INCENDIARISM BLAMED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18499, 11 September 1934, Page 7

INCENDIARISM BLAMED

STATEMENT BY CAPTAIN OPENING OF INQUIRY NOT STRUCK BY LIGHTNING (F.’co. Tml. Copyright—Unitrd Press Assn.) (Received -Sept.. 11, 11 a.in.) NEW YORK, Sept. 10. Acting-Ca'ptain W. F. Warms, of the Morro Castle, told the United States Government inquiry to-day that, he suspected 'that the blaze on the liner was started -bv an incendiarist, basing this 'belief on the fact that an incendiary attempt was made on the boat: on it.* previous voyage. The company’s formal report on the fire, produced at the hearing, agreed with the details of Captain Warms’ story that, he found charred paper on the cargo. He said lightning did not hit the ship. The first word of the fire ho had was at 2.45 a.in., when tho deck watch, informed him. “I sounded a general alarm a few minutes before 3 o’clock.” lie added.

Two explosions iti the wreck of the Morro Castle to-day decided officials to withdraw the searchers for fear of further blasts, feeling that the fire should he allowed to burn out before operations were continued. “WORK OF COMMUNISTS” STATEMENT IN HAVANA (Received September 11. 11 a.m.) HAVANA, Sept. 10. Captain Oscar Hernandez, chief of Havana port, declared to-dav: “1 he Morro Castle tire seems to have, been the work of Communists, and apparently of a passenger who boarded the ship with fire-making chemicals in his baggage.” INTERNATIONAL GANG! ANOTHER LINER AFIRE OUTBREAK IN CARGO (Received Sept. 11, noon) BALBOA, Sept. 10. Several officers of the Grace liner Santarita, which made port under her own steam to-day, with a fire iri her hold, declared : “The fire here and also ou the Morro Castle was the work of an international radical organisation.” Carbon monoxide gas was rushed 50 miles out into the Pacific Ocean by the Canal Zone tug Favorite, and helped to check the fire, which was slowly working through tho cargo. Captain Stefenson said the fire was under control.