The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-07-26
Another Case or mutiry I'm the Pacific Ocean
"A sailor ShOt-Arrest and Ex mai Ia tivn
0f he Mate.

of the Mate.
[from the Boston TRAY eIler July 2il
In Nantucket yesterday, Joseph Fisher mate OF
the whaling ship Planter was arrested by Deputy
Marshal Riley, on charge, of aiding in the d4a'h
q william Clark, one Of the crew, on the lst Of
CLARK was shot by musket in the hands o. Capt.
Isaac b. Hussey, the master of the ship. Fisher
was brought before the U. ). Commissioner, George
>. liiuard for examination. Fisher plead not
guilty, and the examination commercially state
inent of the circumstances of the case-That there
was difficulty on board the ship Planter relative
to the food, which resulted in the death of Clark,
from wound received from a musket in the hands
OF the captain; that in the following January, 1850,
the Planter put into Hobart Town, where Captain
Hussey left the vessel, addressing letter 10 the u
> Consul, stating that it would be inconyenient to
break up the voyage and that he had left the ship
in charge OF the chief mate, Mr.. Fisher. The chief
mate and steward of the ship made,a statement to
the consul relative to the death of Clark which
forwarded by the consul to the government ut Wash
ing'o The Secretary of State sent on orders
here to have the parties nculpated arrested and ex
amined upon their arrival in this country. Mr..
Fisher lately arrived here in command OF the ship
Planter, and was accordingly arrested, but Capt.
Hussey is still in parts unknown. The following is
the testimony taken:-
William Ii. Chase, 2d-was second mate Of ship
Planter; she sailed from and belongs in Nantucket
she sailed from Nantucket on thu fth of July 1917
her captain was Isaac b. Hussey; her 6rst mate Jo
seph Fisher; myself the second mate; the crew con-
sisted Of "a or 70 men; there was seaman aboard
V65sel
from Nantucket; have heard him say that he was
never at sea before; do not know where he Belonged
Clark was shot on board the Planter, at sea, near
Pitts Island one Of the Cornelius group, ongitudel7
East, and latitude North; the Planter had then
been out more than year; the first announcement
Of any trouble was about meat got up from the
hold; this was about eight days before Clark was
shot, after we had gotup the meat and opened 1t, we
with; the discovery was made some two days after
the meat was got up; the barrel remained some
meat was ate, the rest was all gone; it was ade
way with at night; captain asked what became of
the meat; can't say what the reply was; | was at
the mast head at the time, lo,kng for whales, and
did not hear all that passed; when L came down |
heard that the meat was stopped for ten days un.
less 1t was ascertained who hove the meat over
board; the meat in the barrel made way with was
not sweet, but did not hear any complaints by the
men during the two days in which we ate Of it;
seven or nine days afterwari Is the hands forward
were called on to carry cask ashore those seven
or eight days the men had no meat; the mon re-
fused to get the oask ashore; the order was given
by Mr.. Fisher. After an interval of fifteen mi.
nutes or half an hour, the order given to veer
the ship of shore and keep her there; this was
done; captain Hussey was on saore at the time;
nothing more happened at that time; the next
morning there was note sent for the captain to
noon; he asked Mr.. Fisher what the trouble was
aboard the ship; he replied, that the men had
refused to carry the casks on shore; he was then
told to call the hands aft; they came att and
casks ashore; Captain Hussey was on the quarter
deck; the crew came to the quarter deck; did not
hear what reply the crew made; the captain said
that they should have no meat unless the ten days
had expired, until they told who had made way
with the meat; he said, there was plenty of provi-
sions Of all kinds On board the ship, and that they
should have all they wanted but the meat they re-
Piled that they wanted the meat; the captain
replied that they could not have the meat until the
time expired; he asked them to tell him VIII, hove
the meat ovsrboard the reply was that they did not
know; Clark was one who said that he did not know;
Clark was eighteen or twenty years of age; the cap
tain said that they should not have the meat until
they did inform who threw it overheard; the hands
then went forward saying that they should carry
the casks ashore until they got meat; there was
some meat aboard, bat we were Short the next
thing was, Captain Hussey sent Mr.. Fisher forward
to send the men below; the men refused to 60 below;
the crew were then mostly on the sorecastle; Mr..
Fisher came back and reported to the captain;
Capt. H. then said that if they refused to do duty
he could not have them at liberty deck; they said
that they did not refuse to do duty, but that they
should not carry the casks ashore until they their
meat; Capt. II. told them that he could not give them
their meat until the time expired, unless they told
him who threw it overheard; the crew replied that
they were not prisoners and would not 60 below he
told them that they must go below that they had
fused to do duty, and ne was not going to have them
on deck and that if they did net 20 below he
would punish them; that be did not want to punish
them at ALL the crew said that he might punish,
and, ! believe: added that they cared nothing
below and obey his orders; they did not go; the
reply Of the crew do not RENE mber; the captain
then told them to go below, if they came up the
next minute; they did not CO. and The captain
said that he had used all his influence to induce
them to 60 below and should have to resort to
other means; he then called on the steward and
William C. Paddock to pass up the guns; some six
guns were passed up from the cabin, and the cap
tain ordered Mr.. Fisher and myself to load them;
we Il AIDED them with ball; the ammunition was
passed up with the guns; the guns were then laid
aiongside the cabin gangway; the captain assisted
US in loading the guns; the crew were mostly tho
iorecaste; the captain went forward again and had
some talk with the men, telling them again that he
wanted them to &c below; the men sad they were
willing to go 10 work if he would give them the
meat he said they should have 1t Il they would tell
who hove the meat overheard do not recollect whe-
ther they replied to this offer; they said that thsy
could net go below; do not know what the captain
then said the captain came att again and called
for John Birmingham one Of the crew. to como aft;
the crew that the force stle came aft there
was about q dozen Of them; the rest Of the crow
were on the forecastle, and 80 me abaf the captain
told them he only wanted John, he wanted to talk
with him; John turned rount and went back again |
With all the rest that there; the captain called
Ohm 10 stop three times; he made a reply to the
effect that be was not going to stop there to be shot
Dr. put In irons; the crew collected the forecastle;
he captain sent Mr.. Fisher and myself 20 fetch /
ohm aft; We went forward 10 got John, and asked |
him 10 come aft; the crew replied that no man was
going aft; we went to take hold of John and they
ind Clark took hold Of me; Clark al sised me TO 60
At and let John alone; Capt. Hussey stood at the
main chains at this time.) he said that he did not
want TO harm US, but that should get hurt il we
TO carry John at; told him did not
come 70 hurt any one, l wanted John; they said |
should not have him; Clark the chief spokesman
At this time; ordered them 20 let John go, bat l
they said no, that no man should 60 aft there we're
eight or pine men crowded around; John said IL any
man put his hands on him he would split his braus
cut he was standing then with an iron hoop bar in
bis hand it was two feet long, AMI nch AID
quarter round; heard Mr.. Frher asking them 10 |
come aft and trouble; the captain then ordered
as 70 fetch any one aft that we could get, voise /
amongst them replied that there should be blood I
spilt on the deck before any one should 20 aft; /
took hold Of Clark and requested him to come aft:
be again said be did no. want to hurt me; did not |
use all our strength % get any aft; two Of |
the with their hands on Mr.. Fishers shoulders;
Fisher appeared to be uiing persuasion with the |
crew the captain called US aft, and said to the crew
that a. they had refused to obey all his orders, and
r~ud not no halo he hav tn,