New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-12-02
The Trouble on the Challenge.

The report of murders committed on the
clipper ship Challenge on her voyage from New
York to san Francisco has naturally excited a
great deal Of interest in this City The follow
ing extract from letter written on Oct. 81 by
the consignces Of the vessel in san Francisco,
hes been furnished Us for publication
1.-THE Challenge arrived here on the s9th inst. in
beautiful order. her crew Ia rather bad plight nav
ing suffered from dysentery by which SIX men dled,
aud three having been lost from the mlZ1en yard IN
a gale Some Of the sailors ran away before tae
ship came alongside the wharf, and related Slch
shocking stories Of the manner IN winch they hal
been treated that great excitement was created
among the boatmen and sailors on the wharf The
moment the ship arrived IN deck her decks were
covered with mob, shouting TOR me captain ana
mate, to lynch them and had The latter fallen INTO
their hands It would have been impossible 10 have
rescued them, but fortunately thcy escaped
1T appears that gas tie intention y ne cre'c 10
sei-e me ship off Rio murder ne captain and mate,
give her in command 70 one OF their number, ana so
rowing This was attempted about ~ o'clock IN the
day the mate was knocked down ana STABBED by
the crew but was rescued by the captain, VINO sue
ceeded in bringing them 70 duty. captain Lana
formerly of the ship Helena) was taken by the mob
and came near being hanged he ~ now however
safe"
This account is not only more precise than
any we have had before, but It changes essen
tally the aspect of the case. We suspected
the former story was much exaggerated, partic-
uarly because it was so entirely destitute OF de-
tails The above is the more probable, from the
fact that Captain Waterman Is so VIGOROUSLY
Woodworking and severe officer, always making
swift passages by merciless driving, that only
the hardest cases would ship with him. Amutiny
among such characters is very likely and it also
likely that he should put them down as the above
writer states. In any case, we shall doubtless
have a complete report OF the facts by the next
arrival from San Francisco.
The Commercial Adre.tiser Of last evening has
the following:
We have conversed freely with gentleman from
California, who was present when the Challenge
came up to the wharf conversed VITA one OF tne
crew, and is himself entirely disinterestcd IN 'ho
matter From him we learn that the crew was an
unusuallv inefficient and unruly one, many OF then
having shipped as sailors who really were lncompe
tcnt as well as icly disposed. With one OF themour
informant conyeTSed, asking HIM particularly whether
Capt Waterman had abused him, TO which the man
replied No, but ne made me work, and that made
ne SICK
The facts of the case appear to be these. There
was from the first considerable difficulty "lIh the
crew. Who numbered rom CITY g. sixty. IL Is very
probable that Capt. Waterman, rs We have already
minated, Was harsh and oxactung, and piOoaOly me
mate also. When arrived OF Rio, the crew broke
INTO open mutny. They came az armed with knives
and hancspikeg and attacked the captain ana maze.
The latter was knocked down and severely stabbed.
The cap,an was also stabbed, the knife cutting his
clothes but not entering his body. lie was severely
beaten After fierce struggle, tho captain and OH
GERS pat down the mulnecrs, not. however, uhli
some Of them were severely hurt, some ~ whom,
having been previously sic. with dyscntery and
ScuTyy, died on the passage.