Oh dear.
C.B. Brittain, Lieutenant, U.S. Navy
P.N. Olmsted, Lieutenant, U.S. Navy
K. Ohnesorg, Assistant Surgeon, U.S. Navy
Report of Board of Investigation appointed to inquire into the absence of L. Mansen, Blacksmith.
U.S.S. "Yorktown",
At sea, latitude 34°48' N, longitude 150°30' E,
May 5, 1903.
Sir:
In obedience to your order of May 5, 1903, we have this day met and investigated the absence from this vessel of L. Mansen, Blacksmith, U.S. Navy, and have to report as follows:
1. L. Mansen, Blacksmith, U.S. Navy, went on liberty from this vessel at Yokohama, Japan, May 2, 1903, and returned from liberty about 2.45am Sunday, May 3, 1903.
His return is establish by the statements of F.R. Windsor, Quartermaster Third-class, who woke him up in a sampan alongside about that hour.
He got up and came on board, and in reply to inquiry from Quartermaster Windsor said that he was Mansen, Blacksmith.
Windsor did not know him personally, but a man on board passing at the time said that it was Mansen, Blacksmith.
He was drunk, and staggered forward.
2. This vessel sailed from Yokohama, Japan, for Honolulu, about noon May 3, 1903.
His presence on board on May 3rd, 1903, after the ship sailed, is established by the statements of the following named reliable men:
(a) D. Warrelman, Chief Boatswain's Mate, saw him between four and five o'clock P.M., lying drunk on port side of forecastle with one leg hanging over the rail.
He moved him inboard and told him to look out and not fall overboard.
Mansen inquired whether or not the ship had left Yokohama yet.
(b) J.F. McCauley, Boatswain's Mate Second-class, saw him on the forecastle near the conning tower, about 5 o'clock P.M.
He appeared shaky and dazed, like a man getting over a drunk.
(c) E. Sirbeck, Gunner's Mate Third-class, saw him about 6.00pm, lying on deck and reading and smoking.
Mansen gave him a light from his cigar.
He appeared cleaned up and sober.
(d) C.E. Weickhardt, Apprentice First-class, saw him about 8 o'clock P.M., drunk under the forecastle.
He had in keeping $10.00 of Mansen's money, which Mansen had given him about 11.00am that day.
(e) R.T. Dalkin, Gunner's Mate Second-class, saw him at 10 o'clock P.M., and thought him sober.
(f) B. Schrieber
[Schreiber in log-book], Chief Master-at-Arms, saw him sitting on chest forward at 10.00pm; considered him drunk, and had seen him at intervals all day long, and considered him drunk all day.
(g) P. Loughman, Blacksmith, saw him and talked with him at 10 o'clock P.M.
Mansen appeared to be recovering from a drunk.
(h) W.W. Noble, Boatswain's Mate First-class, saw him about ten o'clock P.M., and Mansen gave him a cigar; at about 11.45pm he again saw Mansen lying asleep on starboard side of forecastle.
3. His presence on board on Monday, May 4th, 1903, the day after the ship sailed, is established by statements of the following name reliable men:
(a) J.W. Blaeser, Seaman, saw him at about 7 o'clock A.M. lying asleep on berth deck near chief petty officer's table.
(b) W. Roberts, Oiler, saw him in port alleyway about 7.50am.
Mansen shook hands with him and conversed with him.
He appeared shaky and dazed from drink.
(c) C.A. Smith, Coal Passer, saw him about 7.45am lying down near firemen's washroom; talked with him; he appeared dopey from drink.
(d) A.T. Hanafin, Water Tender, saw him about 8.00am; he spoke to and grabbed hold of Hanafin; appeared to have been drinking hard.
(e) J.W. Rathbone, Oiler, saw him about 8.00am in port alleyway; talked with him concerning duty: he appeared to be dopey from drink.
(f) E. Nevaril, Yeoman Second-class, saw him near galley about 8.30am.
Mansen spoke to him and shook hands.
Nevaril thought he was sober.
(g) E.F. Wilson, Seaman, saw him about 9.00am; talked and joked with him.
Mansen said he wished he had his Japanese money changed to American money.
He appeared to be dopey from drink, but able to take care of himself.
(h) H.O. Pezold, Bugler, saw him about 11.00 o'clock A.M. on main deck.
Mansen spoke to him and went to scuttlebutt.
He looked as if he had just woke up.
(i) A.H. Hill, Seaman, saw him about 11.00am coming up from berth deck.
He appeared to be drunk; saw him walking about main deck; he acted like a drunken man.
4. Beyond this time, 11.00 o'clock A.M. of Monday, May 4th, the second day at sea, the Board is unable to establish the presence of Mansen on board.
In the muster list at quarters at 9.30am Monday, May 4th, Mansen's name was accidentally omitted.
On Monday afternoon men about decks spoke of not seeing him around.
At evening quarters, 5.00pm Monday, May 4th, he was not present and was officially reported absent.
A search of the ship was made without discovering him.
The Chief Master-at-Arms, with assistants, continued the search until 8.00pm without finding him.
During the morning watch of May 5th, by orders of the Executive Officer, boats, booms, stow holds, et cetera, were searched; at quarters the Executive Officer, accompanied by storeroom keepers, made a thorough search of the ship; the Engineer Officer searched the limits of his department.
He was not found.
This establishes the absence of Mansen from this vessel.
5. The opinion of the Board, based on the above facts, is that L. Mansen, Blacksmith, U.S. Navy, either fell or jumped overboard from this vessel, at sea, between the hours of 11 o'clock A.M. and 5 o'clock P.M. on Monday, May 4th, 1903, his condition from the effects of drink being such as to render him liable to either fall or jump overboard.
6. The weather during the day of May 4th was good.
The Officers of the Deck, Ensign Abernathy from 8.00am to 12.30pm, and Lieutenant Olmsted from 12.30pm to 4.00pm, both state that they were keeping careful lookout, and that there was no outcry or splash or other indication of a man's going overboard.
The gangways were partially obstructed with a deck load of coal, which would have made it easier for a man to jump overboard unobserved than if gangways were clear.
The Marines who were stationed at the lifebuoys from 8.00am to 4.00pm state that they kept a careful lookout; that they were where they could see every object floating past; that they saw nothing nor heard any outcry or splash or other indication of a man's being overboard.
The masthead lookouts during the same period state that they kept a careful lookout, mainly ahead, and neither saw nor heard anything that would indicate a man's going overboard.
Very respectfully,
[Signed by] C.B. Brittain, Lieutenant, U.S. Navy
[Signed by] P.N. Olmsted, Lieutenant, U.S. Navy
[Signed by] Karl Ohnesorg, Assistant Surgeon, U.S. Navy
The Commanding Officer.
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