Daily Capital Journal

TESTIMONY SHOWS ROANOKE OVERLOADED
Part of Cabin Cutaway to Make Room for Cargo of Dynamite

San Francisco, May 15. - Testifying in the government's probe of the Pacific liner Roanoke disaster today, Quartermaster Elbe, one of the three survivors, declared that he believed the steamer was overloaded and said the crew entertained fears for its safety.

Part of the cabin, he swore, had been cut away to make room for the cargo of dynamite, wheat and oil.

Ellery Stone, a wireless inspector for the government, followed Elbe in the witness chair. He said he had inspected the wireless outfit of the Roanoke shortly before it sailed and found it in good working order. The wireless inspector expressed the belief that the ship turned turtle and sank before the operator could flash his S. O. S.

Two Mexican firemen, the other survivors, will testify later.

Manual Lopez, fireman, in his testimony threw some light on why the radio was not used to signal for help. He said the third assistant engineer took the regular dynamo apart to examine the brasses and that while the apparatus lay in pieces it was discovered that the relief or emergency dynamo was out of order.

Deputy Collector of the Port of San Luis Obispo notified Collector of the port J. O. Davis here today that the grand jury of San Luis Obispo would have gone on record with a declaration that the ship was overloaded had it not been for the fact that the government planned an investigation here.
Destroyers Find Wreckage.

Los Angeles, Cal., May 15. - With many small pieces of wreckage aboard, three United States destroyers are in port today after having thoroughly combed the scene of the Roanoke disaster.

Several barrels, a door and one or two pieces of grating, besides numerous pieces of linen, pillows, etc., were picked up. A mute evidence of one tragic end was a plank with a bed sheet hastily knotted about it. Officers of the destroyers reported seeing no traces of victims.