THE VESTRIS FATALITY

Hokitika Guardian, 16 November 1928, Page 5

THE VESTRIS FATALITY

OYER FIFTY SUBVIYOBS LANDED.

THIRTEEN BOD IKS SECURED

(United Press Association--By Electric ■ Fe 1 eg r aph—Copyright 1 .

NEW YOBK. Nov. 15

Fifty-seven survivors of tlie \ estris have been landed from the rescue tanker Myriam.

\ Tlie destroyer “Shaw” is en route -with thirteen bodies of Vestris victims. One body lias been identified as that of Major Inouye, the .Japanese Consul at Buenos Ayres.

DAVIES’ STORY

THE LIST TO I (LAM E

CAPTAIN’S LAST “GOOD-BYK.”

NEW YORK, Nov. 14. The shock and nervous strain of his experiences showed dearly on Davies, tho Australian journalist, when he was re-united with lus wife and three children here to-day. Davies, replying to his family’s inquiries, said; “1 will be quite alright with three days’ rest. A week should see me back in the office.” He said he wanted to get away from eveiything and to obtain some rest, but lie went to a hotel, although his home is in a local suburb, and locked, himself in with a stenographer, to whom bo began dictation, setting forth his experiences. This he continued all daylong. Ho. unlike any other passenger aboard the ill-starred Yestris, is not inclined to blame the crew, tho officers or the master. Ho believes that the passengers, who have been made hysterical by untold suffering, are. inclined to stress the sins of omission and commission of those manning the vessel. He describes tho events from the abandonment of tlie "\ estris until bis rescue, as follows: — With Kopps. he (Davies) stood at tho ship’s rail, viewing the disordered efforts made to fill and lower tho lifeboats. He saw two boats loaded with women and children capsize before reaching tho water, and every moment the confusion grow greater, with helpless persons floundering about in the sea. He was fully dressed, including an overcoat ,and lie had a 1 1 1 0 nrespner on. When it seemed that all of the passengers were off. and the vessel was settling, with indications that it might flounder at any moment, he and Koppe went over tho rail and loaned into the sea. That was the last that he saw of his companion. Davies swam about to an overturned lifeboat, to which he clung possibly for three-quarters of an hour, and he was then picked up by a lifeboat. Ham. darkness and wind made the cliscomv ftert intense. The occupants of lii« I could see the American Shipper’s searchlight comb the waters, and they sent up flares and shouted in frantic efforts to draw attention, all of which failed. They rowed about all night, and between five and six next lmcuing the American Shipper saw and took them aboard. Speaking of the voyage on the ship Davies said: “It began in a quiet sea. with every prospect of a successful conclusion, hut trouble began when a storm arose during the night. The ship took a definite list, which the passengers cheerfully refused to regard as serious. They got fun out o trying to keep their feet, and some of the officers told them all would be well within an hour. “On Sunday night,” lie says, “the officers still maintained that the list was temporary. Some of the passengers felt that it would be safer to stay up all night. When T awoke on Monday morning, T felt that a crisis was at hand.” Of Captain Carey s last moments, Davies said: “He was standing on the boat dock, looking haggard from lack of sleep. He could see many clinging to the rails. Just before the ship went under, he cried: “Good-bye all!”

“AN AWFUL STOUT.”

DAVIES’ GRAPHIC ACCOUNT

NEW YORK. Nov. 14

Describing bis being picked up after the Vcstris sank. Mr Diivies said: - ‘l understand it was the captain’s pinnace. There were two men aboard, and one lady. Mrs Devore. r l he rest wore crow, possibly three or lour being negroes. The latter declined to row and bail the boat. They simply became insolent and had to be kept in order by alternate threats and tact. The penetrating wind was I right lully cold. The experiences of that night were awful.”

. Speaking of his leap into the waves he said: “I clung to the rail, with my feet dangling. When the water seemed about twelve feet way T let myself go. The noise was terrific, i momentarialy expected the vessel would blow up. As 1 was sucked down, the thought occurred, that perhaps floating timber might strike my head. I felt suffocated. When i .esunte up. the water was strewn with wreckage, but I could see nothing ol the liner. T managed to catch hold of part of a floating hatch cover. I found an upturned boat, and had a vivid picture of a negro nearby, with a knife in, his hand, wanting to prevent anyone from seeking to occupy a small raft to which the negro clung. LONDON. Nov. 14.

The Lamport Holt Coy informed the 1 “jM'ornjng Host’s” Liverpool correspondent that the Vcstris carried fifteen ordinary lifeboats and one motor lifeboat, with a capacity in the region of 1000, which was more than enough for all the passengers and crew. There were also rafts and life-saving appa-

rains. They complied with the Board of Trade regulations and were overhauled when the vessel was in dock recently. There should have boon enough accommodation, even if it was only possible to launch tho boats on one side, owing to the list. To reference to the suggestion that the YesLris! listed owing to the shiftin;.: of fin' earg.; Lamport Holt Coy do not agree, and point out that the nature of the cargo enabled it to lie packed in the holds tightly and unsliiftably. They express the opinion that the vessel either struck something submerged or shipped an abnormally heavy sea. which broke in the hatches, partly flooding the vessel.

VE'TBIS ENQUIRY

NEW YOBK. November 15

Tlie Federal Government', before tlie t utted States Commissioner. O’Neill, opened an investigation into the Yostris catastrophe. The first witness was a survivor. Krieut l’uppc, who lost bis wife and baby. As lie gave evidence lie wept and spoke excitedly. “ Everything was careless,” he said. “At the start of the trip when lie complained to a steward ho received for answer. “ You don’t know anything about it.” He testified that lie placed his wife and baby in one of the first boats launched. He went later in a leading over-loaded boat, the seams of which opened. Ho looked had- and saw his wile’s boat hanging empty Irom the davits. lie stated lie saw no indications of the high wind reported. Ho also stated that boats containing ' women and children never left the raised portions of the deck. “I am sure of it,” he said.

Another survivor, Wallace Sinclair, stated Puppc was correct in his statements. Witness was impressed with the lack of preparation and neglect to give passengers proper instructions. The crow tried to jettison the cargo by hand, but only moved two. tons. He stated nothing was accomplished in the lifeboats because all wanted to do something different. “There was no question of water coming through the seams.”

Bodies in the morgue show slashes of shark bites.