Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1846-07-11
The Poisoning Case on board
the Ganges.


the Ganges.
Cant, bertrand. the present captain
Iof the brig Gauges, yesterday Trssti.s-
ed statement of facts relative to this
vessel, and the late awful and murder
Gus proceedings on board of her. II ap-
pears that the former captain, Mr..
William Store, on being removed from
the command Of the vessel, said that
he would be revenged before he left
the city.
On the day that Capt. Store left the
vessel, which was either the l2th or
l 9Th ult. he had the medicine chest on
the transom and several! walls taken
out and lying along side it. Store APP
peared considerably agitated. After
eating dinner on the following day,
the crew were taken sick with vomit-
ing, retching and purging. No more
cooking was done on board until the
l 9th May,when the vessel was proceed
ing through the S. w. Pass. After
eating breakfast on that day, Capt Ber-
trand was taken sick with vomiting
and purging. AT the same time the
rest of the crew were also taken sick.
They were all so helpless that the YES
sci lay at the mercy of the elements for
thirty hours. While in this state Capt.
Bertrand made signal to the towboat
Porpoise, and was lowed by her over
the bar, and subsequently towed up to
the city by the towboat Alton. On the
esd May, the crew having left the YES
sci to receive rledic9l attendance, Capt.
Bertrand left Charles F'itzsimmons on
board as chief officer. During that
day Capt. Bertrand met Capt. Store,
lin Chartres st. ard they conversed
together. Captain Store appeared con-
fused, and endeavored to fix the guilt
of the proceedings on board the Gan
ges on his officers who came in the brig
with him from New York. This state
ment was made voluntarily by Capt.
Store. That day Capt. Store went on
board the Ganges, and remained there
for an hour and half, during the abb
sence Of Capt. Bertrand. The form
err walked The deck of the vessel and
then went into the cabin. When pull
ling on shore he told the mate, Mr..
Fitzsimmons, that he was the former
Captain of the vessel, and that the
poisoning on board did not surprise
him. The brig again sailed on the
25th May, with fresh provisions and
water. She went to sea on the 9Th,
and on the morning Of that day, i'm
mediately after breakfast, the crew
were taken sick as on the previously oy-
age, but with greater suffering.
! On the 2sth she came to anchor in
sight of Shell Island, and showed sig
nal of distress. She was afterward
towed up to town by the towboat Her
cules. On arriving off Slaughtcrhouse
Point, the first mate, Charles Fitzsim-
mons, ded after having been deranged,
owing to his sufferings, for IS hours
previous to his death. Capt Bertrand
then came on shore and reported to
the Coroner. The latter, accampani-
ed by Or. Bertrand and DIR. Rhodes,
held an inquest on the body. After
analyzing the stomach, the two medi-
cal gentlemen succeeded in producing
from the butter, arsenic in great guam
titles.
Since Capt. Bertrand's arrival here
he has suspected Capt. Store, from his
making violent threats Of revenge a.
gainst Mr.. Broom, the consignee. 1t
Is also deposed that Capt. Store inquir-
ed of several persons, among whom are
the Deputy Harbor MasterIAIr. Miller,
and John Bartholemy, corner Of Old
Levee and st. Peter-streets. vi Mr..
Miller he inquired whether ne
was suspected or not. lie also
inquired Of Bartholemy whether
he could be spprehend, and being as
sured he could, he Immediately took
passage in the brig Tit, and left here
for the Havana, evincing the whole 4
time an unusual desire to get away--so 4
much so as 10 excite the notice Of all
who saw him. This affair will now be
strictly investigated by the Recorder OF
the First Municipaliiy.-jNe" of- 4
leans Delta.