The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter., 1962-05-18
DRINKWATER CREW
REPORTED STEVVED
ON STATES FERRY
Four Members Of Oregon Inlet
Ferry Boat Grew
Fired

w. DflnkWaCef INTO an lnSVru-
ment of vengence last THURS
day, as passengers were insult
ed and "roughed up" while
making the usually routine
crossing from North to South
Oregon Inlet.
Confronted with reports of
the intentional ramming of the
ferry dock and the alleged as
sault upon Antony Stewart,
a photographer for National
Geographic" Ferry Operations
Manger D. w. Patrick fired
members of the crew and ord
cred an investigation into the
matter.
Woodrow w. Baum, pilot; r.
L. Mason, engine room worker
and R. w. Cartwright. deck
hand, all of Kitty Hawk, were
fired Immediately after the
incident occurred. Another deck
hand, Kenneth E. Barnes of
Currituck, is also reported to
have been dismissed.
Patrick declined to give his
reasons for the wholesale fir
ing on Friday of last week and
announced of Saturday that the
investigation would be COM
pleted by Monday. On Tues
day, the operations manger
stated that his report would be
sent to Highway Commissioner
Merrill Evans, for release from
the State Highway Office in
Raleigh.
Patrick has stated that he
does not intend to prefer
charges and has indicated that
any action will have to come
from the Dare County Sheriff's
office.
| Deputy Sheriff Raymond
Basnett of Hatteras has stated
that he investigated the incl
dent in question on Thursday
n after receiving a phone call
from the Coast Guard head
quarters there, about COM
/ plants from passengers on
board the ferry who desired to
speak to a law officer. Basnett
has indicated that passengers
complained of drinking on the
part of the crew and their
pilot" when the officer arrived
shortly after the ferry's de-
parture for the north shore.
| Basnett said that several Of
the passengers stated to him
that "after reaching the south
shore, the engines were revers-
ed and the ferry was rammed
into the side of the dock at
Hatteras. just like drunk
en- driver would do with an.
auto" The deputy indicated
that reports he has received i'm
dicate that, the pilot of the fer
ry, Woodrow w. Baum, stag
gered down to the deck after a
commotion started on the part
of car owners who We're on
board"
| Anthony Stewart, the pho
tographer from "National Geo.
graphic" has stated that he
"does not care to become in
volved" and has refused to dis
cuss his part in the incident.
Basnett says that passengers
noted that Stewart was rough
ed up" by crew members and
stated that observers have re-
ported Stewards car being
driven off the ferry by one Of
the crew members, after the
photographer had fled to safe
ty. Stewart and Nat Kenny,
another staff member of the
Geographic" were on the Outer
Banks to do a feature story
about the area for the maga-
zine.
Patrick, who has refused to
comment about the incident,
did disclose that the dock on the
south shore has received
"about $50 damage to the
ramp"
Woodrow Baum, the ferry
pilot who was fired, has stated
that "Patrick claimed we were
drunk and none of us were" /"
Baum has said that distur-
bance did occur on board his
ferry when "the photographs
Ter" wanted to take some Of the
wooden blocks and "the boys
told him he couldn't have any. =
Baum says that ''none Of the
crew members were drinking at
the time" and says that incl
ther the photographer or that
other man from the magazine
Twas touched Baum says That
he went on deck to investigate
after hearing the photographer
"cussing the crew.
Il Baum said he couldn't under
stand why Mason. the engine
/ room worker was fired ebccause
he never went above Tia decI. Y
Basnett. the investigating dcp-
nty has stated that a of the