. lecturer
in English at Brooklyn IN. "
College appeared voluntarily to
defend the ship.
Edward Spingarn said he
had been "motivated by feelings
of indignation" at reading OF
testimony that the schooner was
uncomfortable. unseaworthy
and unsanitary."
Even at this date it is al
most inconceivable to me that
the Marvel should founder" Mr.
Spingarm said. He explained
that he and his wife had spent
two weeks aboard the ship last
summer.
"She was a clean ship she
was comfortable E. she was sea-
worthy I was amazed at the
lack Of decrepitude of her
She never creaked as I had ex-
pected," Mr.. Spingarn said.
Yesterdays testimony wound
up a high note of accusation by
Capt. A. w. Kabernagel, captain
of the port of Baltimore and q
member of the board Of inquiry
Capt Kabernagel said thai
testimony indicated Capt. Meek
ling was in violation Of three
marine regulations coming under
Coast Guard jurisdiction.
/. The Rules of the Road II
that he did not post proper
lookouts. (Punishible by a $l0t
fine.)
2. The Motorboat Act, in tha'
he did not have license to oper'
ate his motorized yawl to hau
passengers for hire. (Punishiblt
by a 5000 fine.
3. Port Security regulation!
that require a port security care
for every operator and crew
member on vessels over 100 tons
The Marvel was a 128-foot
183-ton vessel. Violations Of the
last law are punishable by 6
maximum $4,000 fine and II
years Imprisonment.
The board of inquiry in no un'
certain terms questioned thu
adequacy Of the crew aboard thu
Marvel and whether she wa.
actually sailing vessel or de-
pended at times while in pas
sage on a motorized yawboat fol
her major source Of propulsion
Escaped Inspection
As a sailing vessel. she woule
have not been subject to in
spection and licensing by thu
Coast Guard because she wal
Of less than TOO tons weight.
Capt. Meckling sailed on tn,
Inflated cruise last August
with only himself and 17-year'
old Stephen Morton as full-tim'
deckhands, plus a cook and
steward.
1.-TWO men have sailed thes'
ships since they were built,
Capt. Meckling said.
with % passengers aboart
whose lives depended on you.
Capt. Thiele retorted.
Capt. Meckling said yesterda!
he was uncertain as to whethe
or not he had a barometer OF
board on the last cruise. H
said he had not viewed the storm
flags at Cambridge, but had de