The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-09-28
TIE BURNING OF THE cATALiNE.


Aeon mt OF the Affair, sc.
After many postponements, the examination in the
case Of Jaoe La kin, who arrested suspicion OF
having set Gre to the steamboat Catalina at Fortress Mon
roe on the % OF July last was resumed yesterday be-
fore Justice Quackenbnsh a. tho Jefferson Market Police
Court Four witnesses cxsmined, including Fire
Marshal Baker who produced terestng statement OF
tho defendant which made voluntarily on the night
Of his arrest Larkns account Of the fire and tho man-
OF transactng business In and about fortress Mon
is somewhat interesting. Tho following Is report
Of the evidence elected yesterday
John Van Tine, being further examined on the pafs OF
the prosecution, deposed as bllows:4arkil, Ia CONVEX
sation with me- said that he intended to negotiate for
boat tho route when this matter settled; no
accused the captain of the Catame Of taking the govern
ment stores and appropratng them TO his use this
was said III the presence OF MIR. Labor.
Cross examinedl must have sesn Iarkin in my place
IN Dey street at least twenty times Ia or during the
month of August sometimes he came alone, and soae-
times with Ior and other gentlemen and generally bo-
tween twelve and O'clock he appeared TO be sober
Chauncey b. sleeper, of No. liz Broadway being duly
sworn for the proeocution testified as foowsi know
the defendant Qarkn) now present; have heard hsa
speak OF tho burning Of the steamboat Catane met
Mr. rkin and Mr.. Labor at tho Asor House about tho
18th Of August last Mr. Iaor introduced me to Mr.. Lar
KIM talked together few moments, aud then Mr.
Labor asked MIR. llrkin aud myself go out aud tako
something; went out TO place in Chatham street.
Larn and Ialor took drink and were there and
half two hours Iarkin and Ialor had conversation
with me about steamboat affairs generally and during
that conversation the matter Of the Catalina
toned several times; Mr.. Iarkn said he engaged
largely in steamboat operations, making principally for
other parties he mentioned Mr. Stetsons name, Mossrs
Freeman Co. and H. 0. Freeman as being tho principal
owners of the Ca,ane he said further that he
poyed by them and was acting for them on board tho
Catalina lie said TIC was boarding at the Asto House that
Mr. Steson very fine fellow that bis board there
amounted to 81 SO per day that his board paid that
he could draw check any time on Freeman Co., and
they dare not refuse il; that he wanted any drinks
refreshments in his all Ire had TO do to Call for
them; that he disposed OF the Catalina at Fortress Mon
roe that Mr.. Setson, M. NJ. Freeman Co. and II. o.
Freeman knew all about IL; that they did not dare go
back on him. that he receiving $3.50 per month at
the present time that it would not do for them refuse
him anything he said that shortly after leaving Fortress
Monroe and General Butler his staff there the lights
put out board the boat and that he accomplished
the thing so well that the ship was all in blaze
In moment he said that he know how TO
fix these things, and that tho owners had perfect
confidence in him, and they understood tho
whole matter; of the latter portion of the
versaton took place in Chatham street: walked up
Broadway short distance and he said that he had two
or three other steamboats, which he about purchas
ing negotiating for that he going to take them up
tho Potoac and that he did not think they would
back; that he would serve them as the Cataline
served that no had burned the Catalina and going
TO make good thing out of her. Mr.. Lalor, believe,
asked him the question whether ho would burn these
boats; Iaisn used the language that lie would "burn
them hell - and said in that connection that no intend
cd to would burn ono next week and one the next
week, and that ono week would not be very bad opo
ration at that time he said nothing to the OF
burning
Cross -examincd-I am lawyer, and board at No.
spring. next saw him about tho 18th of August;
think the last part Of tho week. did not with
him. but met him at the Astor House; have known
Laor some throe months intimately, and some throo
years by reputation Laor and Iarkin in
ton at tho time went into the Astor House, think
Ialor had mentioned Iarkins name 10 me and 81 some
confessions that Iarkn had made about the barring VI
tho Cataine not certain whether that tsore
after but my impression is that was before Labor had
proposed to me to BIO present at any
Ialor employed in my Office between two and three
months have no other person in my Office this
hahn hac..a ..,ks
| O'Clock in the evening; it at tho south
| west corner Of Chambers aud Chatham streets, /
think; wbo in this place Larkin think, drank about
glasses Of GIN think Larkin spoke OF the Catalina
the street. after going into the saloon no spoke Of
the burning Of the Cataine don't think he strictly
sober, but not ntoxicated am certain that drank
only once tho most Of the conversation about the Cta
the saloon; the manner Of accomplishing It
said the saloon the conversation volunteered
the part of larkin; did not put any questions to him.
don't think he stated at any time the manner Of burning
the vessel; don't know If at this or subsequent time
Iarkn said to Laor in my presence that turpentine
not bad thing to for such purposes; two or three
evenings afterwards met Larkin and he reiterated tho
Michael D. Labor on being examined for the de-
fence, deposed foowsl was first introduced to Mr.
Lrkin by MIR. Gan at Van Tines saloon ia Dey street,
the first time Iarkin told mo about the burning Of tho
Catalina the 14th August in the early part Of the
month was introduced to him; never saw him before;
Lrkn detailed the conversation Of the 14th Of August
Ffenchs Hotel III the evening about eleven O'Clock; he
appeared to be perfectly sober; treated him two
glasses of liquor present the sation
and he never repeated these tho presence
Of any except Mr. Sleeper saw Iarkin nearly every
day. and sometimes two ar three times, up to tho time OF
his met Larkn several times in Van Tines
before the 14th of August the first morning after
tho Of Larkin to mentioned it to Mr..
! Sleeper.
Alfred f. Baker, Fro Marshal, depossd as follows
Iarkn the prisoner arrested tho 7h of Scptcm
Der and taken to the Twenty ninth precinct station
house. went into stage and while there arkin sat
next to me- and wished TO know what charge he was
arrested; stated to him that it in relation to the
steamboat Catalina; he said he felt easy then, he
thought he might be arrested charge that he
knew nothing about; while going along he said be would
be able to give me some facts that would be Of service
that all that passed until he got to the station
house; when there asked him IL no would give thosa
facts that he alluded to in the stage; he replied
! ing statement, marked A, which sent to
| Mr.. Larkin and admitted to be truet-
| STATEMENT or MR.. LARKN--MARgED A.
| About two weeks whereabouts before the fire Cap
tain Philips sold to Captain Webster, master Of brig
then lying Mt Fortress Monroe, one or more hair mat
tresses together with Sheets pillow cases and counter
panes blankets to match. The amount cit her S2a
or $3.50 was present when these things delivered
TO Captain Webster These things were taken aboard the
brig in yawl boat that evening boat went along
side the brig and took on board the boat some fresh
beef and ce could not swear this beef aud ice was In
Captain Philips selling these articles belonging to the
boat was notified by me- and to the best
an ee'f advising wr0' them of the facts s!0'
alss wrote them about the difficulty tho captain had
with General Butler the day Of the night Of the re
July the boat went to Newport News and returned TO
Fortress Monroe after leaving Newport News soon after
turned my berth took OF all my clothes except my
shirt pantaoons and boots; General Butler and family
and some of his staff were board; did not hear the
boat landing at Fortress Monroe, and was woke by
unusual noise my berth was in the upper cabin, about
two three bcrhs from the smoke stack did not hear
the cry Of nre;" got out Of my berth and saw the
flames coming through the panel work around
steam issuing the engineer stopped the boa. and
| opened the valve TO let off the steam
that is what heard him say he did, was kind Of halt
asleep, and after trying to down the stairway to the
main deck got down tho stanchion to the main deck